What Do Vegans Eat?
Any lifestyle change is going to, invariably, be met with intrigue…and sometimes criticism. Veganism is definitely one of those changes that might be met with concern (there’s a lot of myth that vegetarians and vegans are protein and nutrient deprived) and/or met with a scoff and the question, “well, what will you eat? Rabbit food?”
I assure you that while I do love me some rabbit food, carrots and celery yum yum, etc., I also like to feel full and to eat a variety of delicious foods. Most simply, vegans do not eat or use anything that contains animal products (so no meat, eggs, dairy, etc.). It can seem a challenge to find things without animal products when you go out to eat at non-vegan restaurants (for realz!), but making your own vegan recipes at home is a cinch! Just start with the basics:
- Whole grains — Brown rice, whole wheat pastas, whole wheat bread (Note: Don’t fall for marketing gimmicks! “Multi-grain” and “whole wheat blend” are NOT the same as “100% whole wheat”; also read labels since some breads use eggs)
- Legumes/beans
- Vegetables
Then, if you’re feeling saucy, add:
- Tempeh — Fermented meat substitute made from whole soybeans (and sometimes whole grains, too). Has a more “rugged” and meaty texture than tofu and also higher protein.
- Tofu — A meat substitute made from a bean curd made from soy milk.
- Seitan — A meat substitute made from wheat gluten.
- Nuts — Adding chopped nuts to a salad is so cliche (yet delicious). Add chopped nuts to everything for added protein (but still watch yer calories, yaknowwhatimean?)!
- Oils — Olive and canola are the best
- Herbs, spices — Fresh herbs and spices make a bland meat substitute go from meat mockery to meat flattery.
and:
- Soy sauce
- Marinade
- Hot sauce
and voila! you’ve got a hearty and healthy vegan meal!
Some of my vegan staples & faves include:
Fried brown rice, black beans and steamed vegetables
Sweet potato enchiladas
Baked sweet potatoes
Thai-style stir-fried tofu
Stir-fry vegetables with soy-sauce marinated baked tofu
Butternut squash and black bean medley
Salads with cranberries and all the fixings (including leftover stir fry veggies and tofu if available)
Hummus “quesadillas”
Refried bean tacos with homemade potato chips
Lentil bolognese tacos with avocado and hot sauce
Black bean and yellow and red pepper tacos
Don Lee Farms veggie patty with whole wheat pita and veggies
Miso soup and avocado rolls
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Tofu/veggie spring rolls
[photo cred]
Whole-wheat spaghetti
[photo cred]
Don’t worry — veganism doesn’t steal away your nostalgic foods either. You can still have PB&J and many cereals (including Puffins — my fave!), just eat the cereal with soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or whole grain drink (a mix of whole grains like brown rice and quinoa).
[photo cred]
Pissed that cheese comes from animals and not the heavens above? No worries — try a cheese substitute (but keep your expectations low, let’s be real lol). Vegan Yum Yum has a delicious-lookin’ vegan recipe for mac and cheese here.
And, seriously, let’s not forget dessert (the most important meal of the day! 
Vegan desserts just so happen to be the love of my life and nemesis of my hips. My fave vegan dessert recipes are here, here, here and here. You can also check out all dessert books by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. If you want to go out for a vegan treat, visit my fave vegan restaurant Native Foods in the LA & OC area, or visit Baby Cakes Bakery in Los Angeles, CA or NYC if you’re near there.
Food News
- Corner Bakery announces “Combos Under 600 Calories” here. 600 calories is still a lot for a sandwich (calorie counts DO NOT include the side-item the sandwich comes with), but I guess it’s better than eating a salad worth 1000 calories (jeebus — these horrific salads are everywhere, it’s shocking!). Note: Not many vegetarian options at Corner Bakery and maybe a couple vegan options if you remove the cheese…
Related Posts
- Vegetarian and Vegan Resources – Recently updated
- How to Eat Vegetarian Everywhere
- Vegan Thai Dishes
What restaurant do you think needs a healthy-foods option makeover the most? I recently went to California Pizza Kitchen and found that the only options under 500 calories were a cup of their soups. I don’t know about you guys, but a cup of soup for a meal leaves me feeling pretty deprived and cranky as hell.
<3,
The Cranky One
Tags: California Pizza Kitchen, vegan cooking, vegan desserts, vegan foods, vegan meals, vegan recipes, vegan restaurants, vegetarian cooking, vegetarian meals, vegetarian recipes, vegetarian restaurants
6 People have left comments on this post
I get asked this question all the time! I loved seeing all of your delicious vegan eats, thanks for sharing.
Well… you had me at sweet potato enchiladas. Divine! My heart also fluttered at the lemon basil brown rice. Love lemon anything.
Hope life is grand.
You know… we should have a SoCal meetup. What do you think? Email me! eatmovewriteATyahoo.com
Hope you enjoyed the break from the rain. I know I did.
Don’t know how you do it. I’ve been damn cranky lately.
Have you read the book the Vegetarian Myth…IF NOT PLEASE DO. the author was a gevan for some 12 odd years. What i do not enjoy about the veggie eating community is the “mock meat.” if you dont agree with meat then why do you eat genetcially modified fake meat, cheese and the sort? and if you do it to get in your vitamins and fat obviously there is something wrong with your diet, i.e. you should not be vegan. it is unnatural to the human body.
@Mallory: I have not read The Vegetarian Myth, though, after reading its synopsis on Amazon.com, I can surmise that it might strive to “debunk” the presumed environmental, ethical and health benefits of abstaining from meat. Frankly, I really don’t care about debating ethics on this blog. Even more so, I don’t care about anything that is presumed “natural” or “unnatural” to the human body, since only I can make that decision for myself. I don’t “agree” or “disagree” with meat, since – as far as I know – meat doesn’t have an opinion that can be voiced and I’ve never tried to enter a debate with a cow (that could be interesting). I do choose not to eat meat or any animal products as much as possible as a conscious choice and preference. My reason for eating “mock meat” is simply that it tastes good and provides a lovely texture to my meals. I know others eat it when they are transitioning to vegetarianism after being a meat-eater for their entire lives. And others, you’re right, eat it when they want to fit in a little extra protein/vitamins/etc. Some would tell you, i’m sure, that eating animal flesh for protein is just as unnatural as eating GM or processed foods for protein (and let’s not forget most meat is full of antibiotics and shit). And just so we’re clear, not all mock meats come from GM sources. It’s really a matter of whose dictating what is and what is not natural, and since so much of the debate of what is “good” for our bodies is polluted by the politics of self-interest, I can only gauge what I believe to be true based on my own experiences and the experiences of those I know, love and trust. Sorry for the long-winded response — In a nutshell, thanks for the book recommendation (i’ll add it to my wish list) and if my body starts to fail on me, i’ll definitely reconsider my dietary choices.
fair enough… its your choice. we will agree to disgaree! thanks for explaining to me though