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What is a Vegan? A Very Short Explanation

“Does “Vegan” mean there is no dairy in these cookies?” A little girl with chocolate-colored hair is looking at her shoes while her mother asks about my cookies. I am selling them at a local farmer’s market and my signs are marked clearly “Vegan.” I can tell she is not expecting to get to have any cookies today. I guess it has been a while since she was allowed a cookie, since her mother has obviously not done much research on baking without dairy.

“YEP!” I see the girl’s head pop up and she looks hopefully at her mother. Apparently the little girl has recently been diagnosed with a milk allergy. I hope it was VERY recently, because the story the mother tells me breaks my heart for this little girl. She says “she can’t have milk” and “it’s really hard for her because we all eat it at home all the time.”

Two things are painfully clear to me now. One, this little girl needs help, and two, so does her insensitive and ignorant mother. Personally, if my child was suddenly allergic to anything, that thing would never find its way under my roof ever again. Period. I would not torture a young child, forcing her to watch as everyone else enjoyed a full-dairy diet while she had to make do with substitutes.

Eating Dairy-free is just one of the aspects of eating a vegan diet. But it is, next to eating no meat, typically the most well-known aspect of a vegan diet. And yet, here I had a woman who presumably had begun her research into a dairy-free lifestyle (I hope) and had not heard of the term “vegan.”

With the fast growing green movement, and more and more people choosing a veggie-based diet, I am always surprised when I encounter anyone that is not familiar with at least the basic tenants of a vegan diet.

So what is a vegan? A vegan is a person that endeavors not to consume animal products of any kind. This includes flesh of all kinds, beef, chicken, pork and fish, animal-produced foods such as eggs, dairy, and gelatin, as well as most refined sugars, many wines, and many beers. A vegan will typically also not wear clothing or consume other such non-edibles that were made with animal products, such as leather or woolen goods, feather products (with the exception of humane-harvest feathers which are simply collected after the bird naturally molts) or silk.…

The Vegan Diet – New to the Kitchen?

So you have decided to become a vegan and have commit yourself to be successful at this. After all. you want a better quality of life, don’t you?

As a vegan, you will face many different challenges, such as learning about nutrition, adapting to this new lifestyle, how to stay vegan in social situations, but the most scary one could be, what to cook. If you are new to the kitchen then this might be a horrifying thought, I mean you haven’t cook at all but now that you are a vegan, things in the kitchen get even more complicated. The good thing about this is that you are definitely out of your comfort zone, which means you will only grow from now.

Let me start by telling you that you are not alone on this. Many people face the same challenge regarding what to eat. I faced it too, when I was just starting my vegan journey and let me tell you that I have become a pretty good cook. Knowing where to start is not always easy, but with patience and proper planning, you will find that the kitchen monster is not as big as you think it is, you will learn how to cook the most amazing, cruelty free dishes.

OK so before you get started, you need to know where you are regarding your cooking skills. If your idea of a meal is going to the local take out and put that food on a dish, then you will need to ask your mom or friends for some help. Don’t get me wrong, you can still eat out as a vegan but it is not as healthy as cooking your own food and you will have plenty more choices if you prepare your meals.

Now take time to learn a few recipes and master them. Practice makes perfect and starting with a few dishes is a good starting point. This will also help you when you are in a hurry and need to prepare something fast. When you know what dishes to prepare, you can do them in record time. Also make sure you learn some recipes that include ingredients common in your household. It would be useless to learn recipes when you don’t have the ingredients on hand.

Finally look for some cooking classes around your neighborhood. This will really help you in mastering vegan dishes or get you started in the kitchen with help from professionals or people with experience. Just look at this as a great adventure and have fun with it.

I hope you have found this article to be useful in your quest for a better quality of life.…

Vegan Pizza: Tasty Facts, Wide Options

Many new vegans (persons who do not eat meat, eggs or dairy products), or hosts who are serving vegan guests for the first time, may have a hard time coming up with creative, tasty dishes. Vegan pizza is often a simple and easy choice. However, after solving the puzzle up to that point, many people get in a rut and things start to get a little stale.

But there are many facts about vegan pizza that many people — including long-time vegans — do not know.

For instance, did you know that the original, authentic, Italian pizza is traditionally vegan, i.e. no meat and no cheese? It is called the Marinara, and because of the simple but special ingredients used, and the cooking method, many pizza connoisseurs choose this pure version as their favourite pizza.

In addition to the Marinara, there are a number of other vegan pizza choices available.

Vegan pizzas are available at your favourite pizza place, you can buy it frozen, or make it at home. While it is not common to find a pizzeria that serves authentic Marinara pizzas, it is easy to get a cheeseless pizza from any pizza restaurant by just asking to hold the cheese.

