#I would also be SUPER okay with dairy products like yogurt and cream cheese tasting good again

[onrainynights]

had coffee yesterday for the first time in over a year after my mom's coffee started smelling like coffee again (I dont like the way she makes hers though and didn't even pre-parosmia so I bought an iced coffee to try that I used to like) and it was SO GOOD. I missed coffee so much and it feels unreal that I like it again. AND THEN garlic also smelled good when we had garlic bread with our spaghetti the other night and I ate a whole piece of garlic bread I was so happy. garlic was one of the absolute worst smells/flavors for the last year and a half and it finally smells and tastes edible again I'm so relieved. what next? please say apples I miss apples so much

[lisabeatsyourmeat-blog]

Getting started! 7/11/17

If you are trying a vegan lifestyle or just dabbling in some recipes here are some great brands of replacement dairy products. 

Good morning!

 To start here are a few GREAT replacements for diary products. Disclamier on this before I start though, these products are great for replacing every day dairy items we got used to eating but they are still processed foods. They are not as bad for you as diary products but I would never call these items healthy. We use them as a treat. For example we have pizza once and awhile and adding diyia cheese on top is great but if Jimi and I eat the whole pizza we know we are still ingesting a processed product. But having said that making a transition to a vegan diet is hard, especially if you are changing your whole diet. These products are a great transition. No they do not taste exactly like the real thing (in many cases VERY close!) but just know what your eatingà a replacement!

 Butter: Well I lied right off the bat because I (and EVERY other vegan) uses this product probably every day. Earth Balance Butter Cheapest one is $3.99

 Milkà Even my super picky step son goes for soy or almond milk and doesn’t complain about it. There are so many brands that you could probably just wing this one. I use either whole foods brand soy milk- unsweetened. These milks can be really high in sugar. (Very vanilla Silk soymilk) Super tasty but if you are using this for shakes (which I highly encourage) go for the unsweetened milk- almond of soy.

 Yogurtà Silk makes a yogurt that is really good but VERY high in sugars. I don’t have a serious beef with a lot of sugar I just usually eat a dessert of some sort every day and therefore like to save up my sugar intake for my mid morning, mid afternoon, mid evening hunk of dark chocolate. Besides silk there is a great coconut yogurt available by So delicious. Its great too. There is a super expensive Chia seed yogurt/ pudding by Chia Pod at whole foods, I really like it and its not super high in sugars but pretty pricey.

 Cheeseà ahhh cheese. Vegan cheese gave our kind a bad rap for many years. But recent years vegan science or whoever is making these products have really hit it out of the park. In dishes- like a mac and cheese, enchiladas, lasagna, etc. use Daiya cheese – I like pepper jack the best for its heat, obviously. For sandwiches and or sneaking slices out of the fridge while Jimi is in the next room would be Chao cheese, original brand, the others are okay- original is the best though. Follow your heart makes good block cheese for snacking with crackers. Both Chao and follow your heart is good for eating straight up, Daiya is not good for this better melted. I like follow your heart smoked gouda. Follow your heart also makes a great Parmesan cheese. There is a lot of new vegan cheeses out there, I will try them all for research! But sadly I cannot afford to spend $8 on 3 oz of cheese all the time neither should you! Treeline has a creamy cheese made out of cashews- it was okay, not $8 dollars okay though.

 Sour Creamà Tofutti brand sour cream, comes in a white and blue container. This brand is it for sour cream. Don’t try others…..

 Cream Cheeseà Tofutti better than cream cheese, again best brand I’ve had and I’ve tried a lot. Daiya makes one, as does follow your heart, but Tofutti I have found is the best.

 Mayoà Veganase hands down best vegan mayo. But I have only found this product at whole foods and nicer local groceries (my current grocery is pretty um how would you say un-nice?)  But surprisingly even my grocery store carries Hampton Creek Mayo. Its pretty good too and has a more miracle Whip taste while veganase has a more full flavored mayo taste. Fun note and future podcast topic Hampton Creek was sued by Helman’s over the name “Just Mayo”, Helman argued you cannot call something that was not made from eggs mayo. Hampton Creek won the lawsuit but this idea that replacements are getting rather good that the mayo men are getting so upset they must sue! *Jimi also just told me in California you cannot call vegan cheese, cheese because of recent legislation passed…… coincidence there’s a large a diary presence in California?? I think not…

 Ice Creamà Ben and Jerrys came out with a few flavors of vegan ice cream, the PB and cookies is my personal favorite. Also my step son’s favorite so you know its good. So delicious has a ton of different types, the cashew milk ice cream is great. Stevies makes a great one too. Rule of thumb- more expensive the better, sorry that sucks but its true with ice cream. Read your ingredients on these too. Stevies makes a vegan ice cream but not ALL their ice cream is vegan, that was the last time I accidently ate dairy….. Tofutti also makes some great ice cream sandwiches and ice cream bars.

 Whew- these are all great products to help you stay “normal” while being a vegan. Any questions please let me know. Like I said they are transitional, so while they help make you more comfortable with eating vegan they shouldn’t be eating all day every day.

 I’m going to get cracking on some recipes!

 Lisa from Lisa Beats Your Meat…… ;)