I saw a lady today with a t shirt that said “ **** awesome vegan”.

Probably one of those new Vegans that constantly have to remind the world about their new found lifestyle superiority. I should know as i was one of them around five years ago, and would like to formally apologise for annoying the f£&k out of everybody l met!

On a serious note though, unless you are doing it for ethics and fully understand nutritional requirements dont go full vegan, just decrease the meat and dairy and increase fruit and veg consumption. It really is that simple. The meat based alternative processed foods are too much of a chemical soup for my liking and many as yet unproven for long term health benefits.

On the subject of vegan beer, just check what they* put in it instead, Id rather the fish!

*not all additives are bad and not all beer has been fined (or not all batches of the same beer even) but Ive never been convinced about polyclar which is the most common vegan fining. Mmmmm microplastics.

Seriously micro-plastics? Saving the animals and trashing the planet/endangering the animals doesn’t seem a good trade.

Aqua-farba is the work of the devil as an egg white replacement, vile taint to cakes using it.

Seriously micro-plastics?

Yup, the traditional ingredient is ground up fish swim bladders. The non animal alternative is ground up PVPP. Which is a sort of halfway chemical between a synthetic protein and plastic.

No idea how rational my dislike of using it is, but I brew my own beer either using natural finings or just dont bother fining it and accept the negatives of that (cloudy, protein haze, polyphenols, tannins, etc). But for comercial breweries where every batch has to taste identical thats less of an option.

Seriously micro-plastics? Saving the animals and trashing the planet/endangering the animals doesn’t seem a good trade.

The fishing industry is one of the biggest sources of plastics in the oceans.

This book is utterly fantastic, vegan or not.

On the subject of vegan beer, just check what they* put in it instead, Id rather the fish!

Useful info. Do you by any chance have links to the environmental effects of PVPP in wastewater? And is it used in any other foodstuffs? Or in beer and wine not labelled as ‘vegan’? As always it’s best to check with the producer. I know that not all brews marked ‘vegan’ use PVPP, and likewise not all brews Not labeled ‘vegan’ use finings made from swim bladders or gelatin etc…

andypaul

The meat based alternative processed foods are too much of a chemical soup

Thanks for the caution. i’m not a vegan but I do from time to time consume Quorn, setain or soy burgers etc. Do you have any side-by-side comparisons to meat-based processed foods? Which of the ‘chemicals’ did you identify to cause such grave concerns? I do know that many meat-based processed foods have also have very similar if not identical ingredients to the non-meat versions. But if you could identify the most dangerous things you found, I can then look on labels of any processed food, veggie or meat.

Wait, am having a Groundhog Day moment. Must be the request for ‘raw vegan food recipes’, seems to trigger some people?

Gaz Oakley, amazing stuff. We’ve done his chickpea curry loads of times. Easy quick and tasty. But he has a lot of extrevagant stuff too.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF-ACPYNN0oXD4ihS5mbbmw

Matt Pritchard, again youtube (not sure if his proper channel is still there now he’s on the BBC)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsTNEhZlO8lM4RUAqc4YkYg

If you buy tofu, only buy Tofoo! (https://tofoo.co.uk). I’ve tried other tofu and can see why people don’t like tofu! But this Tofoo stuff is great, much firmer and cooks great. Cube it, dust in cornflower, whack it in a hot wok with a bit of oil for a few mins until stlightly golden on all sides (easy to over cook it). Then add it to things you’d normally add chicken to. In a curry or a stir fry it’s cracking! Better than chicken. The crispy cornflower exterior soaks up the flavours.

I hate Quorn. It’s weird, and gives me tremendous wind!

There’s stacks of lazy junk options now, most soya based.

Sainsbury’s is the place to go if you’re feeling lazy. Loads of vegan options off the shelf/freezer.

Asda have a new range of tinned vegan things; 3 bean chilli, sweet potato and coconut curry, jack fruit somethign-or-other. One of these tins, with a micorwave rice makes an amazing office lunch! way better than limp ham sandwiches. (obvs yes you need a microwave in the office…and office friends that don’t mind the smell)

And is it used in any other foodstuffs?

Its used a lot in pharmaceuticals as it swells when it absorbs water so it causes tablets to disintegrate. Its also used instead of charcoal to soak up some poisons in the gut IIRC.

Doesnt biodegrade IIRC. But realistically its a tiny ammount of plastic, compared to food packaging.

seitan

This stuff’s ace if you can stomach it. Aldi do a really nice vegan faux burger and faux chicken burger that use it, they’re our go-to things for burger night at Chez Nous now. If you can be arsed to make it yourself it does a pretty good impression of pulled pork if you cover it in barbecue sauce.

We went 99% veggie (fish fingers are brill) a while ago and to be honest I really don’t miss meat at all- aided and abetted by the fact OH is a brill cook and likes making daals and curries and I like eating them 😁

I’m noticing a lazy supermarket ready-meal trend vs raw (or cooked) home recipes trend on such threads. This goes across the board, and IME the supermarket plastic packaging is just a shit-show for any diet*

As far as pre-packed readymeals am sticking to Linda Mac 1/4lb burgers once or twice a month. They are packed in cardboard boxes. Happy to drop them off the menu if one of you can convince me that they are Very Bad Indeed. I need to up my homemade burger game anyway 👍🏼

*I used to eat thickly-plastic-packed rashers of intensively-produced bacon twice a week, so you whatabouterers have at it…

I’ve tried other tofu and can see why people don’t like tofu!

