As I've always mentioned most of you are same with me, raised and grew up as an omnivore. Here's the photo of what's currently inside my ref. as you can see it looks like a pile of processed meats. Now I'm hearing questions like: Where can I buy those stuff? What if I'm so damn lazy to research or doesn't even have talent to cook? Let me go through your questions one by one and explain where i bought the stuff your seeing in here.
1. Polomi Vegetarian Grocery - It's located in Manila on the corner of San Marcelino and Quirino. Land mark is a Chinese signage that has the word polomi below it, It looks like a humble simple closed store so you may not get to see it right away. It's the best place to buy all vegetarian/ vegan processed meat. You just need to check the ingredients carefully If you prefer the eggless and lactose free options. The photos of veg. meat here are all vegan such as the following: Vegan Burger patties, Vegan smoked sliced ham, vegan chicken nuggets, vegan sausages, vegan crab chunks,
2. Soy Milk? - I love chocolate soy milk and best place I can buy many type of soy milk branded: Silk, Soy dream, Good hope. Is either at South Super Market Ayala Alabang or any Healthy Options Store in some malls, the best Healthy Options at Shangrila Mall Ortigas. Whenever I see soymilk in my ref i think of the following: Breakfast cereal milk, milk to use for macarani soup, vegan carbonara pasta milk replacer. ice blended milk shakes, tiramisu and vegan cake milk replacer. you can add hersheys choco syrup if you want your soy milk/shake be more chocolatier.
3. Is it Healthy? Please highlight that vegan processed meat is not considered healthy. It's basically just an alternative to cope up with psychological cravings, transitioning to a new diet can be depressing and confusing for some that's why having some meat alternative is better because it transition us to appreciate a meal without animal meat in it. To make your meal healthier you can cook vege meat e.g. vegan nuggets and on the side you have vegan kimchi and steamed brocolli/spinach/lettuce/veggies. Including Raw foods with your cooked vegan meat is better to balance the nutrition intake.
4. Which Vitamins to take? vitamin B and Iron is the usual food that lacks in vegetables and without that vitamin which affects our blood and mood we can get sick too, so you can eat seaweeds and fortified food/vitamins if you feel like your getting weak by just veggies it self yet those who practive daily exercise and healthy environment usually don't need much of this vitamins. Miso paste/soup is a great vegan source for amino acids due to the good active bacteria that's rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid , riboflamin and vit.K.
5. What recipe's can you make with the photos above?
1. vegan nuggets with steamed veggies on the side, with vegan mayo with sweet pickle relish sauce.
2. Palabok with vegan crab meats and vegan chicharon.
3. Meaty spaghetti with vegan ham and hotdogs.
4. vegan burger with vegan mayo sauce with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes/bell pepper.
5. vegan burger steak with carrot,peas, and soy gravy
6. vegan macaroni salad with sliced hams and other veggies
7. Macaroni soup with soymilk, hotdogs and veggies
8. Vegan Pasta gourmet: Arrabiata, pomodoro, Carbonara vegan version.
9. Vegan pizza slice: put cheese alternative=mixed vegan mayo with nutritioal yeast, veggies, pineapple bits and vege meat on top of bread and toast / bake it.
10. Vegan Tiramisu - heat vegan dark chocolates on top of it, crumpy vegan choco spread and mixed with chocolate soy.
4. What if I'm lazy and don't want to cook? It's easier this days to do it you can let anyone just type the word vegan recipe in google and let anyone with basic common sense follow the instructions on how to do it, anybody can cook or experiment a good vegan meal. Here's one good link - http://www.veganeasy.org/recipes
You can also ask me for basic advice or check my previous post.
* Always remember to intake some raw fruit veggie foods/drink to have a better nutrition intake. Be Happy and think positive when you eat veggies . ^_^
