Wow, I told Linda in December that I was up to do a
one-month challenge of eating Vegan, she said let’s go January 1st.
And that was it, the beginning of a new adventure that delivered several un-expected
learnings. So we went full on – no meat, dairy or even eggs, I had to learn how
to cook again what used to be a 20 minute dinner prep turned into having to
think, plan and cook for about an hour. This might have been the best refresher
for my culinary skills as it relates to developing not only flavor but textural
differences in a dish. This was a refocusing on key elements in any dish that
has continued to influence all my cooking at home and in my business.
Here are some things I learned -
Liquid dairy:
What I
found is that using cashew cream in cream soups allows the flavors of say
broccoli to really shine through while heavy cream has a tendency to mask the
flavors. So using a cashew based cream in soup, sauces and even as a base for
nacho cheese allows you to create more levels of flavors from spices and herbs.
So big win for replacing liquid dairy, not so easy for replacing cheese.
Cheese:
We did
find several vegan cheeses we like when used in sandwiches, with crackers for
snacking or as part of a baked dish but nothing works to deliver a pizza experience.
So as long as the vegan cheese is not on pizza it is easy to substitute it for
real cheese with out missing it. Also note some brands are better than others
you just have to taste them to discover your favorite.
Seasonality & comfort:
So going Vegan in the
winter I think is much easier than other seasons, I believe since the cooler
weather makes you want to eat, soups, stews and other hearty dishes. So how
will this work as it gets warmer out, how many salads can you eat? The other
quick learning was we really wanted a sandwich, how do you find a way to make a
good vegan sandwich to replace, tuna salad? It is possible, we tried “Toona” a
vegan alternative, it was okay but we ended up preferring a garbanzo bean
version of “tuna salad”. You just drain and mash some garbanzos, add chopped
pickle, onion, seasoning and some vegan mayonnaise (store bought or home-made).
Chicken salad another favorite was harder to replace – we did find a Vegan
prepared version at Whole Foods, but it ends up to be high in sodium. I want to
find the “chicken” soy product they use in this and make it at home with out
all the sodium. The product shreds just like chicken and has the same bite, Delights
Soy Nuggets. And of course for a burger, we use Beyond Meat which when grilled
is simply an awesome replacement for beef, hands down.
Transitional Eating:
After a couple of
months, we shifted to add eggs back in on a limited basis, except when
baking. We still find that chia seed or flax seed egg replacer for up to 2 eggs to
be a great alternative. Just add 1 tablespoon of seeds to 3 tablespoons of
water, stir and let sit for about 10 minutes, use just like regular egg. Additionally
we started to add fish and seafood back to the line up to give us more variety.
Now that spring is in full swing here in Houston we are able to eat out of the
garden which is always the best. So if you are curious, you can give up meat,
it is not that hard, you can give up cheese too it just requires that you look
at cooking from a different perspective. Give it a try, the other benefit, I
think your taste buds really wake up to even more subtle flavors. More to come
as I continue to learn, I do believe we will see the need for more plant-based
foods and eating that are driven by flavor, taste and texture and not just
being a “healthier item”. Next up – we
are trying intermittent fasting – fasting 16 hours a day only eat during the other eight (we are in week three). Stay tuned for more ways
to be healthy, eat delicious and enjoy life.
Looking to add more plant based menu items to your restaurant menu? Contact us at
jimdoak@jwd-consultancy.com
www.jwd-consultancy.com
