Vegan Basics

Introduction to veganism / Nutrition / What do you eat? / Milk Products / (Non) Meaty Products / Convenience Foods / /Salads / Condiments / Snacks, Munchies & Treats / Eating Out / Meal Ideas / Drinks / Toiletries & Cosmetics / Clothes / Go for it / Sample Recipes

So what do you eat?

The thought of preparing a vegan meal can be daunting - where do you start?! Most vegetarian and even meat-based meals can be easily modified and turned into vegan delights.

And if you feel lost or frustrated, there are always lots of resources you can access to find your way. There are some great cookbooks out there, including everything from simple meals for single vegans to gourmet feasts. The Internet is also a great resource for recipes, and there are many websites completely dedicated to vegan fare.

Many of the products listed in this guide are made by conscientious companies whose products are vegan intentionally and the integrity of their products can generally be trusted. However, some products listed here (under ‘Vegan by Accident’) are not intentionally vegan and ingredients of these products will quite often change without notice, so be sure and double-check those labels! Keep in mind that this list is not complete - there are loads of vegan foods out there…we hope this helps! Also, some of these products are regional and may not be available everywhere.

Milk

Soy milk is made from... wait for it... soy beans, and is available in many supermarkets and all health food stores. It comes in a variety of types: sweetened, unsweetened, enriched, organic, and as flavored milk shakes. It can be drunk as it is, or used in hot drinks and cooking in the same way that you would use cow’s milk. You can also find milk substitutes made from rice, oats and nuts! They all taste different, so if you don’t like one, pick another brand or style until you find the ones that suit your taste. We recommend Vitasoy, Edensoy, Silk (in the refrigerated section; it comes in different flavors - the Chocolate Silk is a delight!), WestSoy, Wild Wood, Rice Dream and Chicago Soydairy soy milks.

Creamers

• White Wave - Silk Creamer (great in place of half- &-half - delicious and creamy!)
• Westsoy - Crème de la Soy

Vegan by Accident:

• Farm Rich - Non-Dairy Creamer (Fat Free, Original)

Butter

Butter is obviously made from milk, so it is easiest to switch to margarine, many of which are vegan. Some margarine contains milk derivatives such as whey or vitamins from an animal source, but there are plenty that do not. Most supermarkets stock at least one suitable margarine.

• Shedd’s - Willow Run (these sticks are great for baking)
• Smart Balance - Smart Beat Super Light, Smart Balance Light, Earth Balance non-GMO All Natural Buttery Spread, and Soy Garden Buttery Spread.
• Soy Garden - Natural Buttery Spread
• Spectrum Naturals - Which are expeller-pressed
• The Natural Food Store - Soy Bean Soft Margarine
• Tree of Life - Margarine

Cheese

Cheese is also made from milk, and in some cases uses an extract from calves’ stomachs, called rennet, to curdle the milk, and so often cheese isn’t even vegetarian. However, there are more and more vegan cheeses available these days that are made from vegetable sources instead of milk.

• Follow your Heart - Vegan Gourmet cheese blocks in Jack, Nacho, and Mozzarella (it melts)
• Road’s End Organics - Nacho Chreese Dip - Mild and Spicy; Chreese Packets - Original, Mozzarella Style, Original Gluten Free, Alfredo Style Gluten Free
• Soymage - Vegan grated Parmesan, Vegan Singles and Vegan Chunk Cheese (flavors include Mozzarella, Cheddar, Jalapeno, Italian Herb)
• VeganRella - Hard cheeses in both Cheddar and Mozzarella styles
• Vegie Kaas - Cheddar and Mozzarella style blocks (it melts)

Vegan by Accident

• Tofutti - Sliced as well as shredded cheeses, the garlic slices are great!

Cream Cheese

• Soymage - vegan cream cheese that is non-hydrogenated

Vegan by Accident

• Tofutti - ‘Better Than Cream Cheese’ in French Onion (yum!), Herbs and Chives, and Original flavor

Nutritional Yeast can also be used to give foods a cheesy kick. Make your own!

