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Vegan Bites:
Mocking Dairy
by Hope Matthews, from the April 2006 newsletter
“It doesn’t taste like cheese, but it’s pretty tasty in a sandwich,” noted Grandma over the phone. The subject was Veggie Slices, one of the many brands of soy cheese out on the market. Like many Americans, my grandmother has recently become lactose-intolerant and searches for dairy substitutes in order to adapt to this dietary restriction.
Although Veggie Slices, like other soy cheeses, do not melt, have a texture, fat content or creaminess like any dairy cheese I’ve ever experienced, they fall into the vegetarian “cheese” category. You can slap just about any soy, nut, rice, or oat “cheese” into bread, smear some Natural Balance margarine on the bread slices, and grill the sandwich in a frying pan and voila—you’ve made a “grilled cheese” sandwich.
So, if “cheese” substitutes don’t taste like dairy cheese, then why call them cheeses at all?
In my grandmother’s case, she is trying to fill a niche that used to be there. She wants a cheese sandwich (but her body disagrees) so she whips up the next best thing. Savvy businesses have recognized that many people are lactose-intolerant, fat conscious, or vegan, so they have created these vegetarian “cheeses” to fulfill that need.
Some consumers try these “cheeses” out of curiosity, enjoy the taste and become hooked, as was my experience with veggie burgers. Most buyers note that there is little comparison between a Sunshine Burger, made of sprouts, carrots and other veggies, to a Cow Burger. As an omnivore, my taste buds snubbed meat burgers.
While a new vegetarian, my inquisitive nature prompted me to purchase a whole grain burger and I’ve relished the many splendors of vegetarian “burgers” ever since. Both “burgers” function similarly between buns and scream for yummy accoutrements, yet there is hardly any similarity in taste, nutritional value, and ingredients. If you dislike the taste of dairy cheese, I especially urge you to taste-test rice, soy or almond alternatives.
Not all dairy alternatives are based around a conventional “dairy” product, either, but are inspired by them. The other week, strolling along the library shelves I happened upon 366 Simply Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes by Robin Robertson. It contains some fantastic sounding recipes inside like Creamed Rice and Kale, Baked Spinach with Raisins, and Fettuccini in a Creamy Tarragon Tomato Sauce, which go beyond something typically cheesy. Although I haven’t made any of the recipes inside yet, quite a few have been bookmarked with good intentions.
With this article in mind, my family were once again willing (sort of) victims of another experimental dish. I wanted to make Vegan Macaroni and Cheese. So, ingredients were purchased at the Co-op, brought together with love in the kitchen, and spooned with some anticipation into our bowls. My significant other enjoyed the dish at first (especially after adding salt) and thought it had a cheesy texture, but had trouble finishing it, noting that it was “very filling.” My son liked it and was especially glad that there was only one vegetable present. Note: as a former vegan, he isn’t phased by dairy substitutes and seldom can tell the difference. I, myself, thought that the dish was nifty, but recognized it was quite filling too. I would have liked more veggies. Did it taste like Mac ‘n Cheese? Not exactly, but it was pretty tasty.
2 3/4 cups dry pasta shells
1 1/2 cups Westsoy Organic Unsweetened Soymilk
5 Tablespoons Earth Balance Margarine
8 oz. VeganRella, shredded
1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (more or less to taste)
1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1 tsp. pepper
10 oz. frozen peas
Cook the pasta shells in rapidly boiling water. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain the shells when they are just a little undercooked. Rinse in cold water. Add shells to a medium sized casserole dish and stir in margarine. Place in oven until margarine is fully melted. Remove from oven and stir in the nutritional yeast, soymilk, minced onion, turmeric, salt, pepper, peas and half of VeganRella. Place back in oven to cook for 30 minutes. Then, remove and stir well. If dish seems a little dry add 1/4 cup more soymilk. Sprinkle rest of “cheese” over the top of the casserole and cook another 10-20 minutes, until top is slightly browned. Let dish cool down about 5-10 minutes before eating. Try it with stewed tomatoes!
Vermouth Cream Sauce
From 366 Simply Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes by Robin Robertson
Sounds like a wonderfully creamy sauce for cooked veggies and pasta
1 Tablespoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dry white vermouth
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
3/4 cup Vegetable Stock (half a Celifibr bouillon cube dissolved in 3/4 cup water would be fine, or make your own!)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
3/4 cup soy milk (an unsweetened version)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Combine the tarragon and vermouth in a saucepan and boil down rapidly until reduced by half. Add the parsley and the stock and reduce again to half the volume. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture, stirring. Cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the soy milk, and cook over very low heat, stirring to thicken. Be careful not to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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