Being a vegetarian for over 15 years i have embraced Linda McCartney, Quorn and many other meat free food products that i find on offer to me in most good big chain supermarkets. Being a fussy vegetarian i have still found myself somewhat limited with the range. I will not drink milk, and Soya or Rice milk have been easy to find, no problems there. But if your branching into veganism, these shops offer very little. In most a block of Tofu would be all there is. I don't claim to be a strict vegan but i eat very little dairy. I am on a mission to find substitutes for every product i love to see if i can make the transition easier.
I have always found it a strange fact that human beings are the only animals which consume milk after infancy; and the milk of another species at that. I can't see how this can be neither natural nor healthy. It isn't natural in it's content and this is not what is sold to the consumer. Cow’s milk is loaded with 35 different hormones and 11 growth factors and there is considerable concern about its oestrogen and IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor) content. Cows are now milked seven months into their nine month pregnancy, which means that hormone levels are markedly high. Early evidence suggests that increased exposure to cow’s oestrogen and IGF1 raises the risk of certain cancers (particularly breast and prostate).
Cow’s milk is largely made up of animal fats, animal protein and lactose. None of these components are required by the human body. Difficulty in digesting lactose is extremely common right across the world. A staggering 75 per cent of the population worldwide is thought to be lactose intolerant. Most people can tolerate small quantities but research has been undertaken regarding its possible connection with ovarian problems and cataracts. Often the inability to digest cow’s milk goes unnoticed, particularly in children, and can lead to iron deficiency because of the intestinal bleeding it can cause. A fact that has always stuck with me, probably down to the fact of the degree it disturbed me is that The EU allows up to 400 million pus cells in each litre of milk sold in the UK.
The American Dietetic Association has declared that a vegan diet can provide all the nutrition that human beings need from cradle to grave. Veganism is infinitely closer to the diet human beings evolved to thrive on than a normal, animal fat-soaked western diet and the health benefits of a well-balanced vegan diet reflect that. The vegan diet though, isn't automatically a healthy one and i won't sell that here. A vegan could consume fried chips alone, be overweight and lacking nutrients. The diet like any requires common sense and some health awareness.
I have always been envious on trips across the pond, that the Americans, at least in the states i have visited; LA, NY, and Boston particularly cater much better for vegans and vegetarians alike. Many specific dietary requirements seem to be covered and catered for. I don't know if this is because i live in a small city in the North East of England rather than London which may in fact offer me everything the same or better than the States but i feel that a vegetarian option of lasagna or veggie burger isn't really good enough and by no means strikingly healthy. Many menu's over there offer calorie content and breakdowns of meal options. To me, a person who tracks her food intake, and needs to, that is a necessity and to have it there to aid making a food choice is just brilliant. I miss the breakfasts in LA where more would be on offer than a full English fried breakfast or toast and preserves. I want choice. I know that if i moved to LA, which is my life's dream, i would adopt a vegan diet, because the want of doing has always been in the forefront of my mind and there it would be much easier. I would just live at California Vegan and similar restaurants.
I have come across a website, based in the UK but also selling products from overseas that offers a choice. And a wide range. So at least this can be achieved within the home. I got so excited at the choice and the options and possibilities this would bring to my diet i placed an order amounting to £60.
Now i was dubious about many of the products i ordered and i haven't tried yet everything. But i wanted to review some products i have tried for you and link you to the site.
I ordered a selection of dairy free cheese; hard and soft aswell as cheese sauce and multiple meats. The hard cheeses i ordered ready sliced because i don't know how well they would grate. These are only a small fraction of the products i purchased so expect more reviews to come
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Tofutti Vegan 'Cheese Slices' - Cheddar Style. Tested this out the best way possible in my opinion. Cheese on toast. It melted as i would expect regular cheddar to melt however it didn't brown at all, it just continued to bubble away. The result was cheese on toast that tasted like the cheese on toast i was used to. Impressed with this it will be a food swap for me. You would think then that Tofutti Vegan 'Cheese Slices' - Mozzarella Style would be a safe bet. I put these in a cheese toastie with some other products and the result was almost disgusting. The cheese went the consistency of mashed potato and lacked pretty much any flavour.
Tofutti Creamy Smooth Vegan 'Cream Cheese' - French Onion Style. I have had this a couple of times now on Ryvita with cucumber, chillis, sunblushed tomatos and garlic sausage. It is a nice product. Cream cheese, like yoghurt, has always grossed me out so i can't really say how similar it is to the real thing. But the flavour was good and it did it's job. I'm going to have it for lunch today in a jacket potato.
Redwood Cheetin' Garlic Sausage Slices. It has been so long since i have ate meat i don't know what this is like compared to a meat product of the same kind. But the thing that is striking with this is the flavour, intense and yummy. I asked my father, who eats meat and garlic sausage to try it, he said the flavour was almost spot on, it just didn't have the 'right' consistancy. Tasted good to me.
Redwood Vegetarian and Vegan Bacon Style Rashers. I had this as a part of breakfast with mushrooms, beans and toast. Love the product. When i was cooking it i wasn't too sure how it would be. It didn't look 'perfect' but was pleased they missed out the stupid 'fat' rim that other companies seem to have to put on there. It tasted nice. And it was chewy. Now i liked this. Other vegetarian bacon i had tried wasn't chewy. I don't know if it makes it more 'realistic' or what. But it has won me over.
Redwood Organic Vegan Merguez Sausages. I have never particularly been a fan of vegetarian sausages. Never really fussed on the texture and the flavour, (other than hot dog sausages) bland. But these were beautiful. I had them in fajitas and also in a toasted sandwich. Good flavour. Good texture. Nom Nom.
Zest Vegan Pesto Sauce. This product was okay, it was by no means great. Not like real pesto. The flavour was very subtle in comparison and the texture slightly different. This product is a compromise rather than a replacer.
Free & Easy Dairy Free Cheese Sauce. I used this when cooking a trio of vegetables, cauliflower, leek and white cabbage. It looked like wall paper paste but tasted fine. My mum cooked the same but with a classic none vegan cheese sauce and hers looked much better. I made it up with water though and 3 spoons not 4, and aparently if made with soy milk it makes it creamer. I’m yet to use this in a lasagne and I intend to so I will update you once I have tried that.
FTC Disclaimer: I purchased everything with my own money and am not affiliated with any of the companies; all opinions are my own.
Haha! Quality!
ReplyDeleteSorry for commenting (I know I'm not welcome) but the product reviews were great! ;D