Yogurt

As with most things, there are vegan alternatives available to the usually milk-based yogurts. Again, some are better than others, but there’s nothing wrong with trying them all, just to be on the safe side!

• Nancy’s - A very fruity soy yogurt in raspberry, strawberry and plain flavors, flavors, among others.
• Silk - Cultured Silk Soy Yogurt, variety of flavors
• Wholesoy - a wide variety of different fruit flavors, also makes drinkable soy drink

Ice Cream

Dairy ice cream obviously contains dairy products, usually in the form of milk or milk derivatives. If the label on your ice cream, however, reads ‘nondairy’ or uses the phrase ‘non-milk fats’, don’t assume that this makes it vegan, these may contain animal by-products. The good news is there are loads of scrumptious vegan ice creams widely available! If you find it difficult to get hold of vegan ice cream or prefer something fruity, you could try sorbets and frozen fruit snacks instead. But more and more regular grocery stores are starting to carry these vegan ice cream treats!

• Double Rainbow Soy Cream - all varieties are vegan. We have heard that Butter Pecan, Cookie Vanilla and Mint Chocolate Chip are a dream! Their sorbets are also vegan (Chocolate, Lemon, Mango Tangerine, Marion Blackberry, Rainbow and Raspberry). Both are available in parlors featuring Double Rainbow Ice Cream and some health food grocery markets and specialty grocery markets.
• Rice Dream (Imagine) - In tubs, Rice Dream Bars, Rice Dream Nutty Bars, and Dream Pies
• Soy Delicious (Turtle Mountain) - everything Soy Delicious makes is vegan. Purely Decadent soy cream to ice cream sandwiches and cookie sandwiches. Cookie Avalanche is a vegan version of the favorite. Cookies n‚ Cream. They also make Sweet Nothings which includes delicious non-dairy fudge bars.
• Soy Dream - Sold in pints as well as Lil’ Dreamers (ice cream sandwiches)
• Whole Soy - Glacé soy ice cream (very rich and creamy soy ice cream)
• Let’s Do...Organic - Organic Waffle Cones, Waffle Bowls, Chocolatey Sprinkelz, Confetti Sprinkelz

Vegan by Accident

• Dreyers Sorbet (west of the Rockies)/Edy’s (east of the Rockies) - vegan products include whole fruit sorbets: boysenberry, lemon, mandarin orange with passion fruit, mango, peach, raspberry, strawberry; whole fruit bars include lemonade, lime, strawberry, tangerine and wild berry.
• Howler Sorbets - All flavors
• Safeway - Sorbets that are vegan (Lemon, Mango, Raspberry, Chocolate and Pineapple Passion).
• Tofutti - In tubs (except for Honey Vanilla Chamomile), Tofutti Cuties (ice cream sandwiches), Tofutti Too-Toos (ice cream sandwich cookies)

Whipped Cream

• Hip Whip - Vegan whipped cream in a tub Vegan by Accident
• Safeway - Lucerne Non-Dairy Dessert Topping Ultra Pasteurized Lactose Free (7 oz. can) Sour Cream
• Soymage - Vegan Sour Cream Vegan by Accident
• Tofutti - Sour Supreme, sour cream substitute

Or make your own with our easy recipe.

Eggs

How do you replace eggs? Well, if you’re hoping for a vegan hard-boiled egg you really are out of luck. No one has invented the ‘soy egg’ yet (thankfully!), but the good news is that you can buy egg-replacers from most health food shops.

These are really only useful as a binding agent in baking, but it does mean you need not go without your cakes.

However, there are many ways to bake fantastic cakes without using eggs - Rose Elliot, the renowned vegetarian and vegan cook, suggests mixing in orange juice to give a light sponge effect, very similar in texture to one that is made with eggs. Bananas or applesauce work just as well.

There is also the Ener-G Foods egg replacer that also does the trick. See http://www.ener-g.com or call toll free at 1/800-331-5222.

If you miss your morning scrambled-egg on toast, try making scrambled tofu instead. You can buy packaged Fantastic Foods Tofu Scrambler, Nasoya Tofu-Mate Tofu Scramble, or make your own with our easy recipe.

(Non-) Meaty Products

Not every vegan wants to replace meat with a ‘meaty’ alternative, but there are so many yummy products out there that chances are you’ll be tempted by some of them.

Although the words sausage and burger suggest meat, or at the very least ‘meat flavor’ it is important to bear in mind that quite a few will taste nothing like meat, especially if they are made with nuts or tofu. Try the following...

Sausage

• Lightlife - Gimme Lean sausage style in a tube, Italian Style Smart Links, Lean Breakfast Links, Lean Italian Links
• Loma Linda - Soyage (all varieties), Linkette’s and Little Links
• SoyBoy - Tofu Breakfast links
• Yves - Veggie Breakfast Links

Burgers

• Amy’s - California Veggie Burger, Texas Burger
• Boca Burgers - Organic Vegan, Vegan Original
• Gardenburger - Garden Vegan, Flame Grilled Hamburger Style, Black Bean
• Natural Touch - Vegan Burger
• Turtle Island - Super Burgers
• Loma Linda - Vege-Burger, Vita-Burger, Redi-Burger
• Morningstar Farms - Better’n Burgers, Grillers Burger Style Recipe, Harvest Burger Original
• Wildwood Natural Foods - Tofu Burger - Original, Mexican and Southwestern
• Worthington - Gran Burger, Vegetarian Burger
• Yves - The Good Burger

Hot Dogs

• Lightlife - Smart Dogs, Wonderdogs, Tofu Pups
• SoyBoy - Not Dogs
• Yves - Veggie Dogs, Tofu Dogs, Good Dogs, Jumbo Veggie Dogs, Hot & Spicy Veggie Chili Dogs
• Wildwood Natural Foods - Wild Dogs

Ground Beef Substitute

• Boca Burger - Original Meatless Ground Burger
• Gardenburger - Meatless Crumbles
• Lightlife - Gimme Lean beef style in a tube, Smart Ground
• Morningstar Farms - Ground Meatless Crumbles
• Natural Touch - Vegan Burger Crumbles
• Yves - Veggie Ground Round (Original, Italian, Mexican)

TVP

You can also use Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), which can be bought in most health food stores in either chunks or pieces. TVP needs to be rehydrated in water before use. You can also just simply add TVP to foods such as chili or spaghetti sauce while heating them up. Just remember to add extra liquid if you do.

Gravy

Now you’ve got your sausage and potato dinner, all you need to complete this gourmet meal is gravy.

• Hain - Vegetarian ‘Chicken’ Gravy, Vegetarian Brown Gravy Mix
• Loma Linda - Gravy Quick-Brown
• Natural Touch - Gravy-Mix Brown, Chicken Style, Country Style, Mushroom, Onion
• Field Roast - Porcini Mushroom gravy (available in certain deli’s)

• Imagine - Organic No-Chicken, Organic Vegetable Broth
• Rapunzel - Vegan Vegetable Bouillon

Cheatin’ Meats

Breakfast

• Lightlife - Smart Bacon, Fakin Bacon Smokey Tempeh Strips
• Yves - Canadian Veggie Bacon, Veggie Breakfast Patties

Chicken-free

• Health is Wealth - Buffalo Wings, Chicken Free Nuggets, and Chicken Free Patties
• Now & Zen - UnChicken
• White Wave - Chicken Style Seitan, Chicken Style Wheat Meat
• Yves - Veggie Chickn’Burger

Jerky

• Natural Touch - Vege Frank
• Tofurky - Tofurky Jerky

Misc.

