January is usually a time to make new resolutions and many times they focus on trying to do something different with the way that we eat. Have you ever heard about Veganuary? The concept was started to encourage people to make a pledge to go vegan for January. The hope is that individuals will learn how easy it is to do and will realize the benefits to their health and the environment.
Some quick background on me. I have been vegan for 9 years but it took time for me to get to this point. When I was a teen, I gave up red meat, but still ate poultry, fish, dairy and eggs. In 2008, I gave up poultry and fish. In 2011, I gave up eggs. In 2012, I made the full transition and dairy was eliminated from my diet. Making the transition from vegetarian to vegan took some time. Every year I would “go vegan” for Lent and my husband would “go vegetarian”. At the end of Lent, I would ask if he was okay for me to “stay vegan” but it took a few years to make the commitment. This is to say that it is important to have family support! In 2012, he said he was okay with it and he decided to “stay vegetarian” while I “stayed vegan”. After a few months, he realized that he hadn’t had any dairy or eggs, so decided to be a full convert. My step-daughter is now vegan, and my daughter/her boyfriend and step-son are vegetarian, so the whole family is on board.
You may be wondering, what is “vegan”? And how is it different than “plant-based”? The vegan definition that I identify with most is “to cause the least harm”. It would be impossible to be the “perfect vegan” because animals and insects are harmed in the making of most consumer goods and even in the farming of vegetables. Most vaccinations are not vegan (they contain eggs), but trust me, most of my vegan friends will be lining up for the coronavirus vaccine, as will I. I have 3 cats that are part of my family and cats are obligate carnivores, which means they have to eat meat, and I feed my cats a normal cat diet that includes meat. Vegans don’t eat any meat (including poultry and fish), eggs or dairy. Generally, they don’t eat honey. They don’t purchase fur, wool, leather, or silk (but may still wear what was in their closet when they made the switch—acknowledging that the damage has already been done). They don’t visit zoos/aquariums or ride horses. There are many other little things that come into play and it is definitely an education and you learn along the way. For example, orange juice that has Vitamin D added is not vegan because the Vitamin D comes from lanolin, which is taken from wool bearing animals. “Vegan” focuses on the animals and ensuring that little or no harm is caused to them. People that call themselves “plant-based” are focused on the food side of things—removing animal products from their diet but not always focusing on the other aspects such as clothing and animal entertainment. “Whole food plant-based” focuses on eating unprocessed healthy plant foods. People decide to make this decision based on concerns for animals, the environment, and their own health.
Whew! I hope I didn’t lose you with that long-winded explanation. Whether you are interested in going vegan or plant-based, I find that the best way to attract people to this way of life is through food. Who doesn’t love delicious food? One of the most difficult things that people find in switching is that they miss cheese and the texture of meat. Today, I will cover some meat substitutes that are popular.
Tofu is a meat substitute that is very well known. I grew up in a very small town in Central Pennsylvania and I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t have tofu until well into my adulthood. Now I eat it every day and it is one of my favorite foods! It is easy to find in any grocery store and is made from soybeans, water and a coagulant. It is easy to make at home but honestly, it is so inexpensive to purchase that I rarely make it homemade. It is a complete protein, containing the essential amino acids that we need to survive and thrive, so is an excellent substitute for meat. The great thing about tofu is that it doesn’t have much flavor but can take on the flavor of whatever you are cooking with it. You may be surprised about the ways that you can use tofu aside from the crispy cubes in many Asian dishes. We use it to make a tofu scramble, ricotta for lasagna, cream pies, “chicken” cubes for salad, and mock ground pork (technique found in my blog post Tofu for Beginners). I was a bit intimidated by tofu when I first started using it, but it is incredibly easy to work with. If you want to learn about tofu and how to cook it, visit my blog post Tofu for Beginners. I am incredibly lucky to live in the Bay Area and have access to the best tofu on the planet—Hodo Tofu!
Seitan (/ˈsāˌtan/) is a “meat analogue” that is a very similar in texture to meat (also referred to as wheat meat). It is made from vital wheat gluten, liquid (oil and veggie broth) and spices. You can find a few options at the supermarket, but it is super easy to make at home. I hosted a virtual seitan cooking class for my family over the holidays where we made seitan that resembled beef, Italian sausage, and chicken. Some good brands to try that are available at the supermarket are Field Roast, Upton’s Naturals, and Sweet Earth. My goal this year is to build some expertise in making more complex seitan. I follow a chef that has an entire cookbook on Seitan and has many recipes on his website. Below is my next level seitan--“bacon” that was delicious! I am going to try pepperoni next.
Lastly, tempeh is another soy product that is made from whole soybeans that are fermented with Rhizopus mold spores that bind the beans together in a cake. Other ingredients can be added such as barley or rice. To use, you simply slice the cake into pieces to use. I like to steam the tempeh first and then pan fry or bake with other sauces. Steaming makes the tempeh better able to absorb the sauces.
There are other great vegan products you can find at the supermarket that I am sure that you have heard about including Just Egg, Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, and Miyoko’s (butter and cheese!). These are great options to use as you are transitioning to eating more vegan food.
San Francisco and the Bay Area is a great place to be if you want to try vegan food at restaurants. There are a lot of fully vegan restaurants and most restaurants have at least a few vegan options. Some of my favorite vegan restaurants that I have visited in the Bay Area are:
The Butcher’s Son – Berkeley
Souley Vegan – Oakland
Nourish Café – San Francisco
Pena Pachamama – San Francisco
Shizen Vegan Sushi – Fan Francisco
Golden Era – San Francisco
Gracias Madre – San Francisco
Enjoy Vegetarian – San Francisco
In closing, if you are thinking about reducing the animal products in your diet, Veganuary is a good place to start. You could also try Meatless Monday, Vegan Before 6 or chart your own path. I will leave you a funny vegan meme that I truly live by:
