The Happy Herbivore Cookbook (65 page)

QUINOA FLOUR:
As the name suggests, this flour is made from quinoa. It's gluten-free and provides a distinct nutty taste.

 

RAW SUGAR: Also called turbinado sugar, raw sugar is a natural, unrefined sugar made from cane juice. Raw sugar can be found in most supermarkets but is usually less expensive at health food stores.

RICEMELL OW: Made from brown rice and with the consistency of Fluff, Suzanne's Ricemellow is a healthy and vegan marshmallow crème alternative. You can find Suzanne's Ricemellow in most health food stores and online.

 

SEITAN:
Pronounced SAY-tan and also called wheat meat, seitan is a meat analogue made from vital wheat gluten flour. It can be made at home or purchased premade at health food stores. Tidal Wave is popular brand among vegans.

SPICES (GENERALLY): If you buy nothing else organic, try to buy organic and premium spices. A crappy spice can ruin an entire meal. Whole Foods Market has a wide variety of organic spices for as little as $1.99 each. If you don't mind buying in bulk, specialty spice shops and online shops offer great deals. Good brands to try include Rani, Frontier, Swanson, Spice Islands, Spice Hunter, Simply Organic, Amish Market, and Penzey's.

SOY YOGUR: Soy yogurt is made from soy instead of dairy. Alternatively, there are also coconut milk yogurts and rice milk yogurts. Most supermarkets carry at least one brand of soy yogurt, but health food stores carry a wider variety of non-dairy yogurts and at a lower price.

 

TAMARI:
Interchangeable with soy sauce in recipes, tamari is similar to soy sauce but thicker and usually gluten-free.

TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN
: Commonly referred to as “TVP,” textured vegetable protein is a meat analogue made from reduced-fat soy flour. It comes in the form of granules and must be reconstituted in water or broth. TVP is a good source of protein and essential amino acids. It is also called textured soy protein, or “TSP.” TVP and/or TSP can be found in some well-stocked supermarkets, but they are always available at health food stores and online.

TOFU
: Made from the curds of soy milk, tofu is high in protein, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium. Since tofu is also colorless and flavorless, it is wonderfully universal in cooking. There are two distinct types of tofu: tofu that is refrigerated and sitting in water, and Tetra-packed tofu, such as Mori-Nu, that is shelf stable. Tetra-packed tofu is very soft and delicate and works best as a creamy ingredient. Refrigerated tofu, on the other hand, can have a much firmer texture, making it a great replacement for meat. There are several kinds of refrigerated tofu: soft or silken, which is delicate; firm; extra firm; and super protein, which is the hardest. The consistency of tofu also changes when it is fried, cooked, baked, or frozen and later thawed. Mori-Nu, Nasoya, West Soy, and Wild Harvest are popular brands.

 

VEGAN CHEESES: When selecting vegan cheese, it's important to make sure that it is in fact vegan, meaning that it doesn't contain casein or whey. With the exception of vegan Parmesan by Galaxy Nutritional

Foods and vegan non-hydrogenated cream cheese by Tofutti, vegan cheese is optional in every recipe in this book because it is a processed food and typically high in fat. Unfortunately, the soy and rice cheeses at most supermarkets are not usually vegan (they contain milk proteins, such as casein or whey), so make a special trip to a health food store, where there is more of a variety. You may also need to shop around or ask the store to stock certain brands. I recommend Tofutti, Follow Your Heart, Teese, and Daiya.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Many semi-sweet chocolate chips are accidentally vegan. Ghirardelli is my favorite brand.

VEGAN MEATS/MEAT SUBSTITUTES: The taste, consistency, and quality of vegetarian meats have come along way in recent years. When selecting ameat substitute, it is important to make sure that it is in fact vegan, meaning it doesn't contain eggs, milk, whey, or casein. Unfortunately, most of the mock meats at supermarkets are not vegan. However, health food stores offer a wide variety of vegan meat substitutes and at a lower price. Smart and Light Life products are also usually fat-free and vegan. Other good brands to try include Yves, Boca, Gardein, and Gardenburger.

VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN: Gluten is the protein found in wheat. It's what gives bread its shape and pizza dough its elasticity. When steamed, baked, boiled, or otherwise cooked, gluten becomes chewy, with a very meat-like texture, and is referred to as seitan. Gluten also works as a binding agent, helping hold things like mushroom burgers together. You can find vital wheat gluten in the baking section of health food stores or online.

Just about any recipe can be adapted to be healthy, vegan, and fat-free with the right substitutions.

 

EGG REPLACEMENT: Replacing eggs is often the trickiest part of vegan baking. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to replace them:

To replace one egg white, combine 1 tbsp agar powder dissolved into 1 tbsp of water. Whip it, chill it, and then whip it again.

 

BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTION
: To replace buttermilk, combine 1 cup of soy milk with 1 tsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Whisk until foamy and bubbly. This soy buttermilk mixture can replace buttermilk 1:1 in any baking recipe.

FAT REPLACEMENT: Applesauce is the most common way to replace fat (e.g., oil, butter), but beans and vegetables also work as a direct replacement:

SUGAR REPLACEMENT: You can safely reduce sugar by one-fourth in any recipe, or use these other sweeteners instead of sugar:

Index

African Kale and Yam Soup

Agar-Agar Flakes

Agave Nectar

Alfredo, Fettuccine

American

Bacon Bits

Baked Beans .

Baked Onion Rings

Baked Shells and Cheese

Baked Ziti

BBQ Chop Wrap

Black Bean Burgers

Brown Gravy

Cheesecake

Chile Sans Carne

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili

Cornbread Stuffing with Chorizo

Dirty Mashed Potatoes

Easy Macaroni and Cheese

Garden Chowder

Hawaiian Chickpea Teriyaki

Hippie Loaf

Loaded Nachos

Meatball Subs

Mushroom Burgers

No-Beef Gravy

Nutty Spread

Oatmeal Cookies

Portobello Steaks

Potato Salad

Pumpkin Pie

Quick Marinara Sauce

Ranch Dip

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Seitan Pot Roast

Southwestern Macaroni Salad

Spaghetti and Meatless Balls

Thanksgiving Gravy

Tomato Soup

Torkey (Tofu Turkey)

Traditional Stuffing

“Tuna” Salad

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Ultimate 7-Layer Dip .

See also Southern and Cajun

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Crisp Muffins

Applesauce, Instant

Arrowroot

Asparagus, Balsamic Braised

Aztec Corn Soup

Bacon Bits

in Fettuccine Alfredo

in Twice-Baked Potatoes

in Ultimate 7-Layer Dip

Baked Beans

Baked Chimichangas

Baked Onion Rings

Herbed Onion Rings

Texan Onion Rings

Baked Potatoes, Twice-

Baked Shells and Cheese

Tex-Mex Chili Mac

Broccoli Casserole

Cheeseburger Mac

Baked Tofu, Basic

Baked Tofu Parmesan

Baked Ziti

Balsamic Braised Asparagus

Banana Bread

Bananas

Basic Baked Tofu

BBQ Chop Wrap

Bean Cakes

Berberé

in Yemisir W'et

in Kik Alicha

Beef Crumbles, TVP

Beef-Style Tacos