• El Burrito Mexican Food - Soyrizo (Meatless Soy Chorizo)
• Field Roast - Thin Sliced Lentil Sage Field Roast, Ground Wild Mushroom Field Roast, Ground Lentil Sage Field Roast, Thin Sliced Smoked Tomato Field Roast, Thin Sliced Wild Mushroom Grain Meat, Ground Smoked Tomato Field Roast, Lentil Sage Patties, Breaded Hazelnut Herbaceous Cutlets, Lentil Sage Field Roast Loaves, Wild Mushroom Field Roast Loaves, Barbequed Smoked Tomato Field Roast, Sunflower Country-Style Cutlets, Smoked Tomato Field Roast Loaves, Wild Mushroom Patties, Smoked Tomato Patties, Sliced Field Roast Deli Meats. These can be used in burgers, sandwiches, salads. Can be found in deli sections (at some health food stores) and the refrigerator section.
• Gardenburger - Meatless Riblets (incredible!)
• Loma Linda - Dinner Cuts, Tender Bits
• Mother Earth’s Baked Goods - Vegetarian Chorizo (Mexican sausage)
• Natural Touch - Tuno
• Now & Zen - BBQ Unribs, UnSteak Out
• Worthington - Tuno (vegan version of tuna), Chic-kettes, Choplets, Cutlets, Multigrain Cutlets, Vegetable Steaks, Vegetable Scallops

Sandwich Stuffers

• Lightlife - Smart Deli Slices (all varieties), Smart Deli Pepperoni, Smart Menu Chick’n Strips and Steak-Style Strips
• Tofurky - Tofurky Jerky and Tofurky slices
• Vegi Deli - Original, Hot and Spicy, and Zesty Italian Pepperoni
• Wildwood Natural Foods - Soyful Choice Vegan Slices (peppercorn & hickory smoked)
• Yves - Deli Slices (Veggie Bologna, Ham, Turkey & Salami) Veggie Pizza Pepperoni

Soy Meatballs

• Nate’s - Meatless Meatballs, Original, Zesty Italian and Savory Mushroom
• Yves - Veggie Meatballs

Turkey Substitutes

• Celebration Roast (by Field Roast) - Roast with sausage style stuffing made from butternut squash, apples and mushrooms
• Tofurky (by Turtle Island Foods) - consists of four parts: one Specially Seasoned Stuffed Tofu Roast, four Hearty Tempeh Drummettes, fourteen ounces of Tofurky "Giblet" Gravy and a set of two WishStixs made from Tofurky Jurky
• Un-Turkey (by Now & Zen) - Fully stuffed seitan covered with a skin made from soy. The stuffing is made of organic bread and comes with gravy.

Tofu

Tofu is the Japanese word for bean curd. It is made from soybeans, which means that it’s very high in protein.

You can buy tofu either in packages where it is submerged in liquid, or in shelf-stable packages. It is also available in bulk.

Silken tofu is often used as the base for salad dressings, soups, and for cooking and baking. Firm tofu, which comes packaged or in bulk, is good for frying. A number of companies also make already prepared tofu in a variety of flavors.

• SoyBoy - Baked, seasoned and smoked tofu, Tofu Lin, Caribbean Tofu and Italian Tofu
• Soy Deli - Hickory, Savory, and Five Spice tofu. Watch out for honey in other flavors.
• White Wave - Tomato Basil, Thai, Lemon Pepper, Italian, and Barbecue Baked Tofu
• Wildwood Natural Foods - Baked Tofu (aloha, teriyaki, royal thai, and savory), Braised Tofu (peanut, original, thai grill, mexican and curry), and Tofu Cutlets (pineapple teriyaki), smoken tofu (mild szechuan, garlic teriyaki)

Just add tofu

You can also replace meat with tofu in seasoning packets.