Did you prepare it yourself? If so how? I’d like to begin introducing tofu into the home cooking menu. Trying to stick to a Wagamama recipe book I got from the boot sale (a plan to lose weight and increase cooking skills) but only ever cooked tofu once before (made baked tofu in teriyaki glaze, was delicious IMO)

This looks naughty

Did you prepare it yourself? If so how?

The other Tofu brand I’ve tried at home is Caldron, which seems to be much wetter and less firm. I squish it between kitchen paper for a while. But the Tofoo branded stuff if still way better imo, straight out the packet good to go.

Inside the Tofoo box they have little recipie cards for you to collect. We did do their teriyaki recipie, which was very good! Some recipies here: https://tofoo.co.uk/recipes?category=naked

I squish it between kitchen paper for a while

As suspected ;). (pretty much what I did) Have look at the prep on that tofu video I linked upthread? I’d hate to paying daft prices for the ‘emperor’s new tofu’ if I could use regular med/firm tofu (along with ‘proper*’ prep), then get more for my dosh but possibly even better results?

*Variously/in conjunction with Freeze/thaw/refreeze, standing on!pressing between chopping boards between hand-towels, tofu-press over sink etc

Thanks, I will take a look. Do love a bit of tofu! Shame my kids won’t eat it!

I need to up my homemade burger game anyway 👍🏼

These are really good (though I use kidney beans instead of black beans):

Easy Grillable Veggie Burgers

Thanks cougar that looks ace

Do you have any side-by-side comparisons to meat-based processed foods? Which of the ‘chemicals’ did you identify to cause such grave concerns?

Folks there is nothing to see here, move on..

Oh hang on, WTF is Mycoprotien?

Quorn burger pattie
Mycoprotein (37%), Egg White, Wheat Flour, Onion, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Milk Protein Concentrate. Contains 2% or less of Natural Flavor, Roasted Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Acetate, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sugar, Potato Dextrin, Yeast, Coconut Oil, Black Pepper.

And we have’nt even got to the Vegan ones yet…it gets worse!

Oh hang on, WTF is Mycoprotien?

Fungus. Quorn is made from it.

Oh hang on, WTF is Mycoprotien?

Yep, it’s pretty weird stuff. You can very easily be an unhealthy vegan.

And we have’nt even got to the Vegan ones yet…it gets worse!

So you claim, so which of the ingredients that you listed cause the gravest concerns and why?

And what’s ‘worse’ about the vegan ones?

(question not in defense of junk food either vegan, veggie or meatie* – more in pursuit of facts vs tabloidism-lazy fear-mongering)

Also, how/why is it unhealthy to consume mycoprotein?

Also, how/why is it unhealthy to consume mycoprotein?

Chemical soup, remember. Who in their right minds would eat something derived from fungus?

Picking mushrooms

^ palm oil, Im out.

the ingrediants read just like any other processed packaged offering

soobalias

Member

^ palm oil, Im out.

You’d prefer an oil with a lower yield per hectare?

Quorn burger pattie
Mycoprotein (37%), Egg White, Wheat Flour, Onion, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Milk Protein Concentrate. Contains 2% or less of Natural Flavor, Roasted Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Acetate, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sugar, Potato Dextrin, Yeast, Coconut Oil, Black Pepper.

So that’s,
Fermented fungus, eggs, flour, onion, oil, milk. Trace elements of: natural flavouring, barley, salt, sugars, low-sodium salts, vinegar, lemon juice, potato starch, yeast, pepper.

Scary stuff.

^ palm oil, Im out.

https://rspo.org/members/2369/Quorn-Foods-Limited

“As part of [Quorn’s] drive on sustainabilitity, we are focusing on the use of palm oil in our products. Palm oil is only used in a small number of our products where animal fats or hydrogenated fats would be the only alternative. However, we recognise the global environmental and social impact of unsustainable palm oil and we are therefore committed to sourcing 100% sustainable palm oil.”

Vegan for a day? You could simply not eat for 24 hours.

palm oil, Im out

Much better to eat a beef burger that’s been made from a cow fed on palm oil and soy?

eat a what now? strange suggestion for the vegan for a day thread.

Im aware of both the yield of palm oil and that many companies are actively pursuing sustainable palm oil

but if you want a quick easy marker as to quite how “processed”, or even just plain unnecessary the ‘thing’ you are about to buy is…. containing palm oil is a one that should make you think twice.

vegan=/=sustainable=/=ethical=/=healthy so be directed by your own moral compass.

Not vegan, but often eat dishes which happen to be vegan (because good food is good food), favourites include;

– https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/black-pepper-tofu-a

– https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/jul/06/meera-sodha-thai-tomato-salad-peanut-crumbs-vegan-recipe
(if you’re not vegan this one is improved with the addition of fish sauce to the dressing)

– https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/dec/01/meera-sodhas-recipe-for-vegan-yaki-udon-noodles

– https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/30/mouth-numbing-noodles-chilli-oil-red-cabbage-recipe-sichuan-peppercorns-meera-sodha-vegan