The Number One Question!

If you ask a vegetarian or a vegan what's the number one question people ask them, i guarantee they'll all tell you the same thing: "how do you get enough protein?" I've been asked this question so many times. Now when i hear it i have a generic answer ready to fall off the tip of my tongue: "I eat a lot of nuts." In reality, it requires a little more work then just eating nuts, but you get the idea.

So just to set the record straight, protein is really easy to get from vegetarian food. Meat is not the only option. It's in cheese, yogurt and milk. If you're like me and don't eat dairy, then you can easily get protein from nuts, any soy products, hummus, peanut butter,etc.

Another comment i frequently get is: "i would be a vegetarian but i'm worried i won't get enough protein." First of all, i do recognize that their intentions are good and they're thinking with their heads, not just following a vegetarian trend. But how many non-vegetarian know what their recommended daily protein requirement is? (for the record it varies according to height and weight-find out).

The point is, don't be afraid to eat vegetarian because of protein concerns. If you're making dinner throw in some nuts or tofu. In the morning, add peanut butter to your oatmeal. It might require a little extra research or effort on your part, but it's easy and so worth it, both ethically and environmentally.

If you're new to soy products here are some brief descriptions of some of the most common ones:

• Tofu: a soft food produced by adding a coagulating agent to the liquid pressed from pureed soybeans. Use to replace ground beef; as a scrambled egg substitute; add cubes to soups and stews; stir-fry with vegetables; make dips, shakes, and desserts.
• Soymilk: liquid squeezed from pureed soybeans
• Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP): dry granules made from compressed de-fatted soy flour. Use to replace ground beef in tacos, chili, sloppy joes, and barbecue sandwiches.
• Tempeh: a combination of cooked soybeans and grains with a mold culture resulting in a chunky cake. Use as pan-fried cubes as a meat substitute, grill, make a sandwich spread, add cubes to soup or stew.
• Miso: a fermented soybean paste. Use as a condiment or soup base.

xxx

Quinoa Corn Salad

Ingredients:

• Quinoa- a South American Grain that is super tasty, full of iron and a bit like couscous
  
• Frozen corn
  
• Red Pepper
  
• Red Onion
  
• Garlic and Olive oil
• Cilantro

Basically you can add anything you want including all your produce that needs to be cooked (mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, spinach, anything). It might also be good to replace the red onion with chopped up green onions, but instead of frying them I'd wait until the end and toss them in with the hot sauce.

Method:

Cook Quinoa with either water or veggie broth. It cooks similar to rice, so about 1/3 cup of Quinoa for each cup of liquid.

Leave on for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat. You'll know it's done when the 'curls' come out! Take it off the heat, leave the lid on and let it sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest.

In a frying pan roast two cloves of garlic and half a red onion, finely chopped, in a bit of olive oil.
Add a cup of frozen corn
Chop up an entire red pepper and throw it in the pan
Add a 1/3 of a Firm Tofu block- cut it up in tiny chunks.
Chop up a handful of cilantro

Stir it all in with the Quinoa off the heat and let it sit with lid on for a few minutes.

Then add Tabasco or Frank’s Hot sauce for taste: I add lots! And salt!

Eating like a Vegan on a Student's Budget

Most students share a common problem- a constantly empty wallet. And if you're anything like me, you'll cut costs wherever you can just to save $10. My sisters always joke that I'm incredibly cheap, and if I'm honest, I'd have to agree with them. I love shopping for Safeway deals, if it's a two for one, I'll buy it. I can't get enough of Costo, even though I don't own a membership card cause who wants to spend $50 a year on that? Instead I've perfected the art of mooch off my much loving friends and family.

Shortly after my first and second year in University i realized that maybe it's worth spending an extra $20 a month on fresh produce. No one likes scurvy. So it only took me two years to recognize the importance of eating well and buying good and healthy foods. And in a city like Vancouver, you really have no excuse not to frequent the produce stores. They're EVERYWHERE and wonderfully inexpensive. I think i spend an average of $5 each time i go and I load up; seriously we're talking bags and bags of berries, veggies and the likes.

You don't have to be a vegan to eat well and adopt a healthy diet and i'm not trying to convert anyone to the vegan way of life! My meat loving roommates would have none of that. Instead, i decided to start this blog to help other students incorporate some "real" meals every once in a while. To expand beyond the staples of chicken and pasta. I have a roommate who, twice a month dedicates two days to eating vegetarian. She loves it because she gets to experiment with different cooking ideas and believe it or not, you don't always need those heavy meats and cheeses that make you feel blah. Even though they taste so good, it's a)not going to kill you to go one day without a hunk of beef, and b) I guarantee you'll get all the necessary nutrients and really enjoy your food! who'd have thunk??

So my first few links will be some recipes I've made up, or tweaked through trial and error, including some quick snack ideas and baked goods (the one thing i always miss the most). I also love this restaurant in Victoria that has the world's best vegan fudge brownies. They're unreal; i made them for some skeptical family members and the consensus was that they were the best brownies they've ever had. I'll be adding those as well.

Cheers,
xx