Taking Daiya Vegan Cheese for a Spin

Being a former cheese snob, the thought of substituting non-dairy cheese on any of my former food favorites seemed a little depressing. I have tried a few other vegan brands. I won't mention any names, but please (you know who you are) stop trying to pass off products for cheese that are not even remotely close, and in fact are repulsively disgusting. Maybe that's a little strong, but I would like my food to at least smell good. Since the whole vegan diet thing became more than a temporary way to lose a few pounds, I started looking more seriously for some cheese alternatives. I've read many vegan forums, and apparently there is a Daiya cheese cult among budding vegans. For those living farther away from a Whole Foods in your backyard, Daiya is harder to find than other brands.  I've heard that you can only buy a limited quantity at Whole Foods.  So, being that it is apparently a popular choice, I wanted to try it ASAP. 

Pizza is great way to use up one's veggies that only have a few days left in them before going bad, so I am hoping to keep a few prepared crusts in the freezer to waste less.  So, back to the Daiya Cheese. I have to say I actually liked it, though not in the same sense as dairy cheese. I've found that many things that are replacements; i.e. non-animal based bacon, chicken, and beef really never taste like the real thing. Let's be honest. But, I've also found that you can learn to appreciate new non-cruelty foods just the same as long as you don't expect them to taste exactly the same as their animal counterparts. The Daiya was definitely cheesy, and while it pulls apart and is stringy like real cheese, it has more of an American Cheese flavor.  I enjoyed the pizza, and look forward to using Daiya in a more recipes to come :)

Nate's Two Cents: Tara said it well; vegan pizza is its own thing.  As you long as you appreciate it that way, and don't expect it to taste exactly like a deep-pan stuffed-crust supreme from Pizza Hut, you'll find the veggie flavors work really well together and that thanks to the absence of cheese, it really is possible to gorge on pizza without feeling guilty afterwards.  (Also, for what it's worth, I don't know if authentic "pizza" and Pizza Hut even belong in the same thought.)  So go for it; grab those leftover greens--and yellows and reds if you have them--and give yourself a chance to experience a less cheesy, non-greasy, and nicely balanced version of the junk food you wish you didn't love so much.

Field Roast Sausages - For Piggy sans the Pig

As you've read in previous posts, sausage was a big part of our lives prior to the whole vegan thing. We ate plenty of sausage and pasta, sausage pizza, sausage and peppers, etc. I'm kind of new to the whole world of meat analogs, and I'm not sure how I feel about most of them just yet. I do know for sure, however, that the choices have greatly improved since my being a non-meat eater 10 years ago. Last night, I tried Field Roast Grain Meat Sausages for the first time, and I have to say that I actually liked them. They are seasoned thoughtfully with eggplant, garlic, fennel and wine, but may be a bit heavy on the salt. I think my new palate is learning to really enjoy foods without the extra sodium. Regardless, the sausage was still very good. I think they would certainly make a great addition to a pizza. 

For those of you who don't want to overdose on protein, don't go crazy on these. They serve up a whopping 25 grams of protein per sausage, which is awesome only if you're trying to find a way of making sure to have enough protein. I know, I know. You worry about my lack of protein, being that I'm a vegan and all, but balance is the key. While plant protein, unlike animal protein, is generally safe even in high quantities, it is still always good to have a varied diet, and not too much of any one good thing. A person of my stature should have about 46-58 grams of protein per day, and that may even be a high estimate. But this has nothing to do with the tasty sausage I'm complimenting does it?  Maybe I'll save the topic of protein for another post :)

Nate's Two Cents: Actually, Tara, it's too late for you to backtrack on this one.  You've already taken the lid off the "protein debate" can, so we might as well talk about it a bit more.  The largest and most comprehensive study of human nutrition ever conducted--the so-called "China Study" (also the name of a book that should be required reading for everyone in America)--demonstrated some amazing correlations between high animal protein consumption and cancer (among other things). I have been a lifelong animal protein junkie, but after reading several books on the subject, I've come to question everything the Beef Council made sure our schools told us. In a future post I'll expand on that.  For now, the sausage--incredibly well-seasoned, albeit salty, for a fake meat.  The fennel did its job, packing punch in every bite. Even my meat-obsessed seven-year-old couldn't tell the difference, and this is a kid who could tell when I used rice milk instead of almond milk in his pancake batter!  My suggestion would be to put this almost-sausage on pizza or in a sweet tomato sauce.  And don't tell your guests--I can just about guarantee they won't know the difference.

Best Brown Rice Ever

Apparently those who are conscious of their health should forsake white rice for brown rice. It just so happens, that I grew up on rice, but have more recently developed a love affair with the brown variety. My mom's rice cooker is nearly 40 years old, and is still churning out rice by the boat load year after year. I'm not normally a fan of kitchen appliances. Especially in a kitchen that is lacking space in a major way, I'm partial to a few good pots and pans to get the job done. However, brown rice is a little tricky unless you want to stand next to the stove for an hour making sure it doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan, which incidentally makes for a very unpleasant dish washing experience. Do I have a point?  Oh yeah, brown rice. I remembered that buried out in the garage was my rice cooker, and I thought I should try the brown rice in it instead of a pot to see what happened.  And guess what?  Perfect brown rice without any fuss.  I've tried a few brands, but right now I'm settled on Lundberg Organic Brown Jasmine as my favorite.  I just followed the recipe on the package which made for the best brown rice ever; nutty, chewy (not sticky) and perfectly delicious.  Seriously, you have to try it!