Very good frozen vegan pizzas are also becoming more readily available, too, and tastier.

Then there is the home-made pizza option, which may be the best choice if you want a more authentic Italian pizza, if you would like to use cheese and meat vegan substitutes, or if you want to use non-traditional pizza crusts.

With regard to toppings, you can go cheeseless (in traditional Italian or modern vegan style), use vegan cheese substitutes, or nutritional yeast “cheese” sauce (very nutritious, rich in protein and B-vitamins). Vegan Cheese substitutes, it must be noted, have not traditionally been able to reproduce the familiar “stringy” quality of melted mozzarella on vegan pizza, with the exception of one brand which is tapioca- and arrowroot- based rather than soy-based.

That’s not all. While pizza dough is already vegan, not many people know that there are significant differences in types of flour, and not all flour is available everywhere. The fact is that the single most important component of a pizza is the base, not the toppings. Authentic Italian pizza needs “00” flour, not readily available in North America, but this gives a distinctive airy and stretchy texture, and handles perfectly when forming into a circle.

It is perfectly possible to make good (but not authentic Italian) pizza crusts using regularly available baking flour (beer is often a good addition), or whole wheat flour. But outside of that there are tasty gluten-free pizza crusts available, using tapioca and manioc flour (from Brazil), or seeds, vegetables, and legumes (in a modern vegan variation).

In a more traditional European gourmet mode, one can also use puff pastry as the pizza base to make very interesting vegan pizzas. Sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and mustard seeds, mushroom and artichoke, thinly sliced potato with olive oil and rosemary (a traditional European favourite that is virtually unknown in America), all go beautifully on flaky puff pastry.…

The World Of Vegan Protein Sources

In today’s world, Vegan is getting to be a very popular word. We hear more and more people around us using it, and turning into vegans. This surprises a lot of people, since the vegan lifestyle is very restrictive, and many vegans struggle to get the right amount of protein. With the limited vegan protein sources out there, are vegans able to get all of the nutrients required for a healthy diet?

Vegans are people who do not eat meat, or any other animal byproducts. This includes eggs and dairy. While it can be very difficult, it is possible for vegans to get enough protein in their diet. They just need to find the right combination of foods. The problem is that most sources of vegan protein are not complete proteins. The body requires a variety of amino acids to function properly, and that means that you need to be consuming complete proteins. The opinions out there are mixed, but most nutritionists today are saying that it is OK to get the various amino acids from a variety of sources, spread throughout the day. It is ideal to get them all together, but as long as you are getting them, your body will get what it needs. This is why it is very important to make the right food choices, especially if you have the restrictive diet of a vegan. Some good amounts of protein can be found in certain fruits and vegetables. Be sure that you are consuming a variety of green vegetables, beans, lentils, grains and nuts.

Here are 3 of the most popular foods that are a great vegan protein source, as well as delicious.

1. Bean and Lentils: These foods are an excellent source of vegan protein. Black beans, kidney beans, chick peas, vegetarian chili and lentils can give you grams of protein when eaten in the right amounts. A cup of kidney beans would approximately contain 13 grams of protein.

2. Grains: Whole grains are packed with protein. Many vegans go with brown rice, barley, oats or even whole grain breads, but the one that tops it is quinoa. Quinoa is a complete protein, and if included in ones diet makes an excellent vegan protein source. A cup of cooked Quinoa may contain around 18 grams of protein.

3. Soy products: Soy can be consumed in various different ways including, soy milk, soy nuts, soy ice-cream, soy yogurt, soy cheese and the list can go on. Tofu is easily available in grocery stores, is very inexpensive, and is a valuable vegan protein source. Tofu can be eaten just the way it is or incorporated with any seasoning to make a delicious healthy meal. It also contains calcium and iron. Half a cup of tofu might have up to 10 grams of protein and a whole cup of soy milk contains 7 grams.

Even with the various sources of vegan protein out there, many vegans really struggle to create a truly healthy diet. While there are many different vegan protein sources out there, most of them do not provide you with the complete proteins that you need for your body to work it’s best.…

Can Green Smoothie Recipes Actually Help You Lose Weight?

Many people wonder if green smoothie recipes can actually help them lose weight. Smoothies are a kind of vegetarian diet that is made of fruits and vegetables. They have very little in carbohydrates and contain less fat.

There are many types of green smoothie recipes as there are people who want to enjoy a healthy living lifestyle. Due to the nature of green smoothies everyone can create their own recipe. It is only a question of combining various fruits and vegetables and blending them together.

