Vegan foods that you want to try!

[~Lenore]

I thought this would be a fun thread. Especially for newish vegans. When I first became vegan, not that long ago, there were so many foods & recipes I wanted to try. I was almost overwhelmed.

I had already eaten lots of tofu as a ovo-lacto, so I knew I liked that.

I tried falafel = loved it.

Avacado = HATED it at first, then liked it.

Young thai coconut = I had to try this because it gets so much hype with the raw foodies. And EW. I did not like it at all. It think it's the texture of the meat, because the flavour is tolerable and I like mature coconuts a lot. I hate to say it, but the texture reminds me of animal fat, I think... or squid! I just can't swallow it.

Just tried tabouli tonight... and I'm torn. I had it prepared pretty plainly, so maybe if it was jazzed up I'd like it more.

I've also tried dates and pomegrantes for the first time since becoming vegan, and I like them both.

I still want to try:

Jicama (sp?)
Quinoa
Clif bars
Clif nectar bars
Blood oranges
Papaya
Seitan & TVP
Tempeh
Almond butter
Figs
Tahini

Sometimes I think to myself, "How did I get to be 16 and had never had an avacado/a pomegrante/etc.?!"
It's a shame how many of nature's beautiful foods people (the general omni population) have never tried because of their dependency on the meat & processed foods and garbage of the Standard American Diet.
Anyone else ever feel that way?

[Nadine]

When I became vegan I tried
falafels (which I loved too)
avocados (although I'd tried them before I refound them)
yeast flakes (quite tasty)
Tempeh (dunno if I cooked it wrong but it was I Hated it)
Next to try Quinoa!

[sugarmouse]

i still want to try nutritianal yeast..and have yet to have dairy free creamer in my coffee apart from some i stole from a hotel!

[twinkle]

I really want to try proper truffles (as in the funghi) - I guess these can't always be classed as vegan if they're found by pigs or dogs, but I've read of experienced truffle hunting humans being able to find them without animal help as apparently they push the ground up a little bit.

First on the list if I win the lottery

[Cherry]

I want to try the licorice allsorts from the veganstore

[Tigerlily]

I want to try:
vegan marshmellows
couscous
millet
hempseed oil
pomengrante juice
fresh juice made by a juicing machine ^_^
Cheezly
Tempeh
Seitan
Plain soy yogurt
Ground round
TVP
Hmmm....what else?

[Risker]

The main thing I want to try is Durian fruit

[Unseen]

I would love to try exotic fruit, like most of the ones listed here: http://www.fruitlovers.com/fruittreedescriptions.html
Especially peanut butter fruit and brazilian cherry. I'm not so sure about the durian, though.

I'd also like to try that "milk" chocolate bar they have only in England.

[RubyDuby]

Too bad for the fueled transport it'll take to get your exotic fruits and chocolate.


I want to try vegan marshmallows too! I wonder if they'll get all crunchy and burnt on the outside and melted on the inside like the real ones. I miss them when we camp.

[mophoto]

i have never had indian food- i suck
my friend and i planned to go a few months ago and we never went. the nearest place isn't that far from me - about a 20 minute drive... but since i a have never had indian my friends want to take me to the best place (in their opinion) in town. one day we will overcome the laziness

[Wildflower]

mophoto - you totally need to try indian - it is awesome!

I am not sure what else I want to try as a vegan...maybe Flax Seed Oil allthough I am never sure as I know it goes rancid, and not every store keeps it refridgerated. I use ground flax.

Interesting thread!

[~Luna~]

I think I would like to try falafel, hummus and some kind of "cheese".

I`ve already tried seitan (made it from scratch myself, it`s okay but not the best thing I`ve had), couscous (a very nice addition when I`m in a serious hurry and want something else than just baked beans straight from the can), tahini (eat it almost every day nowadays partly because it`s healthy), tofu (well, I can eat it but prefer something else really), alfalfa sprouts (must have been one of the most awful things I`ve eaten.. yugh, never again), nutritional yeast & marmite (yummy, have developed an addition actually..) and so on.

[Wildflower]

alfalfa sprouts (must have been one of the most awful things I`ve eaten.. yugh, never again)

couldn't agree more - I always thought they looked like something pulled out of my shower drain.

[DoveInGreyClothing]

Amaranth, never seen it anywhere here
Sea vegetables, tried japanese seaweed crackers but thats it
Plamil sugarfree chocolate
A vegan cheese that melts and tastes as good as the real deal, all the ones iv tried are bogging!

[Tigerlily]

mophoto - you totally need to try indian - it is awesome!

I am not sure what else I want to try as a vegan...maybe Flax Seed Oil allthough I am never sure as I know it goes rancid, and not every store keeps it refridgerated. I use ground flax.

Interesting thread!

My bottles says you can freeze some to keep for later. I freeze half my bottle. It stays fresh in the fridge for 6-8 weeks.

