Guest guest Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 from SF Chronicle The Accidental Vegetarian Archive Going vegan for a month Amanda Berne Sunday, May 24, 2009 -- Mention to a few friends that you are going vegan. You'll find out who your friends are pretty quickly, as I did for the month that I adhered to the strict rules of a vegan diet. -- Images View Larger Image -- The Accidental Vegetarian Going vegan for a month 05.24.09 Fresh and delicious veggie sandwiches 05.10.09 Feeling blue? This spud's for you 04.26.09 Get creative with rice bowls 03.29.09 More The Accidental Vegetarian » -- I decided to cut out all animal products and go vegan for a month because I felt I couldn't cover the topic without having the experience. A month seemed like an appropriate amount of time, but I discovered it wasn't, especially if I would continue feeling as good as I did. Vegans get a bad rap, considered fanatics by some because they take vegetarian a step further. While vegetarians generally will consume eggs and dairy, vegans don't eat any product created by an animal. For the strictest vegans, this includes insects, which means no honey. To be a vegan, or at least start on the journey, you really do have to be dedicated. It isn't enough to assume you know what's in the food you eat every day. Start reading package labels and you'll find that dairy appears in many more products than you'd expect. Take soy yogurt, for example. I searched all over to find soy yogurt to replace what I figured I would miss the most. What I found was that many soy yogurts include milk in the ingredients added with the cultures. The month was lonely as far as eating out. Butter is hidden in many otherwise innocuous sauces. I found solace in Southern Indian food - hold the yogurt - falafel, and simple vegetable/tofu stir-fries at Chinese restaurants. Most other restaurants were just too difficult, and while some friends were fascinated by the way I would question servers about the ingredients in each dish, most found it too difficult to think of places we could go together. Yet despite all the hassle and the countless hours spent planning meals, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed being vegan. I won't lie - I made mistakes, such as discovering that the lime-flavored tortilla chips I scarfed down had milk in them, or trying to stay vegan while visiting family in Texas. But I remained fairly diligent. My body felt great and my skin was shining. I cooked all the time, so not only did I really get into the process of living alone and creating lovely meals for myself, but I was also saving money by not going out or buying processed ingredients. I went a step further after a week and cleared out all processed foods and " white " products in my house, switching to whole grains. White sugar is a hot topic among vegans, since it can be manufactured where animal products are manufactured. I switched to agave nectar to be sure. Because of the absence of animal fat in my diet, hunger could come on quickly, so I found it best to be prepared. I created salads and portioned them out so they were at the ready. I kept fresh fruit on hand and would cut up a big bowl every morning to nibble throughout the day. I took the time to supreme grapefruits, craft my own falafel (made lower in fat by baking) and preroll egg rolls so they were ready to pop in the oven. I cooked a pot of Indian dal to have on hand, creamy, filling and full of flavor. I was generous with spices - I wanted my dishes fresh and vibrant. And any of them could be made into a complete meal: the falafel stuffed into whole wheat pita and crammed with fresh vegetables, the egg rolls served with lightly steamed Chinese broccoli drizzled with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, and the dal served alongside brown rice and a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes. When I spoke with friends about what I was doing, I did realize one thing: The fact that I knew how to cook, and enjoyed it, certainly helped. Most felt they couldn't make a lifestyle of having to cook all the time. Then they saw my boundless energy, and reconsidered. Coconut Dal with Spinach Serves 4 This is also good with split yellow lentils, and can be used interchangeably. 11/3 cups red lentils (masoor dal) 2 medium onions, chopped and divided 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, preferably frozen, thawed 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 1/2 cups chopped spinach -- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds 7 curry leaves 3 cups hot prepared rice (I like brown basmati) -- Lemon or lime wedges, for serving -- Fresh cilantro, for serving Instructions: Mix the lentils, 3 cups water, half of the onions, tomatoes, coconut milk, chiles, turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are cooked through and broken down. The mixture should be creamy. About 25 to 35 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. In a small pan, heat oil. Add cumin and mustard seeds, and cook until mustard seeds just start to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining onions and saute until softened. Add curry leaves and cook 20 seconds more. Add seasonings to lentils, and stir to combine. Spoon lentils on top of hot rice, and serve with lemon wedges and cilantro. Per serving: 643 calories, 