Help!

[m@ggi3]

so i have become a vegan in the last year. my parents don't approve so i have to cook all my meals which would be easy exept i live in australia and in a not so big town so no vegan mart or vegan options at the store. so in my protest i have been cooking all my meals as allowed and no animal product. sadly i am un imaginative pasta with tomarto sauce or beans on toat are regulars any ideas on what to cook thats easy? i eat alot of tofu but it is really expesive here compared to what i see on the net.

:)

[veganloraine]

i would suggest visiting your local library for some vegan cookbooks. i know the sarah kramer cookbooks have very easy recipes with ingredients that can be found in almost any grocery store. we really like the sweet potato and black bean burritos, shepherd's pie and aloo gobi. they are very easy to make. i would also suggest the cookbook chatelaine's quickies (vegetables). i love the chickpea salad and the tomato cucumber salad. all those recipes are really simple and are also fabulous. if these books are not available in australia you could always try the net for some great recipes.

keep it up if you can. building a collection of recipes that you enjoy will take some time, but it will be so worth it!

[m@ggi3]

thanx alot :) i found a great loaf
1 cup tea
1 cup currants
1 cup sugar 2 cups SR flour
mix and bake for 45min at 185 C

[VeganMacrochick]

Where in Australia are you? I strongly suggest you don't start cooking with or using sugar. If looking at food as a balance meat is on one side and sugar and medications and stuff are on the other end. Right in the middle are whole grains, vegetables, beans, etc. If you aren't eating meat yet consuming sugar you are throwing your whole body off. Check out some mail order companies for foods or cookbooks. One in the US is www.simply-natural.biz they have a sister company in OZ I just can't remember the name but you can ask them. You can always make some short grain brown rice, some beans and lightly sauteed veggies. Try to make sure to get fresh whole grains, veggies and beans in a day. Some seaweed would be ideal too gets lots of minerals, etc. Good luck!

[PikkuMyy]

I'd see if you can get any vegan cookbooks through your local library (you may be able to request books that are at other branches). OTherwise you can buy them used really cheaply on eBay. Vegan with a Vengance is great. Then you can make many tasty things without a lot of premade vegan stuff.

My husband's best friend is Australian and one thing he can't get when there is good Mexican food, which is a shame because it's so darn vegan friendly. Beans with tortillas, avocado, and salsa are so tasty and healthy!

But you could make beans and rice. If you rinse some black beans out of a can, then add a 1/8 cup of water or so. I love Massell cubes, all flavors, so I usually add a bit of chicken cube, then some bay leaves, cumin, and tabasco or other hot sauce. Then I cook in a pot with the top on until it starts to bubble, then take the top off and cook on low until it has gotten thick. Then You can serve this with sauteed onions and bell peppers on rice. MMMmmmm.

[m@ggi3]

wow i'm back on the forum. i've been away almost a year sadly i had a serious bowel infection. "say what?" sugar bad? i'm not quite sre how that works. does that mean all sugars or just sugar in a paper bag called sugar? what about glucose sucrose and frutose? or brown sugar on oats mmmmmm. or raw sugar?
i had great vegan meals in hospital except there were 10 and at month 3 i was sick of them all. also had to have a naso gastric feed called ensure plus i am not sure it's vegan looks like milk i was not impressed but they said it was vegan.

[kat]

i live in australia too, western australia actually.what state do you live in?
anyway if you are still looking for vegan food you have to cook yourself i recommend some of the sanitarium canned proteins. nutmeat is the best, and a great staple. you can eat it plain or fried baked etc. it comes in a can and you just slice off the roll and prepare. they also have rediburger which is vegan too. Then there is casserole mince by sanitarium which is good in a casserole (obviously) but i use it in shepard's pies too and other places where you would use mince meat. Tender pieces i don't particularly like,but the rest of my family does. That is like casserole mince but bigger pieces.
watch out when buying the vegetarian sausages by sanitarium (which are vegan) because i think there is one type that is not vegan, but it would say on the package. most pasta sauces in australia are vegan, like leggo's napoletana. obviously not the cheese based ones though and watch out for wine vinegar. (people have different opinions on that though). these can all be found in the supermarkets such as woolies, coles and IGA. They are either in the canned food section or the health food section.
Aside from the health aspects of sugar, sugar in australia is vegan, unlike most refined sugars in the usa. However i wouldn't recommend too much.
Weet-bix is vegan, as is special k and sultana bran. There is a list somewhere but i'm just going off the top of my head. I love mini-wheats, the blackcurrant one.
for lunch there is vegi henchen and i will check the brand for you with my mum but it comes in a refrigerated roll and you cut slices off, no need to cook.
tofu is expensive, but really yummy you would agree. if you live in the city, try an asian run corner store. they often have bulk non-package tofu in water that you get yourself for a lot cheaper than in the supermarkets.
that's all i can think of for now. hope this helps.
kat