• Nasoya Tofumate - Breakfast Scramble, Mandarian Stir Fry, Szechwan Stir Fry, Texas Taco (all flavors are vegan).
• Mori-Nu Tofu Hero - Tofu Hero Eggless Salad Seasoning Mix, Hero Shanghai Stir Fry Seasoning Mix

Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented soy product that has a somewhat nutty flavor and is great for using in place of meat. You can buy it prepared in a variety of flavors, or raw. It marinates well and if you break it apart and cook it with soy sauce and seasonings, it can be used in place of ground beef in tacos. It is a very versatile food and can be quite wonderful when prepared properly.

Convenience Foods

You can always find vegan foods that take very little time and effort to prepare at health food stores. Many are now being carried by mainstream grocery stores.

Frozen

Breakfast

• EnviroKids - Waffles - Koala Choco Waffles, Gorilla Banana Waffles
• Lifestream - Waffles - Buckwheat, Mesa Sunrise, 8 Grain Sesame, Soy Plus, Flax Plus
• Van’s - Organic Original Blueberry, Wheat-Free Original, Blueberry, and Apple Cinnamon
• Waffle Heaven - Wheat-Free Gluten-Free Waffles - Original, Blueberry, and Multiflax

Mexican Food

• Amy’s - Non-Dairy Bean and Rice Burrito, Breakfast Burrito, Black Bean Vegatable Burrito, Black Bean Vegetable Enchiladas (Family size too), Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal, Mexican Tamale Pie
• Mother Earth’s Baked Goods - Tamales
• Starlite Cuisine - Soy Taquitos (Original Beef Style, Meatless Chicken Style, Chorizo & Spicy Black Beans) and Soy Flautas (Garlic Style Chicken, Santa Fe Chicken Style, Soy Chorizo & Spicy Black Beans)

Italian

• Amy’s - Roasted Vegetable Pizza
• Celantano - Non-Dairy - Lasagna Primavera, Eggplant Rollettes, Spinach and Broccoli Manicotti, Spinach and Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Vegan by Accident

• Tofutti - Frozen Pizza

Other

• Amy’s - Asian Noodle Stir-Fry, Thai Stir-Fry, Teriyaki Stir- Fry, Shepherd’s Pie, Brown Rice & Vegetables Bowl, Teriyaki Bowl, Roasted Vegetables in a pocket sandwich, Tofu Scramble in a Pocket Sandwich
• Cascadian Farm - Vegetarian Meals - Aztec, Indian, and Moroccan. Szechwan Rice Veggie Bowl and Teriyaki Rice Veggie Bowl.
• Gloria’s Kitchen - Jerk Tofu, Mu-Shu Vegetables, Pumpkin Curry, Won Ton, Orange Peel Soy Chick, Spice Thai Rice Noodles with Peanuts
• Health is Wealth - Veggie Egg Rolls, Oriental Chicken-Free Egg Rolls, Oriental Vegetable Egg Rolls, Spinach Egg Rolls, Steamed Dumplings
• Yves - Veggie Chili, Veggie Country Stew, Veggie Penne, Veggie Lasagna

Vegan by Accident

• Ethnic Gourmet - Vegetarian Teriyaki
• Taj - Channa Bhaji, Vegetable Korma, Bean Masala, Eggplant Bharta, Papadums (flavors original, garlic masala, spice’n pepper), Bombay Curry Sauces, Dal Bahaar, Aloo Samosa, Tofu Samosa, Subzi Samosa.
• Thai Chef - Thai Sweet & Sour Vegetables, Pad Thai with Tofu