22 g protein, 83 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat (18 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 52 mg sodium, 16 g fiber. Wine pairing: The vegetal character of spinach is easier to match with wine when moderated by lentils, spice and rich coconut milk. A white wine with some richness and body won't be overpowered. The New World-styled 2007 Trapiche Broquel Torrontes from Mendoza, Argentina ($17) has more body than a typical Torrontes, so will work nicely. You can also go with a light, bright wine for contrast. Falafel Your Way Serves 4 Fried or baked, loaded with goodies, or just with a simple tahini sauce, this is falafel your way. They just also happen to be packed with protein. The falafel 1 cup dried chickpeas 4 large green onions, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon chile powder -- Oil for frying The tahini sauce 1/4 cup tahini 2 tablespoons warm water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 small garlic clove, minced The pita & garnishes 4 six-inch rounds whole-wheat pita, halved 1 cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise 12 cherry tomatoes, halved -- Roasted potato wedges (optional) -- Roasted eggplant slices (optional) -- Crisp lettuce For the falafel: Rinse the chickpeas, place them in a large bowl and cover with water to 2 inches over the beans. Let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Combine chickpeas with remaining falafel ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and mixture holds together. Scoop out a 2 tablespoon portion and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Heat about 1/4 to 1/2 inch oil in a skillet until hot. Fry the falafel until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Let drain on paper towels. Alternatively, preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop out 2 tablespoon portions, rolling each into a ball, and place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly into patties. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Flip patties and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more depending on how crunchy you like them. For the tahini sauce: Combine tahini, water, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. To assemble: Place 2 to 3 falafel patties in each pita half. Fill with cucumber and tomatoes. Add other garnishes such as potato wedges, eggplant slices or lettuce as desired. Drizzle with tahini, and serve immediately. Cooked falafel can be frozen for up to 1 month. Recrisp in a warm oven. Per serving: 345 calories, 13 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 283 mg sodium, 10 g fiber. Wine pairing: Crisp falafel will pair with a number of wines including Chenin Blanc - especially those from the Loire Valley - and crisp, medium-weight Chardonnay. Add garlicky tahini, which would be fine with white Rhones, although you may be safer with a pale lager and breath mints (for later). Baked Egg Rolls Makes 16 egg rolls These are great because they can be filled, rolled and frozen. When hunger strikes, just pop a couple in the oven. It's quicker than delivery and more healthful. Some wrappers contain eggs, but many don't; be sure to read the ingredients. 1 tablespoon safflower oil + more for brushing 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias 3 green onions, chopped 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups thinly shredded napa cabbage (or substitute any cabbage) 1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms 2/3 cup crumbled firm tofu 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 16 egg roll wrappers -- Cooking spray Instructions: Preheat oven to 425°. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add celery and onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant then add cabbage, and cook until wilted and cooked, but still a bit crunchy. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender. Add tofu, and stir until just warmed through. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper. Taste for seasoning, adding more soy sauce as needed. Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with 1 corner pointing toward you. Spoon a few tablespoons filling into center of wrapper. Fold lower corner up over filling, fold in sides, then roll tightly. Moisten edge with water to seal. Repeat. At this point, you can freeze the egg rolls on a baking sheet. Once frozen, store in an airtight container. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place egg rolls, seam-side down, on baking sheet. Brush lightly with oil and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Per serving: 125 calories, 6 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 293 mg sodium, 1 g fiber. Wine pairing: A tart, lighter-bodied wine - either white or red - will punch up the mild flavors. Try a Pinot Noir with light red cherry aromas and flavors or zippy white like the very light, low alcohol 2008 IM Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde ($11), which provides a bit of palate-cleansing spritz. Amanda Berne is a freelance writer and former Chronicle Food staffer. E-mail her at food, and read her previous Accidental Vegetarian columns online at sfgate.com/food. This article appeared on page E - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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