herring's Profile
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies - Does this recipe sound good?
Thanks Trish! I'm not an experience baker and even less experienced with vegan baking, but I'm definitely giving these a try.
Homemade Stock
Yes, thanks onceadaylily -- I was referring to her "Classic Indian Cooking." Let us know, Rella, if you find other soups it works well with!
NYT article on going vegan
I agree. I've been (semi?) vegetarian for 15+ years, but I've recently been experimenting with veganism. I live in NYC and love to cook, and there are many stretches during which it seems pretty easy. But I travel a lot and dine out for work fairly often, and it can get difficult or frustrating in a hurry. But like you, pikawicca, I do it for health reasons, so while there are times I see it as a challenge and strive to figure something out, there are also plenty of times I'll just say "fine, I'll have the fish" because a piece of salmon over lentils seems healthier than a pasta dish or other alternative.
Vegan lunch in soho?
+2 on Spring Street Natural. Also, it's more casual (seating is mostly at counters and there's no wait service) but many of the dosas at Hampton Chutney are vegan or can be easily modified. (You might want to call ahead to check, but I'm fairly certain they use oil and not ghee.)
Faux Meat - Recommendations
Janet, all the Trader Joe's I've been to in NYC have had Soyrizo. It's in the refrigerated section with other fake meats, tofu, tempeh, etc. If you don't see it, ask--don't miss out!
Beginning My Vegan Journey
Good luck! You'll find lots of great ideas here to help. Since you mentioned nutrition, especially with regard to your daughter, I wanted to mention "Becoming Vegan." It's dense, but it's the most comprehensive book on vegan nutrition I've come across. There's also a chapter, "Raising Vegans," specifically about kids. http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Vegan-Complete-Adopting-Plant-Based/dp/1570671036
Dr. Neal Barnard has many books and has been one of the most vocal advocates of adopting a vegan diet (albeit more from a health perspective) and he has several books on the topic.
Enjoy!
Vegan foods at Trader Joe's - What's good?
Oh, yes, I should have mentioned that aspect -- the Italian sausage does hold together very well, so, from a structural integrity point of view, you COULD grill it. You're right in that the chorizo really only useful in recipes that use it crumbled. But it's sooo good!
Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks
I'm surprised no one else has mentioned Heidi Swanson's two books, Super Natural Cooking and Super Natural Every Day. I've enjoyed reading those books but I don't LOVE them the way some people do. They're worth taking another look at, and maybe worth a thread as to what people have had success with.
Also, I love Olive Trees and Honey, which is a collection of vegetarian recipes from Jewish communities around the world. There's a lot of really interesting (and delicious) recipes in there that I haven't seen elsewhere, particularly from Sephardic areas.
Vegan foods at Trader Joe's - What's good?
Thanks for the clarification, cheesecake17--that's exactly the two types of ice cream I was talking about!
Vegan foods at Trader Joe's - What's good?
I've never tried grilling them, LulusMom, sorry. I don't have an outdoor grill and I'm just not in the habit of using my grill pan. I have to admit that I find them particularly delicious when I slice and sautee them, so the maximum surface area gets brown. Let me know how it works out if you try grilling.
Vegan foods at Trader Joe's - What's good?
Oh, I also like their soy ice cream. The mini sandwiches are good, but I especially like the cherry chip (or something like that), which comes in a tub. I think it's made by the So Delicious brand.
Homemade Stock
Julie Sahni has a recipe for an Indian-spiced vegetable broth in her "Classic" book. I don't remember the details offhand and couldn't find it online, but I can post later if you're interested. It's the usual assortment of vegetables with cardomom, cloves, cumin, etc. It works really well with some soups (lentil, tomato, etc) but obviously can't be used for everything.
Vegan foods at Trader Joe's - What's good?
+1 on the soy chorizo. I was never a big fan of fake meat products, but TJ has some great ones, including the chorizo, their Italian sausage (sold in the refrigerated case w/the chorizo) and the meatless balls (frozen). All are amazing.
Vegetarian sausage?
I'm generally not a huge fan of the store-bought veg dogs, but I love the dogs served by a local place, and borrowing their technique does improve the taste and experience of most veg dogs. They split them (the long way) enough to flatten them on the flattop grill/griddle but not fully in half. I do the same and use a cast-iron skillet and a little more oil than you might think, then press down on all sides so they get browned. That way you get more of the "snap" that makes a hot dog so satisfying, plus more of that blackened "grill flavor," all of which lends itself to a more typical hot dog-eating experience. Enough mustard and sauerkraut and you'll probably still notice a difference, but not enough to care.
Vegetarian sausage?
Heh. I don't even like to call it a rule so I can break it occasionally! But I truly have a tiny kitchen and my boyfriend has pretty much done all he can in terms of building shelves, hanging pots and knife racks, etc etc. So thanks for the link to using the oven--and especially for your additional tips! I'll give it a try at some point.
Any good cookbook ideas for bean cookery for a gift?
Great! If you buy it, please post your favorite recipes. I haven't cooked from it in a while, but now I'm inspired to revisit it.
Any good cookbook ideas for bean cookery for a gift?
I love Steve Sando's book, the guy behind Rancho Gordo, which has resurrected many types of beans. http://www.ranchogordo.com/index.htm. You can buy the book (along with some beans) on the site, but I bought mine in a Borders, so you can probably find it locally if you prefer. Just FYI, it's not a veg book, and many of the recipes contain meat. Everything I've tried has been delish.
Vegetarian sausage?
Hmm. How low a heat? My oven is very imprecise, but I'm wondering if I could just stick the eggplant in there with just the pilot light for heat. Thoughts? I'll have to read more on the whole process of food dehydration.
