You don’t make almond milk in a blender. I mean I guess you could, but no one does that. You buy it in a carton in the dairy case. There are many brands.
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Yes, I’ve seen non dairy milks made from hemp, from quinoa, from hazelnuts, rice, & soy. Also almond, flax, oat, & coconut milk. but, I’ve also read the labels.
I’m not putting that stuff in me and pay for the pleasure!
http://foodbabe.com/2014/08/19/breaking-major-company-removing-controversial-ingredient-carrageenan-because-of-you/
I am confused. Why won’t your vegan D eat tofu?
@emeraldkity4 that “foodbabe” blogger has no scientific credentials, she’s an Internet crank. I’ll read the science, of which there are peer reviewed studies published in reputable medical journals, stating the benefits of a plant based diet. I also notice that I have more energy and am hauling around less weight since I stopped eating animals. YMMV.
@oregon101, D has noticed that soy make her break out a lot for some reasons, I guess with food, it’s trial and error.
@Snowdog, you maybe right on the part of “hauling around less weight”, freshman 15 obviously does not apply to D, she has started gradually going vegan during her school year (which I did not realize, she just kept saying she ate a lot of fruits and veggies, pasta etc), she maintained similar weight, and had the energy to hit the gym at least 3 times a week for a good workout.
vegans can vary in degrees, for lack of a better term, but it can be a tough life-choice. Vegan lifestyle often means more than picking the right lunch items. A young woman that cares about fashion often has a tough time giving up leather belts, purses, shoes, and other fashion items. Some are inconsistent, and will say “no hamburgers, but leather heels are ok!”. I won’t eat it, but I’ll wear it has always seemed odd to me.
As I understand it, a vegan is considered more serious about using no meat products compared to a vegetarian, who often only chooses to eat no meat.
Snow dog, there have been lots of studies regarding deleterious affects. That’s why manufacturers have been removing it from their formulas.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1242073/
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/carrageenan-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12389870
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2014/07/lay-off-almond-milk-ignorant-hipsters
Almonds also come from California, and require lots of water to grow.
More on " almond milk".
Labeling in the UK reveals it contains less than 2% almonds.
http://www.medicaldaily.com/almond-breeze-faces-false-advertising-lawsuit-claiming-its-milk-only-has-2-real-344294
First of all- your D needs to learn to do her own menu planning, shopping and cooking if her diet varies from the one you plan. You do not need to cater to her desires, especially involving cooking separate dishes. She needs to be sure her diet includes all of the necessary nutrients and she should of course never feel superior for her dietary choices.
My H was raised with an Indian vegetarian diet and I like to cook and incorporated many Indian vegetarian dishes into our family meals. Learned to treat beans/legumes as a protein source instead of needing a meat/fish/fowl main dish. We’re also physicians - he is a retired cardiologist so we know about what is healthy from a medical standpoint. I do not go along with vegan diets- Hindus use plenty of dairy in their diets despite the attitude towards cows.
Medical nutrition thinking constantly evolves- butter may be better than trans fat (hard) margarines!
Philosophically I can understand why different cultures evolved different diets in different climates. Animal proteins are most efficient in one’s diet for getting the needed amino acids and some other nutrients while plant proteins require fewer environmental resources.
Hi @wis75, OP here, thanks for your insights. I started the thread when D first came home from college, I had no idea how to handle “vegan” diet.
After 2 months, I have to say it has been a pleasant learning curve, D is very eager to share her knowledge and opinions about vegan diet. Indeed, she plans her own menu, some of it I can definitely incorporate into our dishes. She takes summer classes plus working Fridays-Sundays, she still finds time to pack her lunch and prepares her own dinner, she likes doing it, mixing different ingredients and trying new things. Once in a while, she will ask me to stir fry some vegetables for her if I have time (if she is working a little late).
I have NEVER seen anyone who eats so much fruits and vegetables, she loves chickpeas/hummus, also has rice, potatoes or pasta as one of the main diet. She takes her multivitamin and B-12.
She doesn’t like drinking milk since she was young, not sure if she is lactose intolerant, she never likes meat that much either, she has leaned towards more vegetarian dishes (very little meat) in the past couple of years, then vegan this past spring.
Because of my D, my family has been eating a bit “healthier” this summer, since our house is “loaded” with fruits and vegetables. My H was never a fruit person, but now he is eating all kinds of fruits.
Hopeful, if you and your daughter are still looking for sources for vegan recipes, I recommend http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/projects/healthy-recipes. I’m adding more vegetables and fruits to our diet this summer and after going to the farmers’ market I’ll “search by ingredient” for new recipes. When I made the decision to do more vegetarian cooking I also updated my spice rack to make sure that I’d have everything I need on hand and that it would be fresh and flavorful. I’ve bought from https://www.penzeys.com/ for years. In fact, far too long ago, I shopped at their original store in downtown Milwaukee.
Many Indian “dal”- lentils/chickpeas/beans recipes are vegan. For variety she could shop at an Indian grocery store to expand her protein choices- and likely save money on spices and other items. There are now many Indian cookbooks available- spicing can be adjusted to taste! Many different ways to cook vegetables.
I forgot to mention that a new Indian store opened up in our area early June, my D was ecstatic (we are not Indian). I thought she was in a candy store, so excited to go through the produce, snacks, spice sections like a little kid. Prices are very reasonable compared to regular supermarket. We have started to use curry, cumin too. She likes simple dish like curry rice.
Luckily her college dining hall provides enough vegetarian dishes, she would eat a huge plate of salad with some kind of beans, peas, then an other plate mounted with fruits, plus some pasta/rice/potatoes. She just told me yesterday that one time she was getting baked sweet potato (she loves them), the lady gave her just one, she had to ASK for a second one, and that lady looked at her funny. She did not care. Sometime I joke about paying the high cost of meal plan and she just eats fruits and veggies!!!
@Appaloosa, I will share the link with D. Recipes look very appetizing. Thanks.
I have not read the other comments yet, but - I have been vegan, myself, for over 8 years now.
The most important thing, nutritionally, is for your daughter to make sure she take a B12 supplement, about twice a week.
Also, put nutritional yeast flakes in food, recipes, etc. (Has B12 in it; can buy at Whole Foods or at health food stores.)
As for protein, she can get plenty of protein from nuts, peanut butter, tofu, tempeh, seitan (meat subs made from what gluten), beans, lentils, TVP, etc. Also, whole wheat pasta and bread actually have quite a bit of protein. But, ideally, eat some complete proteins like beans and the above, at least once a day. And take the B12 supp. I cannot stress the B12 supp enough. Don’t believe those vegans who tell her she doesn’t need it. She does! Serious health problems can occur if she doesn’t get enough B12. But the supplement about twice a week should really take care of it.
Also, you can sub most plant milks (almond, soy, etc.), if unsweetened, for most recipes like mashed potatoes, cream soups, etc.
Finally, I highly recommend she - or you - get some vegan cookbooks. I recommend those by Robin Robertson or Isa Moskowitz. She, and possibly, you, will have to learn a different way of cooking, but it’s not hard, and actually, easier than dealing with some animal products, like eggs.
You can also make cookies, cakes, pancakes, etc. vegan - very easy. Get a cookbook.
Bless you for supporting your daughter in this.