I like it more than ground flax, more versatile!

[Haniska]

If you like fried mushrooms -try frying tempeh the size of a bun/sandwich and 1/4 inch thick. Then add all the things that you like on a burger. Also, make sure you salt the tempeh with seasoned salt before you fry it.
Sinfully delicious

[Wildflower]

My bottles says you can freeze some to keep for later. I freeze half my bottle. It stays fresh in the fridge for 6-8 weeks.

I like it more than ground flax, more versatile!

Thanks Tigerlilly. Does the oil actually freeze solid? sometimes things I make with olive oil freeze in my fridge as I keep it so cold. It could be from other things (water) in the olive oil though, and not the actual oil itself.

[Tigerlily]

Flax oil is different then olive oil. Flax doesn't get solid-y in the fridge, and it freezes solid.

[fiamma]

Quinoa - am very curious! Especially as its pronounced Keen-wah...
I wouldn't recognise amaranth if I tripped over it. Unless it said so on the label

[VeganJohn]

I have never tried amaranth either, is it similar to millet?

Some japanese foods I saw in a local health store looked very interesting, but I can't remember the names!! Atlantic Dulse is something I would also like to try.

Homemade seitan is top of the list to try though!!

[fiamma]

Here's a pic and some info on amaranth I got here. Kind of hard to tell exactly what it's like from the pic, though you get the idea. Sounds extremely nutritious though, I also read it's high in lysine, needed for bone development and calcium absorption among other things. Definitely must get some of this

"Amaranth is a tall plant with very broad leaves; it produces many thousands of tiny seeds. The leaves and the seeds are edible. The amaranth is closely related to pigweed, spinach, beets, and other plants in the goosefoot family, Chenopodiaceae. Although the amaranth is sometimes classified in the goosefoot family, it is most commonly classified in its own family, Amaranthaceae. The point of all this is that persons who tolerate spinach and beets well may do very well on the highly nutritious seeds, leaves, and flour of the amaranth. Amaranth flour has a pleasant, nutty taste. It makes good tasting bread, muffins, bagels, pasta, milk, imitation nut butter ,cookies, gravies, sauces, pancakes, flatbreads, doughnuts, dumplings, and who knows what else.

Amaranth pasta is light brown in color; when cooked, the pasta is the color of whole-wheat noodles and the consistency of regular noodles."

[VeganJohn]

Thanks for the info fiama, I will certainly have to try it. Sounds very nutritious.

[fiamma]

I have some buckwheat in the cupboard that I'm curious to try - I use the flour all the time to make pancakes but never tried the whole grain. Had barley and porcini mushrooms the other day - that was delicious

[applepie]

you definitely must try amaranth! it's amazing! sadly enough I haven't found it anywhere in Britain. I always take loads with me from Germany, or get my family to bring it with them.

I'd really like to try Durian one day!

[fiamma]

I'd really like to try Durian one day!

Ooh me too!!! I've heard it smells really bad though.

[speedylemons]

i made a really good quinoa salad with chopped cold veggies and olive oil and herbs/spices. it was pretty damn good. [cooked the quinoa first and then let it cool before mixing all the stuff in]

I really want to try:

hemp seed butter
pine nuts
vegan marshmellows
good papaya [i've had dried.. and it sucked]
vegan indian food
thai food
bok choy
leeks, turnip, rutabaga, jicama, casava root [sp?]

also, any and ALL of those fruits from that link.


I've tried so many new foods since going vegan.. it's really great.. but not for the belt!

I like nutritional yeast.. i used to have a bag of it and the other day i came home and my kitty had eaten through the bag and spilled it everywhere!!!! apparently cats enjoy this stuff too.

[speedylemons]

Okay, so i'm still drooling over that fruit tree site. I've started thinking..


are there any fruits/foods that I should be sure to try when i go to England? I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity!

[Hemlock]

i have never had indian food- i suck

Do you live on the moon

[VeganJohn]

Never had leeks or turnip? That does surprise me, but I suppose they might not be common in your part of the world.

I have only had tinned papaya and didn't like it at all, I have heard the fresh stuff is much better.

[Haniska]

That's funny, I prefer Dole's tinned papaya (mixed tropical fruit) but that is probably because it is in passion fruit juice . To me the fresh is kind of like bland cantaloupe (not too thrilled by cantaloupe in the first place). Of course I live in Va so it is not exactly fresh or appropriately ripened.

I've had hemp seed butter. It tastes like it sounds I recommend it mixed in with some chocolate ice cream. Also it is pretty good on some hardcore bread with tomato. EXPENSIVE though, when I bought it (years ago) it was $18 a jar.

[Roxy]

i have never had indian food- i suck

Don't worry. My boyfriend went 48 years (that's how old he was when we met) before he tried Indian, Malaysian or Thai food.

His ex-wife was a bit boring and never wanted to be adventurous and try foreign foods. Quite sad really.

