That's right. I have been spending lots of time looking for something to take my friend's place.
When I started looking, the first thing I thought of was tofu. Now most people would consider this a bad idea, but the reason that tofu seems so bland, is because you have to know how to properly prepare it. The number one rule is to make tofu along with something with a lot of flavor. It has a natural ability to take the flavor of what you cook it with, so the stronger the flavor, the better your tofu comes out. And also, tofu doesn't have to be prepared like everyday food. There are some nice, fancy recipes for tofu. One of the best examples I have found is this:
Classic Quiche Florentine
Unbelievably rich, this version of Quiche Florentine has absolutely no cholesterol and is low in fat! This quiche is a savory brunch favorite and contains heart-healthy soy protein. Succulent spinach, onions, and meat-free “bacon-style” bits add to the decadent flavor of this recipe. Relax... now you can enjoy Quiche Florentine free of guilt.
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbs. olive oil
18 oz. firm silken style tofu (about 1 ½ packages)
1/2 Tbs. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast* (optional)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1/8 cup meat-free “bacon-style” bits
1 pie crust shell, not baked
* Not to be confused with brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast can be found at your local natural foods store.
My thanks to Livevegan.org for the great ideas.
Another alternative is those veggie burgers. These are rich with protein, which is essential when you cut meats and eggs out of your diet. I have yet to find a good recipe to make these at home however, so any help is welcome.
And finally, I think the best way I will cope with the lack of meat in my system, is to turn to my second favorite food. Sweets.
However, as previously stated, I am doing this with the goal of losing weight. Therefore, any sweets I prepare will have to healthier than my usual Oreo's and chocolate milk. (I will load up on chocolate milk before I start this experiment of course.) I am still searching around, but I know there are some really good ones out there.
When I was younger, my father, home-diagnosed me as "allergic to milk" (not lactose intolerant.) so we spent a lot of time, (and money) looking for alternatives. Instead of cheese, we discovered this amazing stuff called Veggie Slices. We ate that till I was about 15 or so. I don't really remember. One thing I am really looking forward to going back to Soy Milk. Even after I convinced my parents that worldwide chaos would ensue from my ingesting milk products, I still would from time to time buy myself a half-gallon of soy milk.
Also, something I will try to do when cooking, is that instead of deep-frying, or microwaving food, I will either pan-fry, grill, or bake everything. Thankfully, I won't have to give up all bread. It might taste different, but I love bread. Unfortunately, I know that it is responsible for my declining shape, yet it is like crack. My parents can corner me with Dr. Phil's camera crew and start having an intervention, and I will sit there eating bread in front of them. That would teach them.
Alright, my fingers hurt, and all this food talk is making me hungry. I only have 8 days left, so I am gonna go get a prime rib, with some steak fries. (I wish.)
When I started looking, the first thing I thought of was tofu. Now most people would consider this a bad idea, but the reason that tofu seems so bland, is because you have to know how to properly prepare it. The number one rule is to make tofu along with something with a lot of flavor. It has a natural ability to take the flavor of what you cook it with, so the stronger the flavor, the better your tofu comes out. And also, tofu doesn't have to be prepared like everyday food. There are some nice, fancy recipes for tofu. One of the best examples I have found is this:
Classic Quiche Florentine
Unbelievably rich, this version of Quiche Florentine has absolutely no cholesterol and is low in fat! This quiche is a savory brunch favorite and contains heart-healthy soy protein. Succulent spinach, onions, and meat-free “bacon-style” bits add to the decadent flavor of this recipe. Relax... now you can enjoy Quiche Florentine free of guilt.
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbs. olive oil
18 oz. firm silken style tofu (about 1 ½ packages)
1/2 Tbs. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast* (optional)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1/8 cup meat-free “bacon-style” bits
1 pie crust shell, not baked
* Not to be confused with brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast can be found at your local natural foods store.
My thanks to Livevegan.org for the great ideas.
Another alternative is those veggie burgers. These are rich with protein, which is essential when you cut meats and eggs out of your diet. I have yet to find a good recipe to make these at home however, so any help is welcome.
And finally, I think the best way I will cope with the lack of meat in my system, is to turn to my second favorite food. Sweets.
However, as previously stated, I am doing this with the goal of losing weight. Therefore, any sweets I prepare will have to healthier than my usual Oreo's and chocolate milk. (I will load up on chocolate milk before I start this experiment of course.) I am still searching around, but I know there are some really good ones out there.
When I was younger, my father, home-diagnosed me as "allergic to milk" (not lactose intolerant.) so we spent a lot of time, (and money) looking for alternatives. Instead of cheese, we discovered this amazing stuff called Veggie Slices. We ate that till I was about 15 or so. I don't really remember. One thing I am really looking forward to going back to Soy Milk. Even after I convinced my parents that worldwide chaos would ensue from my ingesting milk products, I still would from time to time buy myself a half-gallon of soy milk.
Also, something I will try to do when cooking, is that instead of deep-frying, or microwaving food, I will either pan-fry, grill, or bake everything. Thankfully, I won't have to give up all bread. It might taste different, but I love bread. Unfortunately, I know that it is responsible for my declining shape, yet it is like crack. My parents can corner me with Dr. Phil's camera crew and start having an intervention, and I will sit there eating bread in front of them. That would teach them.
Alright, my fingers hurt, and all this food talk is making me hungry. I only have 8 days left, so I am gonna go get a prime rib, with some steak fries. (I wish.)
No comments:
Post a Comment