hey all. my first post on here. since majorly changing into a more healthly lifestyle i've been practically eating vegetarian, so this coming week i'm going to try it consciously and see if it's something i'd like to start for life. i know a lot about vegetarian/vegan products because I do buy a lot of them and research and I am a nutrition/dietetic major.

i'd like to know what foods you have come across that you really love since you've been a vegetarian/vegan.. after my run today i'm taking a trip to wild oats to stock up on goodies. let me know! thanks in advance.

stay well!
-Lauren

When I went veggie, I started snacking on dried fruits and nuts (kinda energy dense, but still good). When I first started veggie cooking, I found that I enjoyed buying whatever vegetables, beans, and grains looked good and putting them together to make a meal. I also like soymilk. :lick:

i have fallen in love with whole foods. i love all kinds of beans that i'd never tried before (particularly sprouted) and all kinds of grains that i'd never even heard of such as quinoa, aramanth, farro, and a myiard of others. I eat more variety of fruits and veggies than i've ever eaten in my life, and i'm more experimental.

for the most part, i don't buy 'products' such as veggie burgers. i think they're kinda gross.

Hi I am new here too! I'm not into processed food, even if it is vegitarian. (I'm ovo-lacto not vegan). I love rice and beans and find I can find more variety at Indian and Oriental markets than Wild Oats. Recently I have been eating a lot of Forbidden Rice which is a black/purple rice with a nutty flavor and has a large amount of Iron. I've also been looking for Heratiage beans and rice from other countries. Although I said above I don't like processed food, I make an exception with "tofu" type soy-foods because processing is the only way to get them. I use firm tofu, but do not really like it unless I freeze it first--this gives it a different texture. It also turns yellowy and looks more like cheese. (oh cut it up before you freeze it). I LOVE Tempura. Especially "sea vegatable," and I would like to experiment more with seaweed! Happy hunting at Wild Oats!

thanks for all the responses already! i'm looking foward to hearing more from everyone.

i'm not big into processed foods either. i don't eat refined grains... only whole wheat for me, lots of veggies, fruits, my secret lover is kashi... i love all there products! obvioulsy no fast food. yuk.

keep the tips coming : )

Yummy, yummy, whole foods! :hamster:

Whole grains, veggies, nuts/seeds, beans.... I love them all! The only tofu I'll get is silken cause I can make tofu ranch dressing out of it and put it on everything (seriously, it's just as good as a "mayo" as it is for a "sour cream" :lick: ). Curd style is okay but only once in a great while. I like to freeze mine, too.

I've never been to a Wild Oats, so I don't know what they would have but if I were to go to one, I would check out their whole grains, spices, dried fruit, nuts, veggies and maybe even see if they have seitan (wheat meat).

and I would check out Chocolate Almond Breeze, too. :drool: Golly, I love that stuff.

:hamster:

Eggplant!! :drool: and the given, tofu, Hummus, Soy milk, etc.

Congratulations on one week!

Some of my favorites include: tofu, beans (all sorts except lima and butter beans), brown rice, broccoli, eggplant, squashes, peppers...aw heck who'm I kidding? I love veggies. :)

Heya! Good luck. :)

Stuff I love as a vegan...hmmm.

1. Quinoa. I usually make salads with it.

2. Smoked tofu. Or fried regular tofu with spicy chili garlic sauce.

3. Coconut milk with anything. Recently made stuffed eggplant with it. :drool:

4. Vegan Gourmet "cheese."

5. Tofutti anything. :p

6. Sol soy yogurt. Yumm.

7. Curry lentil soup.

8. Homemade vegan perogies (with tofutti sour supreme).

9. Soy Jerky (by Tasty Eats...haven't had it in awhile tho).

10. Rice Dream.

11. Almond butter.

Depends on what you like but my personal favorites are:

Morningstar Farms buffalo wings with honey mustard
Morningstar Farms mini corn dogs
Gardenburger Riblets
Soy Delicious Purely Decedant Turtle Tracks (ice cream)

Also a big fan of Tofurky Jurky and Tofurky deli slices and Tofurky too I guess. :D

wow, thank you guys so much for all of your suggestions. I have STOCKED these past two days. here are some of the goodies I bought:

-Nasoya Firm Tofu (duh.. hah) had this before with dishes i've made, good stuff and very versatile.
-Long grain brown basmati rice
-Tomato Basil Morningstar Farm "burgers"
-Morningstar Farms mini corn dogs
-Gardenburger Riblets
-Spicy Veggie Refried Beans
-Boca chili bowl

oh man , there is too many, i can't even name. I have all the staples already; all of my whole grain breads and pita's and a plentiful variety of fresh fruits and veggies.

keep it comin!

also....

-Kimberly, I would LOVE that recipe for vegan perogies if you have it.

-4evergrounded, do you have the recipe for that tofu ranch dressing?

thanks so much again!