Canned or dry convenience foods

Just add water

• Casbah - Potato Pancakes, Falafel, Hummus and other mixes
• Fantastic Foods - Entrees - VegetarianTaco Filling, Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Mix, Nature’s Burger - Original Flavor, Vegetarian Chili, Tofu Burger. International Dishes - Fantastic Falafil, Hummus, Instant Black Beans, Instant Refried Beans, Tabouli Salad.
• Breakfast - Hot Cereal Cups - Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, Cranberry Orange Oatmeal, Banana Nut Barley, Maple Raisin Three Grain, Wheat ‘N Berries.
• Harvest Direct - Soy Taco Mix, Soy Chili Mix, Soy BBQ Mix, Soy Burger Mix, Soy Ball & Loaf Mix, Veggie Ribs Mix (really good), and Seitan Quick Mix & others.
• Health Valley - Rice in a Cup - Shitake, Thai and Spicy Black Beans
• Natural Touch - Taco Mix, Vegetarian Chili
• Near East - Rice Pilaf with Lentils, Spanish Rice, Long Grain and Wild Rice
• Road’s End Organics - Chreese Packets - Original, Mozzarella Style, Original Gluten Free, Alfredo Style Gluten Free

Ready Made

• Amy’s - Black Bean Chili, Medium Chili w/ Vegetables, Medium & Spicy Chili, Vegetarian Baked Beans
• Bearitos - Original Chili, Black Bean Chili, Refried Beans (all varieties)
• Ginny’s - Vegan Soy Chili, Mexican Fiesta Stew, Roasted Pepper Chili, Ratatouille
• Tasty-bite - Jodhpur Lentils, Punjab Eggplant, Bombay Potatoes, Simla Potatoes

Pasta

Pasta is a cheap, healthy and delicious food, and can be miraculously turned into a vegan gourmet meal. Eat your normal spaghetti dish with some vegetarian meatballs or TVP mixed in or make a light peanut sauce or a simple dressing, cook the noodles, mix and serve!

• Rising Moon Ravioli - Tuscin Tomato Ravioli, Spinach Florentine, Galic & Roasted Veggies. Vegan varieties are marked on packages.
• Road’s End Organics - 123’z Chreese for KIDz, Mac and Chreese, Shells and Chreese, Penne and Chreese (gluten free), Alfredo Style Mac & Chreese (gluten Free)
• Soy Boy - Tofu Ravioli, Ravioli Rosa, Ravioli Verde

Rice

Rice is a great basis for many meals - Indian, Spanish, Chinese and so on. Brown or white, long/short grain, basmati, boilin- the-bag — whichever you buy, you’ll find foolproof instructions on the packet.

• Fantastic Foods makes a few that we wanted to mention: Arborio Rice, Basmati Rice, Couscous, Jasmine Rice, Whole Wheat Couscous, Four Grain Pilaf with Wild Rice, Hacienda Spanish Rice Pilaf, Jamaican Black Beans & Brown Rice, New Orleans Red Beans & Brown Rice, Basmati Rice Pilaf, Veg. Chicken Rice Pilaf.

Creole

Vegan by Accident

• Zatarains produces many vegan Creole entrees and seasoning mixes. Don’t be fooled by the meaty name, they’re guaranteed vegan: Black-eyed Peas and Rice Mix, Black Beans and Rice Mix, Brown Rice Jambalaya Mix, Dirty Rice Mix, Dirty Brown Rice Mix, Red Beans and Rice Mix, Spanish Rice Mix, White Beans and Rice Mix, Red Bean Seasoning Mix, Creole Seasoning, Blackened Seasoning, Blackened Paste Mix, Jambalaya Pasta Mix, Red Beans Paste Mix, Jambalaya Mix, Vegetarian Jambalaya Entree (frozen).

*Some of these items may contain ‘ham flavor’. This flavoring does not contain any animal source ingredient.

Soup

Vegan soups are delicious and easy to make. Many prepared soups are available, and old soup recipes are easily converted using vegan alternatives, or simply omitting the animal products. Use soy milk in milk-based soups, veggie stock instead of meat stock, and TVP or seitan in place of meat in soups.