You can get ready made smoothies to buy from the shop but it is very easy to make your own at home. All you need is a blender and a selection of your favourite fruits and vegetables. To make your smoothie taste better, select the fruits and vegetables that you like best and include some sweet fruits as well.

There are many suggestions of green smoothie recipes on the Internet today. This is because there are many different kinds of combinations of fruits and vegetables that you can turn into a smoothie.

One advantage of going on a smoothie diet is that you do not need to starve yourself.

Because vegetables are low in fat and carbohydrates you can eat as much as you like without having to worry about putting on weight. In order not to get tired of or get bored with the types of smoothies you eat, you will need to have a good selection of fruits and vegetables from which you can prepare different types of smoothies.

This will also ensure that you continue with your weight-loss program without giving up. Like any weight-loss program, you will need to combine your smoothie diets with an effective exercise plan.

Yes green smoothie recipes can help you lose weight because of its very nature. It can be filling and nutritious and you can have as much as you like at various times of the day. This means you do not need to starve yourself to lose weight.…

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

This recipe is a bit complicated, but it’s a great one to have in your repertoire. The key is just to follow all the steps exactly, and your pizza will turn out perfectly. Pizza crust is a very versatile food, and can be used as the foundation for many toppings, or even as a bread for soups and stews. It’s also a wonderful thing to have in your freezer for busy weekday dinners, or lazy Saturday lunches. Just wrap the crusts tightly in plastic wrap and foil before putting in the freezer.

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water, 110A? to 115A? F.

1 envelope active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Be careful that the water is the correct temperature (use an instant read thermometer) as it will affect the yeast otherwise. Add the yeast to the water and stir until it is dissolved, about 1 minute. The mixture should be a beige color. Let stand for five minutes, allowing a foam to cover the surface. This tells you that the yeast is active. If no foam forms, get a new packet of yeast, and start over.

Combine one cup of the all purpose flour and all the whole wheat flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture, salt, and olive oil. Using the flat beater, mix for 1 minute at medium speed. Now using the dough hook, beat for 5 minutes at medium speed. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour. If it is dry, add warm water, one tablespoon at a time. Remove from the bowl, and shape into a ball. Place in a large, well-oiled bowl. Coat the ball with oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until it has doubled in size. Then punch down the dough, compressing all the air bubbles. Form into a ball, turn to coat and cover tightly again. This process can be repeated up to four times before the dough is spent. It can also be refrigerated overnight if necessary. Make sure the dough is at room temperature before moving on.

For this particular dish, I like to cut the dough in fourths and stretch the dough by hand. But you can use a rolling pin, and the entire ball of dough as well. Gravity is your greatest ally here, so stretch the dough by allowing it to hang in the air, as you gently manipulate it onto a circular shape. Heat the oven to 450A?. Once the dough is stretched to the proper size, place it on a pizza stone or baking sheet. For a traditional pizza, add your toppings now. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through and gently browned. Serve immediately, or cool before freezing.…

Vegan Protein Powder for Bodybuilders, Athletes and Conscious Eaters

It’s amazing how the word ‘vegan’ comes with so many negative connotations. It is assumed that vegans are choosing a life of deficiency and malnourishment, when the truth is almost exactly the opposite. Responsible vegans eat extremely well, with a more diverse and well balanced diet than many vegetarians and meat eaters. Education is the key to eating well, and ensuring that the right amount of protein, minerals, fats and carbs are incorporated into a vegan diet.

Another misconception is that athletes and bodybuilders can’t get enough protein to build muscle and maintain weight. In fact, vegan protein powders are among the highest quality products available today, with all of the protein, minerals and amino acids that contribute to a balanced diet. Vegan proteins include soy, rice, hemp and pea protein. The biological value of these proteins is generally very high, and especially hemp and pea protein are absorbed efficiently and digested easily. A simple smoothie can easily deliver the daily requirement for protein to vegans, and provide additional protein to athletes and bodybuilders. In fact, vegan protein sources like pea, hemp, rice and soy are thought by many to be better quality, less processed and easier to absorb.

Another leading animal protein that is contained in so many shakes and powders is whey protein. While whey is commonly used, it is non-vegan, and often causes problems for individuals who are lactose in tolerant or who suffer from allergies. Whey is actually a by-product of the dairy industry, specifically cheese, which would otherwise be discarded until it was packaged and marketed by the dairy industry and a high quality protein. Whey is actually harder to absorb and can be difficult to digest for many people. Whey is highly processed before it is converted to a powder and flavor is added, which is a concern for many people.

Vegan protein powders are excellent no matter what your daily eating habits are, vegan or non-vegan. What matters is not the label ‘vegan’, but the quality of the products and benefits to your body.…