The Vegan Mythbusters thread

[fiamma]

You know those things cookbooks tell you, then you find out, after many years of believing a certain thing, that it's not actually true?

I love hummus, but the few times I tried to make it using dried beans, it tasted completely bland because the Cookbook Voice of Doom always chimed in saying "Always salt legumes AFTER cooking, NOT before, otherwise they go hard."

Well I thought I'd experiment and put salt in the cooking water (I used a pressure cooker), and noticed no difference whatsoever. Well, apart from one... my chickpeas actually had some taste to them

That's that myth busted.

Anyone else?

[Marrers]

That you must salt aubergines before cooking them to remove the 'bitterness'. I never do and don't find them bitter at all.

[Mr Flibble]

Most recipes on the internet don't work.

[harpy]

That I can make pancakes. Mind you that's not just a vegan myth, I never could make them

[cobweb]

That I can make pancakes. Mind you that's not just a vegan myth, I never could make them

i make them about 5 times a week
i'll have to give you some pancake tuition
i have found that measuring the ingredients by eye is best, and using some egg replacer helps
mmmmm you've made me want a pancake now, it's been at least 24 hours since my last one

[patientia]

Leave the sugar out, use a non-stick skillet and they should be OK.

[harpy]

I don't have a non-stick pan I don't think - that's where I've been going wrong perhaps? Although others have told me it's because I don't get the oil hot enough...I don't put sugar in the batter so it wasn't that.

[RubyDuby]

It's the pan. I know from experience. Get one. You'll be amazed!

[bringsMore]

Most recipes on the internet don't work.

It that the myth or the negation of the myth that they do work?

[harpy]

Thanks folks - I'll sort the pan then come back for recipe recommendations. Sorry to divert your thread fiamma!

[inspiredbykittens]

Vegans are skinny, frail, waif-looking hipsters. I'm not hip to Indie music and I am not skinny. I've only lost 5 pounds in the time I've been Vegan (only a month! ) and I'm not fat, but certainly not skinny.

[Adena]

Big vegan myth would be that vegans cant eat chocolate, or biscuits, or cake, or sweets, or ice cream, lol if the ignorant peeps could see what i live off! :S I wish vegan treats were more widely accessable and well known about - a lot of people think they could "never go vegan" because they couldn't give up these things (bit of a sad existance if you can't live without a biccy but alright ) -- i wish everyone knew that veganism meant a more interesting diet, rather than a boring bland one!

[Tigerlily]

I think the big reason why non-vegans think we can't eat anything is because they don't realize all sorts of things can be easily made without animal products. When they think of "plant based foods", they think of vegetables and fruits. They do not realize vegan cookies are plant based!

[Glen Lambert]

The myth that Tofu is easy to 'get right'. Honestly, how does one make get Tofu like they serve in restaurants?

[megrainbows]

That we are skinny weak looking hippies who only eat lentils, tofu and vegetables.
I'll fit into the hippie thing, and the lentil thing (im addicted!) but I seem to consume a lot of vegan junk food these days... The only veg in my house atm is frozen organic peas and a sorry looking organic potato

[megrainbows]

I make pancakes in a normal frying pan with just, half a cup of flour, cup of soya milk, few tablespoons of sugar and a bit of oil. Then I just drop spoonfulls into a hot oiled pan and they work brilliantly. They look like 'scotch pancakes' you buy in supermarkets in the UK, but taste like the sort of pancakes you'd make on pancake day. Sorry for the offtopic!

[emzy1985]

The myth that Tofu is easy to 'get right'. Honestly, how does one make get Tofu like they serve in restaurants?

You can buy it pre-made in Chinese and Japenese supermarkets, and it comes out exactly the same as in the restaurants after a little heating. I was amazed as I've never been able to get it to go like that either.

[harpy]

Got to get back to the pancake project! Thanks for the description of your method, meg.

[agar_agar]

That you must salt aubergines before cooking them to remove the 'bitterness'. I never do and don't find them bitter at all.

I read it could be because some of them now are bred to be less bitter.


@MrFlibble: cookbook recipes don't work either, at least the first ten times you make them

[leedsveg]

@MrFlibble: cookbook recipes don't work either, at least the first ten times you make them

I made a mushroom pate from a cookbook recipe a couple of weeks ago and I added a couple of spoons of vegan yoghurt but didn't notice that it was vanilla flavoured rather than plain. It was not a success. Oh well, only another 10 attempts and it should turn out ok.

leedsveg