Comments on: Avoiding processed foods

By: Jamillah

Jamillah — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 23:11:46 +0000

I love this site an I just went vegan again. I like the idea of planning what you want to eat for the week and make sure you have the ingredients. This is good for me because I have a husband who is not vegan, but has cut back on meat dairy considerably and always eats what I cook. So recipes are a way to go for me to introduce so good vegan foods for us both to eat.

By: Shelly Burnett

Shelly Burnett — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:24:35 +0000

Ryan: we like Lightlife soy chik’n strips. They have a good meaty feel for my omnis and they keep a good while in the fridge. I just can’t leave them on the counter and turn my back or the dog will eat them!

Summer: the big batch cooking is something I’ve started doing recently as well. I don’t like most commercial marinaras, so about once a month I haul out the cast iron bean pot and make about ten quarts and freeze it in containers. I also freeze dinner size portions of homemade bean soups, blanched veggies, mashed potatoes, and vegan chili. I grow my own organic salad fixings, so usually making dinner for me is about a twenty minutes to done deal.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 06:29:13 +0000

I love everyone’s ideas! I work late, LATE late, that is, but I like to have a snack when I get home just after midnight. I think I’ll definitely by using some of your suggestions.

By the way, I LOVE THIS BLOG. Thank you for it!!!

By: Summer

Summer — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 23:10:13 +0000

I try to make big batches of staple foods over the weekend. For instance, I’ll cook a big batch of beans that can be made into bean burgers or soup or burritos on the fly. I also make a large batch of different batches of seitan from “La Dolce Vegan” every week or so. Super easy to make those into a quick dinner by adding rice and a veggie. And pasta. I keep a stash of pasta and good sauce in the cupboard for days I don’t want to cook.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 02:54:34 +0000

Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. I almost always have leftovers in my fridge. Sometimes, I’ll make a main dish, nuke a potato, and have some leftover veggies with it. It’s also nice when pilafs make big portions because you can have it for dinner one night, for lunch later in the week, for dinner again…

By: Dreena

Dreena — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 01:52:22 +0000

Ditto on the soup! Soup is my savior, esp in these winter months. Combines the best ingredients - veg, spices, beans and/or grains, and you can make big batches to freeze portions for days that you don’t feel like cooking. Put together a fresh salad and maybe add whole-grain bread on the side, and the meal is complete!

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:31:19 +0000

Moominmama: hummus balls… I like the idea!

Chris: after a few months of seeing your blog, I’d certainly say you guys are good at coming up with meals! :)

Shelly: believe me — convenience foods are great, especially when you’re dealing with omnis or transitioning vegetarians. And, boy, soy chicken strips can be awesome. What brand do you like?

Catherine — good idea with freezing a batch of whole wheat pancake mix!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:58:29 +0000

I portion leftovers into 2-cup plastic containers, date, and freeze. In seconds you have homemade microwaveable meals that will keep for about a month or so. They work well for both lunches and dinners!

Other superfast suppers I love are: whole-wheat pancakes (I make a homemade mix by throwing together 6 batches of dry ingredients at once, and plopping the mix in the freezer,) with fruit and soy sausage or a tofu scramble, whole-wheat pasta with veggies and beans (and a little olive oil and/or jarred sauce,) and stir-fry (you can usually get one on the table in as long as it takes to cook some brown rice.)

Good luck!

By: Shelly Burnett

Shelly Burnett — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:40:27 +0000

I think this is an excellent idea but for one thing: soy chk’n strips. My family loves them, and since I live with omnis, they make my life easier. It cuts down on the number of omni meals I have to make. They’ve gone along with me on many a vegan road, but when it comes to chicken, they balk. Having found a veggie substitute, I’m not likely to give it up anytime soon.

But I do agree that the best way to cook vegan meals is to put your head in the fridge and see what’s there and work with it. I rarely resort to cookbooks.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:43:44 +0000

We pretty much do the same thing (or try to anyway). My wife is pretty good at rummaging in the pantry and coming up with a good meal. I’m getting better at it, but I still like to plan.

By: Moominmama

Moominmama — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:19:07 +0000

Just discovered your blog - I’m a newbie vegan - I totally agree with your philosophy re food labels. At this point I’m happy to cut out meat and dairy, and work on becoming animal-free gradually. I’ve found it really helps to cook double the amount of any grain or pulse/legume I happen to be using. That way I always have the base of a salad for the next day. And yeah, chuck that recipe book
out the window for a bit. Chop up a bit of this and that, throw it together with a good homemade hemp-oil dressing and bingo! Homemade houmous is a good one too. You can vary it by adding harissa paste if you like spicey food for one day. You can even roll it into balls and bake or fry it (kinda like falafel). Homemade tofu spreads with miso are also great ways of getting yummy protein into your diet, spread it on wholegrain bread or crackers. I have also tried making nut butters at home too - almond, hazelnut etc, they’re yummy. Oh, and last of all SOUP. Make more than you need and freeze it.