AboutExpert Expertise My cooking style leans towards Mediterranean, with an emphasis on gourmet, party fare, and vegetarian cuisine. I am a food journalist, I’ve written and edited several cookbooks, and I develop and teach cooking classes.
Experience I have developed recipes for specialty food manufacturers, conducted many seminars on cooking and ethnic foods, and have taught customized cooking classes. I have also owned a gift shop, a floral design business, and a catering business.
I’m the author of Con Amore, a contemporary novel about food, love, and life – Italian style. It includes a brief history of Italy, the foods of each region, and a variety of recipes – many that are vegetarian or easily adaptable to the vegetarian diet. I am the author of Herbed-Wine Cuisine and several other books on a variety of topics.
I publish a quarterly e-newsletter, Simply Elegant, which provides information on food, decorating, and entertaining. I also publish a monthly e-newsletter, Tutto Italiano, about everything Italian. Visit my Web site, www.jtmancuso.com, to learn more.
Question I've been a Vegan for a couple of monthes now, and as one, I can't eat whey, milk, eggs, dairy products, meat, chicken, fish, shellfish, or anything else like that. It's so hard to find Vegan foods in my town, and when you do, they're REALLY expensive. My mother today bought me soychicken patties, ones I have been eating ever since I turned Vegan. I read the box and just now found out they contained eggwhites, which is against my lifestyle. It seems I can't eat anything and EVERYTHING has something in it. Soy now has eggs, milk, and even meat in it, people put butter on my garlic bread, most people cook meat into spaghetti, I mean EVERYTHING. With my luck, they'll start fusing meat into vegetables. I can't just live on vegetables and fruits, I need cooked meals, even if they're not meat.. Such as cookied squash, potatoes, spaghetti without meat, such and such. Where can I find soyfoods and Vegan products that don't have dairy products and meat? It's so hard to find anything. I also have another question, I'm young and my mother and sister have been telling me there's milk in bread and such, so I was wondering the truth behind that? I also think spaghetti noodles have a bit of whey in them, but I'm not sure.. What are the most common Vegan foods that have unVegan products in them? Thank you for your help, but one more question. My sister says there's more bad than good in being Vegan, such as pesticides in fruits and vegetables, stomachaches due to lack of 'proper' foods, and diseases caused by lack of the 'proper' foodgroup pyramid, is there any truth to that? It's not like I'm going to change anyway, I like believing this is who I am.
Answer Karen,
The first thing you will need to do is learn more about the vegan lifestyle. Being informed about the choice you made will make it easier to make the right decisions in selecting food and in believing you have made the right decision about the food you eat and the lifestyle you have chosen.
It sounds as if the people around you are trying to sabotage your lifestyle choice. You mention that people put butter on your garlic bread and cook spaghetti with meat. Garlic bread can be made with oil or vegan substitutes, and spaghetti can be made with marinara sauce – which does not include meat.
Next, you have to stop saying you can’t eat certain foods and start saying you don’t eat them. Unless you are vegan for health reasons, or have allergies to certain foods, you can eat anything you choose. You noted that eating egg whites was against your lifestyle, so if you decided to be vegan, then you decided that you will not eat “eat whey, milk, eggs, dairy products, meat, chicken, fish, shellfish, or anything else like that.”
So, what do vegans eat? Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains. For a look into a vegetarian pantry, go to “http://vegkitchen.com/tips/vegetarian-pantry.htm.” Just eliminate the products you don’t eat (which would be dairy), and you still have a varied selection.
To substitute those dairy items, go to “http://www.veganwolf.com/index.html” for excellent recipes and valuable information on the vegan lifestyle. For more recipes and information go here, “http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/recipes.html”
Generally, vegan foods are more expensive than vegetarian foods, but with the pantry list and recipes from the above Web sites, you should be able to prepare and eat nutritious, delicious meals and feel good about the lifestyle you chose.
Stores that sell Asian or Asian Indian food will have many items available and are often less expensive than regular supermarkets and specialty food stores. You will have to shop around to find the prices that fit into your budget, and certain foods can be ordered online.
Some breads and pastas contain milk and eggs, but many don’t. Everyone should read food labels to learn what ingredients are in the food they are buying. Items labeled “vegetarian” may not be vegan, as you found out when you read the label for the soy chicken patties. Also, look to see what company is making the product. Large companies are interested in profits, and will produce foods that appeal to the widest market. A product labeled “vegetarian” or “healthy” will attract more buyers.
As for the pesticides, yes, produce is sprayed, or the dirt has been chemically treated; and unless your mother and sister are eating all organic fruits and vegetables, they are ingesting these pollutants also.
A knowledgeable shopper will be able to avoid these foods. Go here “http://www.plantea.com/pesticides-food-health.htm” and scroll down for lists of the most and least contaminated produce. It is more expensive, but it’s best to buy organic produce whenever possible.
You did not mention where you live, but many towns and cities have farmer’s markets, and some support locally grown and pesticide-free products. Once again, you will have to do some research to find where you can buy these products. If you have access to a small piece of land in a sunny spot, you can even grow your own vegetables. It does involve some work, but seeds are inexpensive, and the final results can be very satisfying.