I've been on something of a kitchen spending moratorium, and no matter how cheap I really don't need or have room for another item, but I'll definitely keep this in the back of my mind. And the recipe bookmarked, of course. Thanks!
Recs for heart-healthy cooking gadgets for gifting? $150 or less (ideally)
Sorry to hear about your dad. I'm not sure how adept a cook he is, but a lot of people find prepping vegetables time-consuming and/or annoying. Tools that encourage him to prepare more veggies could go a long way towards encouraging him to experiment more with veg-oriented dishes and snacks. That can be as simple as a new knife and cutting board (neither has to be the "ultimate" -- a Victorinox chef's knife and Epicurean or bamboo cutting board will set you back $50 total) or you can go the more gadgety route, like a slap-chop, an egg separator, one of those avocado slicer/pitter/scooper tools, a garlic press. A Microplane can make food prep easier and maybe even more fun. Most of that stuff is pretty easy to clean and dishwasher safe. Don't worry about what experienced cooks like or use--whatever helps inspire your dad to make a steak salad for dinner instead of just a steak is a great gift.
Vegetarian sausage?
Wow, that looks fascinating! I don't have a food dehydrator, though, and don't know much about the process. The "food dehydrator tray" pictured just looked like a cookie rack that allows air to circulate. Is that all it takes, or is there a machine involved that wasn't specifically discussed? I'd love to try this.
Vegetarian sausage?
I've been veg for 15 years, but I love the taste and texture of meat so usually shy away from the faux-meat products since they're so often disappointing. But I love the Trader Joe's Italian Sausage. It definitely has a meaty texture, and browns nicely. (Though I've never cooked them whole, just sliced in coins.) I also like the Gimme Lean tube of sausage, which you can shape into breakfast sausage patties or links, or crumble into a meat sauce or chili. For what it's worth, I also really love the TJ soy chorizo, which may be made by whoever makes Soyrizo, since it seems very similar--ie, super tasty, but very crumbly and can't be used in any recipes that require it to hold together.
Please post if you ever find a suitable substitute for bacon. I don't think one exists.
Simple things you can't get right
Terrific! Thanks so much. I may try again this weekend, though in addition to your suggestions, I may switch it up a little: I have an "Essential Pepin" on my DVR in which he does a molasses-cured salmon. Yum.
Simple things you can't get right
You rock, ghg. I used cilantro instead of dill because I prefer the flavor, especially with the citrus zest. Thanks for the kosher salt note; I didn't have any and it didn't occur to me it would make a difference. Good to know for next time.
I think the most likely culprit was the weighting, now that you mention it. I have a small fridge and stuck a jar of coconut oil and a box of soy milk (both full) on it, but didn't have room to pile more on. I worried it might not be enough, but it did give off a fair amount of liquid, but perhaps not enough.
I'll definitely try again. I did it this time with a piece of salmon I had bought for that night's dinner but ended up going out and didn't want it to go to waste. Does the cut matter? Maybe this piece was too thick?
Thanks again!
Simple things you can't get right
I combined a few recipes I found online, so maybe that was my problem, though none were that different. I used an even/equal amount of turbinado sugar and coarse sea salt -- 3/4 cup each for .85 lb of salmon, which seemed like a bit much but it covered both sides pretty well. Some recipes called for skin-on, but Cook's Illustrated said to skin it, so I did.
I did drain the expelled liquid after 12+ hours or so; I let it cure for a bit more than 24 hours, but didn't like the little taste I took so re-wrapped it and left it for another 12 hours, probably.
Thoughts? Thanks, GHG!
Simple things you can't get right
Curing salmon. I just tried it once, and it seemed so simple -- salt, sugar, citrus zest, refrigerate -- but it wasn't quite right. A bit too salty, consistency a little too mushy. Suggestions welcome, because I'd like to try again!
Pushpesh Pant Indian Cooking Guru -- Knows His Stuff?
I just got this book as a gift and am thrilled, but not sure where to start. I'm familiar with Indian cooking (I've plowed through Julie Sahni's Classic book as well as others), but certainly no expert. Anyone have any suggestions as to dishes that worked out particularly well? Or other recipes with typos (or simply unaltered for American cooks) that I should be wary of?
Cold Lentil Salad Ideas
I love this lentil salad from Jack Bishops's "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen." Simple and delicious warm or room temp (which is why I just made it in my hurricane prep). Cook green (Puy) lentils with a few smashed cloves of garlic and a few bay leaves. Add diced carrots when the lentils are about 2/3 done. When done, mix with diced celery, slivered radishes, dill and feta. I often throw in diced grape tomatoes or whatever else I have around. Dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Recommendation for vegetarian cookbook?
+1 on the non-veg cookbooks. I get a lot of great ideas from ethnic cookbooks in particular. I love Indian and Thai food, which lend themselves particularly well to veg cooking, but almost any regional or country-specific book will have lots of options and ideas that are easily modified.
Another one of my favorite books is "Olive Trees and Honey," a Jewish (mostly Sephardic) vegetarian book. Plenty of recipes from European/Mediterranean countries, but heavily weighed towards Middle Eastern, African (primarily Ethiopian) and Asian.
Recommendation for vegetarian cookbook?
I *love* A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. Can't recommend it highly enough. I don't have his Italian book, but just a few days ago picked up his Vegetables Every Day. I haven't cooked from it yet, but if you're looking for a book way heavier on the vegetables than the grains, etc, this is one of your best bets.
I do often turn do Bittman's HTCEV. I have Madison's Veg Cooking for Everyone, but haven't cooked from it. I'm not sure why, but it hasn't inspired me the way I thought it would. Others love it, though.