I want to try vegan Galub Jamun (an Indian dessert) that Manish gave me the recipe for. I just have to find the Rosewater, and the time to make them.

[Haniska]

"Now you drink this all up, it'll make you feel all pretty inside."

Sorry, there was this movie on lifetime and this girl's mom told her to drink perfume.

[Roxy]

I know.......it was Kim Basinger and it was that movie when they were in the swamps of the deep south USA. Can't remember the name of it though.

[Seaside]

Do you live on the moon

In the US, Chinese is as common as Indian in the UK.
I wonder how common Mexican is outside of the Southwest?

[DoveInGreyClothing]

Chinese and Indian are both common in the UK in takeaways, not so many mexican takeaways but ready chillies and Old El Paso etc are widely available in supermarkets here.

[Tigerlily]

In the US, Chinese is as common as Indian in the UK.
I wonder how common Mexican is outside of the Southwest?

Mexican or "Tex-Mex" food is common here in Atlantic Canada. There's a few chain restaurants that cater to that cuisine.

[speedylemons]

I've had hemp seed butter. It tastes like it sounds I recommend it mixed in with some chocolate ice cream. Also it is pretty good on some hardcore bread with tomato. EXPENSIVE though, when I bought it (years ago) it was $18 a jar.

WHOA! well then. Hm.. but i like how the taste sounds. hehe I'll still give it a try if i ever see it in the grocery store.

[Wildflower]

I wonder how common Mexican is outside of the Southwest?

It is huge in the Chicago area - we have a large hispanic community. lots of areas only speak spanish.

there is also a large indian community. And Greek. Mmm...indian and mexican are my favorite, and I also love greek.

Chicago has a huge polish community too (more poles anywhere in the world outside warsaw!) I am NOT a big fan of polish food, give or take a few cookies/sweets.

[Wildflower]

"Now you drink this all up, it'll make you feel all pretty inside."

Sorry, there was this movie on lifetime and this girl's mom told her to drink perfume.

LMAO! My boyfriend and I were flipping the channels the other night when we got to that, heard the line and started laughing and immedietly changed it.

He says the movie was called "No Mercy" and he saw it before and it wasn't so bad...

I have decided I want to try wheatgrass juice, since all I read about it in the wheatgrass juice thread.

[DancingWillow]

I want to try...

all the nut and seed butters, especially almond butter and pumpkin seed butter

medjool dates with mac nut butter (I have to find out what stickydate is talking about )

all kinds of vegan desserts that I haven't tried yet For starters, I'd love to try vegan key lime pie and coconut cream pie.

vegan quiche

and the many recipes that I've collected and haven't had a chance to try yet

[veganwitch]

medjool dates with mac nut butter (I have to find out what stickydate is talking about )

Same here. Today I looked for macademia butter at my health food store and couldn't find any. I figured it would be with the peanut and almond butters

[Tigerlily]

Vegan custard!

[sugarmouse]

I want to try nut butters aswell! and tahini..i have been put off by the calorie content ! i did want to try watercress soup but i just did that tnite


and i kinda want to try the mock duck so many of you go on about..and kind of dont...lol

[Tigerlily]

i is nice. I like mine as a savoury thing, mixed with lemon juice and water and eaten as a salad dressing and stuff.

I tried duck once as a kid and it was really weird. I don't think I'd enjoy mock dock.

I want to try "chicken" nuggets.

[Mystic]

I want to try:
vegan marshmellows
couscous
millet
hempseed oil
pomengrante juice
fresh juice made by a juicing machine ^_^
Cheezly
Tempeh
Seitan
Plain soy yogurt
Ground round
TVP
Hmmm....what else?

Have you never tried couscous??? YOU ARE MEANT TO BE MIDDLE EASTERN!

[Roxy]

I want to try that soy squirty cream everyone is talking about. I can buy it on-line, but I feel guilty doing so. I wish they'd stock it in the stores here!

[Klutz]

I'm REALLY looking forward to trying vegan ice cream.

[Tigerlily]

Have you never tried couscous??? YOU ARE MEANT TO BE MIDDLE EASTERN!

Hahaha, my mom never cooks with it. I don't know why. Not all Middle East shares the same food, each place has their "own thing".

[speedylemons]

I would love to just try an elaborate vegan meal..

[TofuFooYung]

Another vote for durian!

I really want to get into the whole raw food thing... like you can make banana pancakes and raspberry sauce from completely raw ingredients and without cooking to get the best taste & nutrients etc...

I'd like to eat more squash as whenever I prepare/make it, I completely destroy it to the point I know it's not even worth eating. So an experienced chef's attempt would be welcome!

For the person who mentioned nutitional yeast- if you like tofu, nutritional yeast is a must have for the kitchen! You can do such cool stuff with it... and it smells/tastes like cheesy footballs for anyone missing their dairy!