BOOK REVIEWS

VEGAN RECIPES THAT SATISFY

Are you one of the millions of carnivores who can't imagine a meal without meat, believing that vegetarian or vegan dishes are far too restrictive and unsatisfying, especially when it comes to soul-nourishing comfort foods? Lauren Ulm, author ofVegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day, has a surprise for you. In her book, the enthusiastic vegan not only proves that following a vegan diet is a simple endeavor, she shares over 100 vegan recipes that are satisfying, delicious and even impressively decadent. Here are a few of Ulm's favorite vegan products and three very comforting vegan recipes.

VEGAN INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

Veganism is a form of vegetarianism that includes eating fresh, whole, plant-based foods and avoiding the consumption of and use of animals for any commercial production. For many vegan-naysayers, the thought of following a diet with no meat and especially sans eggs and dairy is impossible. However, Ulm says the key to embracing and being surprisingly satisfied with a vegan diet is to change your expectations and experiment. “Stay open-minded and take the time to learn how to make foods that you really love, not poor imitations of foods you no longer eat,” she suggests. “That being said, there a few specialty products that I can recommend that might make your transition easier.”

As you are aspiring to change your meat-eating ways, give the following vegan ingredient substitutions a try:

• Earth Balance Margarine -- Most margarines have whey in them, but Earth Balance is 100 percent vegan and, in Ulm’s opinion, the very best butter replacement on the market.

• Silk Soymilk -- Some soymilks and nondairy milks can curdle in your coffee or tea, but Silk has a pleasing taste and texture, and is very versatile in cooking.

• Vegenaise Mayonnaise -- Vegenaise is the only vegan mayonnaise that Ulm will buy.
• Toffuti Better Than Cream Cheese and Sour Cream -- Of the cream cheese and sour cream substitutes, Ulm recommends Toffuti.
• Vegan cheeses -- Ulm is the first to admit that some vegan cheeses are “pretty gross.” However, she extols the tastes of Teese Cheese (a great melting mozzarella substitute), Sheese Cheese (very cheesy flavor and texture ideal for sandwiches and crackers), and Dr Cow Cheese (all natural hand-crafted nut cheeses).
• Nutritional yeast -- An ingredient that isn’t common in the average kitchen, nutritional yeast is a nutritional supplement offering B-complex vitamins, including vitamin B12, which lends a cheesy flavor to foods. Ulm suggests sprinkling it on popcorn.
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“There are all sorts of wonderful and delicious foods out there that will show you what being vegan is all about,” says Ulm. “It’s a myth that vegan food is boring, flavorless and uninspired…you can be compassionate to the planet without giving up great food.”

Pasted from <http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/813372/comfort-food-vegan-style>