I've been vegan for about 12 years (13 in January) after reading some discussions on Reddit about the theme, they hit me really hard after a beloved dog companion passed away.
I make pb&j daily, since it's so easy and yummy. I often eat beans and rice, fried rice, the most varied curries and farofa!
braised cabbage wedges.
they’re so simple and almost impossible to fuck up.
the end product is what i describe as the prime rib of veg dishes. it’s soft and umami, just slice off a bit and dunk in radish or any kind of sauce.
equal parts water and oil to cover the bottom of a cold pan with a lid. salt the cabbage wedges then place in the pan and cover over a medium heat, 200c. use your nose to decide when to flip till both sides are golden brown.
ive burnt them and they’re still great once they cool.
Was vegan for a year (2021 to 2022), and my go to is tempeh tacos. Season the same as regular beef tacos, just cook in water instead initially to soften, then add seasoning and some oil to fry them a little. Then add cabbage, tomatoes, vegan cheese, etc or whatever you want. For the sauce I would create a cilantro lime sauce using slivered almonds as the binder. Super easy to make and delicious.
Over 20 years here. Lots of things with rice: curries, stirfries, lentils, beans. I get a delicious mushroom burrito from my favorite taco truck a few times a week.
Vegan for 7 months now. Not planning on ever going back. My staple breakfast is hummus toast or overnight oats with whatever fruit I get plus peanut butter and banana or carob molasses for sweetness.
Often we cook different curries at home. Oven baked vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes (sweet or otherwise) with spices also work really well. I don't make it that often but misir wat (Ethiopian lentil stew) is out of this world, you can easily make it vegan. Legume stews are on the menu at all times, and soy sauce peanut butter pasta is a guilty pleasure.
Chickpea of the sea sandwiches are my goto when I'm wanting something quick and easy. I pulse canned chickpeas on high in vitamix. Its way easier and faster then smashing them by hand.
I eat a lot of beans and rice to save money, even did so before I was vegan, which made the typical baby vegan question of "What will I eat???" a no brainer. If you use spices and vary your beans I don't find it gets too boring. I love curries of all kinds, especially with hearty veg like onion, potato, eggplant. I make my own seitan cold cuts fairly often, a sandwich with that, a homemade sauce, and homemade pickled veg is so good.
I have a mac and cheese recipe that I came up with myself and improved over time that I make fairly often, it's great comfort food. Involves making a roux, then adding water, pickle brine (or vinegar), nooch, and spices. The roux is what makes it thick and creamy, the pickle brine gives it that sharp flavor that cheese has, loooots of nooch, and for spices salt obviously but things like paprika and dill are good. For the roux I use canola oil because it's cheap and healthier, but palm or deodorized coconut or vegan butter would give the best mouthfeel because of the saturated fat. After the sauce thickens and you stir in the cooked pasta you can either serve as is or bake. It's simple, fast, and cheap.
Going on 4 years, don't see any reason to stop.
