What Is Vegan?

We call someone a ”vegan” when he/she doesn’t eat anything that comes from animals whether it’s a mammal like pigs and cows or seafoods like shrimp or fish. We normally identify them as strict vegans coz they don’t consume meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or other dairy products – even honey. For as long as you don’t eat meat but still consumes other animal derived products, you can still be called vegan, and there’s another specific name for it.

You can be a true vegan if you live in a way where you exclude (or perhaps attempts to eliminate) all forms of animals products: food, drink, clothing, cosmetics, or any other source).

I don’t normally eat breakfast since I moved in the city but that changed when I transitioned to veganism. It’s important to know that changing your entire diet to something as challenging as this vegan lifestyle requires careful planning and consideration.

It is highly advisable especially for individuals who are not in good health, taking some prescription medications or undergoing a treatment to seek advice from a doctor first before taking the plunge of going on vegan. If you think you’re ready for this, I suggest reading my previous blog to learn some useful tips.

Though I am somehow an upper beginner vegan, I have a lot to say about it, and I’d like to think that I am probably one of the most disciplined vegan in the planet coz I’ve never cheated on my diet since the day I made a promise to myself. This is one of the main reasons why I am here sharing my experience with you all. Now, let me share with you some of the vegan recipes I personally enjoy. These are the ones I prepare or cook on a daily basis.

What I Usually Eat In A Day?

BREAKFAST:  Pancake, Bread, and Champurrado.

Bread and Pancake (without the use of eggs or animal derived ingredients). These are my go-to breakfast recipes that are so easy to prepare. I enjoy toasted bread and pancake with bananas the most. I only use egg substitutes to make them: applesauce, ripe bananas, or soft tofu. And for milk? I use non-dairy or plant-based milk like almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, and coconut milk, among others.

What’s good about these two (pancake, bread) recipes is that, flour is cruelty-free product. Therefore, no animals are hurt during the process, and I love it coz I can make a variety of recipes. I personally use almond flour when I bake or cook something like bread and pancake. It’s known to have ”good fats” which is particularly good for the heart and overall health. Other kinds of flour are all-purpose flour, bread flour, rice flour, coconut flour, the list goes on.

Champurrado or ”Champorado” in Filipino is a chocolate or cocoa-based porridge that we love to eat either in the morning or during merienda (a light meal we have in the afternoon) . Some Filipinos also consider it a snack. Merienda and champurrado were Spanish-derived words that we learned during the Spanish colonial period.  This is probably one of my favorite meals in the afternoon.

I use rice (any kind but I prefer white plain rice), 2 tbsp sugar, 3-4 tbsp cocoa powder, and some water. That’s it! All you have to do is cook the rice and make it sticky, not the typical rice you cooked that’s paired with some dish. Meaning, it shouldn’t be solid. It has to be with watery consistency, like baby’s food. Once rice is ready, add the cocoa powder, sugar, and some water if needed. When you taste it, you’ll know it’s ready. Now, I’m starving!

LUNCH: Salads: Vegetable Salad, Fruit Salad, Pasta Salad

When I make salads, I don’t often add dressings coz most of them are best prepared with so much stuff in it. When I do, I use mango puree or any sweet-tasting fruits that I have available. I highly recommend mango puree coz it makes your salad savory and it tastes amazing. If you’re not a fan of something sour, make sure it’s ripe or very sweet mango though. For veggie salads like Caesar salad, you may try adding some squeezed lemon or apple cider vinegar. Salads with veggies really go well with a sour-tasting sauce (at least in my opinion). I love a combination of colorful veggies: lettuce, tomatoes, steamed broccoli, thinly sliced pumpkin, cucumber, mushroom, cooked corn, peanuts, and carrots. For me, I prefer a salad that’s light, bright, and full of life. You can still have one without putting anything on top. Less is more! The best one would be a mixture of fruits and veggies.

I also enjoy a bowl of fruit salad. This isn’t the type of salad that people used to serve during holidays. The sweet salad that’s flavored with mayo, sugar, and all those sweeteners, you know… not that one. I’m referring to a salad that only has fruits in it: berries, pineapple, grapes, apples, mangoes, and more. Mix all together, then voila – you have a yummy-looking salad for lunch. This is by far my favorite meal for lunch. It’s simple, light, and healthy.

Another one is pasta salad which I like to prepare when I’m feeling extra happy. It makes me feel refreshed after eating so much veggies and fruits. It’s not my usual lunch on the go, but certainly one of my favorites. That’s why I make sure that I have a pasta all the time in the kitchen, and it has to be vegan-friendly, of course.

DINNER: Soups: Sweet Potato Soup, Corn Soup, Carrot Soup, Pumpkin Soup, and Mushroom Soup

Here we go with my most awaited meal of the day. Does this sound similar to you?

Not sure about you but for me, I love dinner. It may not seem right but my appetite kicks in at night. Studies show that it’s best for humans to limit the food intake in the evening than in the day. Well good thing I’m not a huge eater. I’m a millennial who weighs 46 kg, so I’m probably a bit lucky. But who doesn’t like eating a lot in the evening? Even at midnight, I’m always craving for something.

So, do you know to make one of these? I mean, sweet potato soup, carrot soup, mushroom soup, and corn corn?

It’s a piece of cake. Now, let’s say you want to make a sweet potato soup for dinner. Just prepare these ingredients: 2-5 medium size sweet potatoes, non-dairy milk (1-2 glasses depending on your desired consistency of the soup), some white or brown sugar. First thing you should do is to cook your sweet potatoes either by boiling or putting in the oven. I like boiling it. When it’s cooked, you can then blend it using a blender machine. Mix everything altogether: cooked and peeled off sweet potatoes, some sugar (1-2 tbsp or add to taste), non-dairy milk (more or less half cup), or some water (if needed). You can prepare another kind of soup by simply using the same formula. Trust me, it tastes great! I know what you’re thinking — ”it’s like a smoothie or shake” (chuckle).Yeah right!