tropit

I don't know why vegn foods have become so controversial. It's too bad because most simple, vegan dishes are good for you and tasty too. It all seams so silly to me.

We were "mostly vegan" before covid, but once covid hit, we could not get the products anymore. Only some of them have come back now and they're way more epensive and out of our budget. We've slipped back into eating animal products and while, I enjoy them to a certain extent, I'd really rather eat less of them. I'm going to get back to meatless meals in 2024. If you have any good recipes, please share. I'll do the same.

Iceblossom

I've shared it before on these boards but one of my easy yet fancy dishes is this:
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/isra...kets-bourekas/

I use the filling for many things, usually buy pre-sliced fresh mushrooms on markdown, any strong flavored onion, and lots of red chili flakes. Plus, it turns out that many brands of frozen puff pasty (including Pepperidge farms last I looked) are vegan!

GingerK

Iceblossom, any tips or suggestions to make these keto friendly? They sound yummy but the DH....you know.

Onebyone

I do have a great bean burger recipe. I found it on a website. My husband likes it and he is meat and potatoes guy.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/be...-bean-burgers/
It may not be vegan since it has eggs in it used as a binder but it sure is good.

Iceblossom

GingerK -- This is not one of the easier things to make Keto-friendly, but my son is Vegan and the hubby is big into mushrooms so I do look for crossovers. One of the things I use the mushroom mix for is Tamales, for keto hubby I can do "toddmales". Instead of corn/masa I use ground lupin instead. We picked up a pack of the ground lupin at Costo (who no longer carries it), we now order direct from Carrington Farms has become a staple pantry ingredient. High in protein, it is also a good vegan ingredient, very versatile and not a whole lot of flavor on its own.
https://carringtonfarms.com/products...45450572792109

We make the basic microwave recipe instead of the masa. Flatten on your palm or cornhusk, spoonful of the mushrooms, seal into a tamale shape and go ahead and steam for a bit.

We also make a really good stuffing substitute, starting again with a microwave batch and adding (butter) sauteed onions and celery and some Italian spice blend Works (better cooked first) for meatloaf instead of crumbs but caution that it doesn't absorb much additional liquid. We also use the ground lupin instead of breading/crumbs for scotch eggs, or if we want a coating on fish.

cashs_mom

I'm not sure what controversy you are talking about, but I do know that a lot of vegan prepared foods aren't really that healthy. They have a lot added ingredients for taste that are definitely not healthy. On the other hand, few prepared foods are really that healthy vegan or not.

GingerK

Iceblossom, thank you! I had forgotten about lupin flour. It is a rare grocery store find in Canada and expensive, but nice as an alternative.

We make 'chaffles' for hamburger bun replacements or for tuna melts. Structurally, they hold up well, and freeze really well.

Onebyone

It doesn't bother me what others eat or don't eat and why but I never understood wanting food that looked and tasted like meat but wasn't meat. Vegan burgers, meatless foods that look like meat versions. Why want the food to taste and look like the food you are avoiding by choice?

They have a lot added ingredients for taste

I saw a container of vegan 'egg whites' in the store with list of ingredients as long as the carton.

Iceblossom

GingerK -- there is both lupin flour and ground lupin. Just different textures of the same stuff. Is basically the same price for us if we buy from Amazon or direct through Carrington, so we buy two bags at a time for free postage from Carrington. I have been seeing it more often in stores but yes, is expensive. When husband was first transitioning to his keo diet, he missed bread type products more than he does now so did a lot more with the almond flour and such. At this point, we don't do much with any of the baking types of things, but still do quite a bit with the llupin We discussed buying some of the flour to try out with our most recent order and decided not to.

Stitchnripper

Where is the controversy? I am thinking we all should eat what we like, can afford, what our bodies tolerate, etc. We are omnivores in our house but I cook most of everything we eat, from scratch and good ingredients. Of course there are foods that could be considered vegan or vegetarian in a lot of my meals. We don't have any health limitations now like celiac or diabetes. For many years Mr Stitchnripper had a sensitivity (not allergy and not lactose intolerance) which precluded cow dairy except for butter. After over 25 years without his body can tolerate it now. The issue I have with people's food choices is when they try to impose them on me. I wouldn't do that to them.