I finally purchased some nutritional yeast from the local health food store in the bulk section. I have to say I am quite impressed! I made a faux ricotta with fresh basil from my garden and it turned out quite tasty! I was so impressed with the cheesy flavor and texture it lent to the dish. I will definitely use it again. Here is the recipe I adapted from the cookbook, Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Basil-Tofu Ricotta

12 ounces firm tofu, pressed (I prefer the shelf stable tofu, such as Mori-Nu)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of black pepper

ten leaves of fresh basil, finely chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

I prefer to use a food processor:

Blend tofu until crumbled. Then add all other ingredients and blend until the consistency of ricotta cheese. Refrigerate. I used this as a topping on whole wheat pasta. You could also use this in stuffed shells or on pizza as the book recommends. I was so impressed with how yummy it tasted while being vegan and dairy-free. So good!!

Boy, it sure has been awhile since I have written anything. Trying to dust the cobwebs off and get going again…..

I bought some T.V.P. at a local health food store for about $2.69 a pound. The price is very decent if you compare it with buying meat for the same price per pound. Honestly, it looks like dry dog food. You can buy it in smaller bacon bit sizes or pellet size. I chose the pellet size thinking it could be more versatile in its use as I could always grind it down when I need it to for certain recipes. My intentions were to use it in spaghetti and Mexican style entrees. It is dried protein so you have to soak it first in water and then cook it accordingly with spices, etc.

Like with many vegetarian and vegan alternatives to meat, I am just not impressed. Even though the T.V.P. takes and holds flavors well, there is still an underlying taste of something….cardboard? I dunno. I just do not like it based solely on the underlying flavor that does not go away no matter how many different ways I cook the dang stuff.

There is a mainstream vegetarian line of products sold in the frozen section at all the big box stores that produces a fairly decent “ground beef” style product that is far more tasty and enjoyable to the palate. It is much more expensive, but makes a nice alternative and addition to meatless entrees. There is an underlying aftertaste but is not so strong or off putting. I do need to research, however, if the name brand product has eggs as an ingredient. I have avoided eating eggs since September and I will go into why in another post. Soon, I promise!

I am looking for information and insight on two products that are commonly used in the vegan diet and I would like to experiment with both to see if they would be beneficial to my eating habits and lifestyle. Does anyone know where I can buy textured vegetable protein and nutritional yeast here in Tucson? TVP is made from soy and I hear it is a great meat substitute. Nutritional yeast is added to foods to provide essential amino acids and can give a cheesy texture to foods as well. Has anyone tried either one? Thank you in advance!

Have you ever made or eaten No-Bake Cookies a.k.a. icebox cookies? They are a super easy recipe that makes very good tasting cookies that are pretty wholesome considering they are, well, cookies. They are not exactly pretty to look at but they do work in a pinch for a chocolate fix and/or if you have little munchkins climbing up your leg begging for a snack I adapted the recipe and made it vegan.

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegan margarine

1/2 cup soy milk

1/4 cup cocoa

Bring all of the above ingredients to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add: 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 31/2 cups of oatmeal. Stir until combined and drop onto wax paper with a rounded tablespoon. Chill in the refrigerator and then eat!! YUMMO!

I used vegan whipped margarine and fat-free soy milk. I was worried that the cookies might not set well due to the thin nature of the soy milk and whipped margarine has more air than regular. Water content is also higher in any margarine as compared to butter. However, they turned out very well and super delicious! When I was a kid, I remember my mom adding peanut butter (1/2 cup) to the non-vegan recipe. That is a really good variation and an additional source of protein as well. And, of course, the higher quality cocoa, the more pronounced the chocolate will be. Try them out and tell me what you think!

I do my best to donate blood as often as I can. Before you can donate, a test is administered to test the iron level in the blood.  The last time I donated was in early June and, at that time, I was still eating meat. I went Monday to donate again. I was curious to see how my iron level was since I had become a full-fledged vegetarian. My level was just fine and I was able to donate. Yay!

I think it is so important to be healthy and maintain a healthy diet regimen. I am taking multi-vitamins for now. I hope to come to a point where I do not have to take a multi-vitamin to meet all of my dietary needs. I think it is reasonable to get all of one’s nutrients  from food without adding supplementation regardless if a person is a vegetarian or not. By eating the proper combination of foods, I am also ensuring that I do get the required amount of B12 and amino acids needed for a healthy system.

I do notice that I tend to be more shaky and irritable when eating sugar now as a vegetarian. I find it to be very important to make a real effort to have a decent amount of protein in my diet and this counteracts any effects. I think as I learn more about proper diet and nutrition as a vegetarian that this will balance out and be a non-issue.

On a side note….Did you know that sugar is not vegetarian? There is bone ash added to make the sugar more white and bright. #$%^&*!!!!!! Crap! Now I have to buy organic sugar. Grrrrr.

I am a novice vegetarian. It has been an interesting experience and an eye opener for me. Here are a few fundamentals I have learned so far:

1. Vegetarianism requires a lot of research and reading. I have found that I am constantly reading about ingredients, deciphering ingredient labels, and what restaurants serve vegan and/or vegetarian fare. I also am researching which companies do and do not test on animals, which companies are recommended for boycotting, and animal rights. I am learning so much but have so many more areas to discover and learn about….animal overpopulation, dietary needs, etc. Research will always be an integral part of this lifestyle, but I will be pleased when I do have the basic knowledge to answer someone else’s questions that are often posed to me .

2. Vegetarianism means different things to different people. There seems to be varying degrees of vegetarianism.Vegetarians do not eat any meat but some do not check the labels on their food. There are vegetarians who do not consume animal but do not research what exactly is in the cheese they are eating or what kind of treatment the animals are receiving. There are some who are strict vegetarians at home but do not bother to check what is in their food when they eat out. Others do not keep informed on what companies administer animal testing on their products. Some vegetarians research the ingredients listed on their cleaning and hygiene products. There are many different opinions and views on how to be a vegetarian. I am glad their is such freedom and really it all boils down to people trying to make a concerted effort to not consume meat.

3. It is impossible to be vegetarian or vegan 100% of the time. Unless, of course, you eat all of your meals at home and you prepare them from scratch. Oh yeah, and make all of your cleaning products and hygiene goods as well. Even then I am not convinced a person can be 100% vegetarian all of the time. Mistakes happen: not enough research has been done on a certain product, a company’s policy has changed on testing on animals, you learned a certain ingredient name “may be” animal derived, etc. My point is we can all do our very best to be vegan and vegetarian because we are human beings. Because we are human beings we do make mistakes.

4. Vegetarianism is by far a collective effort. I am certainly not going to make any grand changes in this world by being a vegetarian. I do think, however, by being a vegetarian I have the opportunity to influence others in a positive way. Boycotts are effective and I think that big corporations listen to the almighty dollar. If that dollar ain’t so big, I bet they would reconsider their practices. I know that I am not alone in this effort and that is comforting.

5. Practicing vegetarianism is not black and white SO (note to self —–>) Do Not Judge. It is not fair for me nor okay to judge someone else’s “style” of vegetarianism or what I perceive to be a lack thereof. I am not a better person because I choose to be vegetarian. I guess I have never been an elitist, but I do know being a snob is not going to convince another to do anything that has pure motives.