What is Tempeh?

Vegan, vegetarian, or meat-eater, tempeh is an excellent soy-based, high protein alternative to any meat dish. Made from soybeans, tempeh tastes great and is so good for you. http://www.livelife365.com/

Hot Tips To Starting A Vegan Lifestyle

Ever wonder how you can safely and successfully transition to a vegan diet? Maybe you’ve wondered if this could be something you want to try – but don’t know exactly how to do it? In this short video Dr. Janet Bruno will show you the best ways to ensure success.

Vegan Baking: Tips for Cooking Without Eggs

Sangeeta Kumar from choosevegblog.com shows easy and healthy vegan substitutes for baking without eggs. See how common household ingredients such as bananas, tofu, flax seeds, and other foods can be used as alternatives to eggs in cookie, cake, muffin, and other baked good recipes.

5 Questions For Vegans from A Non Vegan

So I have been enjoying the open and friendly discussions that we have been having here so I’ve decided to make my newest post questions that us “non-vegans” might have for you. I’m going to ask the question and then give a little non-vegan insight into the questions! HERE GOES:

Why did you make the choice?

Why Did You become Vegan?
Well I’m sure you get asked this question a lot I’m sure it depends on the person who asks you to what your answer will be. I personally like the details like what age were you when you decided? Was there a person who taught you or helped in your decision? Was there a big event that pushed you in this direction? Most “non-vegans” who ask this question aren’t trying to be rude or generic they are generally interested in why you personally made this choice and how it became your lifestyle.

How Do You Get Your Vitamins?

Do you get the correct amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet?
I’m sure this is a “NONE of your business” question but it is something that makes me curious. Not really if YOU personally are getting enough calcium and iron but HOW you do it alternatively. What sorts of foods are your replacements for these types of essential elements?  Are there easier ways to get it in your diet than supplements alone? These are the types of things I would wonder but may not necessarily ask. I know some people who would ask this question and it would come across rude or crass but it is just a curiosity thing that may not get portrayed that way.

Judge and Jury?

Do you judge meat eaters for not being vegan?
This is a good question for a “non vegan” to ask someone they are a little more… comfortable with because I think some people may not be genuine when they answer. Knowing I don’t eat meat it might be hard for one of my vegan friends to say “Yes I judge your horrible values and lifestyle choice!” even of they TRULY believe it. I’d like to know the honest answer because I’m not afraid of the answer or that you will hurt my feelings. Is it hard for you to be amongst the meat eaters without hating them even just a teensy tiny bit? I’d love some honest answers to this one!

Honey... Do you eat it?

Is Honey part of a vegan lifestyle?
I added this one because I know it is a topic for debate amongst some vegans. So its a general question I might ask a new vegan friend. Is honey part of your vegan diet? If not do you substitute with something else? Do you consider insects the same as cows or pigs? Do you feel that bee farmers treat their bees poorly? I think this one could go both ways with the crowd…..

Are Domestic Animals the Same as Farm Animals?

Isn’t keeping a pet similar to farming animals?
As a vegan do you believe that keeping a cat indoors is the same as caging a turkey? Are you against the farming and then slaughtering only or where are the lines drawn? Do you believe that ALL animals should be free or do you think that keeping a turtle in an artificial habitat as a pet is a different ball game? Not trying to stir up the above mentioned bees nest here just wondering! Some people think differently and obviously live differently and I want to see the numbers pan out.

So I don’t want to rustle any feathers with some of these (potentially offensive) questions but feel free to answer all or some below! I’ll do my best to answer any questions you might have for ME the “non vegan”

How to Cook for Vegan Guests

Many people are afraid to invite vegans over for a meal because, simply put they have no idea what to feed them. As a vegan you often get told “I’d love to have you have over, but I don’t know what to make for you”. These days cooking for vegans really isn’t as difficult as you might think, it just takes a little creativity.

The first thing you need to do is come up with a menu. Go online and find some vegan recipe sites to get ideas, or if you’re a good cook you could probably take a recipe you usually make and simply “veganize” it. For example, you could make a lasagna and instead of using ground beef, you could use ground soy beef (there are many products available usually found at your local grocery store). Then just substitute the cheese for vegan cheese or make a vegan white sauce.

Soups are also a good choice because in a lot of cases you simply need to use vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef broth. If a recipe uses milk, simply substitute with a non dairy milk like soy or rice milk. If it calls for butter, you can use a vegan margarine instead.

Once you have your menu done, you’ll need to buy ingredients. When you go to the store, the most important thing is to make sure you read the labels. Although you may think something is vegan, it may not be. There are many different ingredients that are in fact animal by-products and are therefore not vegan. Some of the most common things to look out for are: lactose, whey, modified milk ingredients, egg, casein, gelatin, cheese, lard, and butter. For a complete list of animal ingredients please visit Happy Cow.

Having vegan guests over can be a bit nerve racking at first, but once you see that all it takes is some preparation and a little creativity, you’ll be inviting your vegan friends over all the time.