• Amy’s - No Chicken Noodle, Black Bean Vegetable, Lentil, Minestrone, Split Pea, Vegetable Barley, Vegetable Broth
• Imagine - Organic Creamy Broccoli, Organic Creamy Butternut Squash, Organic Creamy Potato Leek, Organic Creamy Tomato, Organic Creamy Sweet Corn, Creamy Portobella Mushroom
• Fantastic Foods - Big Soup Noodle Bowls - Hot &Sour, Sesame Miso, Spring Vegetable, Miso with Tofu, Mandarin Broccoli. Soups & dips - Onion, Onion Mushroom, Garlic & Herb, Vegetable. Fantastic Noodles Soup Cups - Chicken Free, Vegetable Curry, Vegetable Miso, Vegetable Tomato. Hearty Soup Cups - Cha-Cha Chili, Country Lentil, Couscous with Lentils, Five Bean, Jumpin’ Black Bean, Split Pea, Vegetable Barley. Rice & Bean Soup Cups - Cajun with Red Beans, Spicy Jamaican with Black Beans. Chile Ole! Cups Black Bean Chili with Corn, Couscous Soup Cups - Black Bean Salsa, Creole Vegetable, Sweet Corn.
• Health Valley - Split Pea, Lentil
• Mori-Nu Creamy Soups - Creamy Butternut Squash, Creamy Tomato, Creamy Corn, Creamy Garden Pea Soup
• Shari Ann’s - Vegetarian French Onion, Spicy French Green Lentil, Spicy Vegetable Bean Soup, Indian Black Bean and Rice Soup, Tomato with Roasted Red Bell Pepper

Vegan by Accident

• Walnut Acres - Four Bean Chili, Cuban Black Bean, Mediterranean Lentil.

Salads

Yes we know that everyone thinks vegans eat nothing but salad, indeed why should we eat anything else when there are so many interesting combinations available?! The easiest way to prepare salad is to go to the supermarket, buy one of their pre-packed salads and add your favorite dressing, but where’s the fun in that?! Begin with a choice of leaves (spinach leaves make a nice change from lettuce), then go wild! Add nuts, seeds, apple, pear, avocado, grated carrot, celery, mushrooms, peppers, spring or red onion, raw red or white cabbage, watercress, cauliflower, zucchini, bean sprouts, mint, etc.

Salads make a delicious and vitamin-packed accompaniment to any meal, but are especially great with a baked potato (add vegan sour cream), pizza, or pasta dishes.

Condiments

Vegan Mayonnaise

• Follow your Heart - Vegenaise vegan mayonnaise (refrigerated). Our favorite!
• Miso Mayo - For the truly adventurous
• Nasoya - Nayonaise vegan mayonnaise

Other Condiments

• Annie’s Naturals - Original Recipe Barbecue Sauce and Smokey Maple
• Bac’Uns - animal free bacon bits (Frontier Natural Foods)
• Field Roast - Smoked Field Roast Crunchies (vegan bacon bits)
• Premier Japan - Organic Ginger Tamari, Garlic Tamari, Wasabi Tamari and Thai Soynut

Because Worcestershire Sauce contains anchovies (little fish) it is not vegan. But there is an alternative:

• The Wizard’s - Organic Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce (it’s vegan!)

Salad Dressings

• Annie’s Naturals - Basil & Garlic with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Black Olives & Truffles with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, French, Goddess (!), Organic Green Garlic, Organic Horseradish with Echinacea, Sea Veggie and Sesame, Shiitake and Sesame, Smokey Tomato and Porcini, Tuscany Italian, Yellow Peppers & Sun-dried Tomatoes w/Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Nasoya Vegi-Dressings - all flavors (such as Creamy Italian and Sesame Garlic Dressings)

Vegan by Accident

• Bacos - Bits, Chips
• Whole Foods - Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lemon Tahini, Sesame Vinaigrette, Italian Vinaigrette

Many other dressings are often vegan, usually vinaigrettes, and Italian dressing can be found almost anywhere. Ingredients to watch for are anchovies (small fish), and dairy products. If you miss Ranch Dressing, you can use vegan mayonnaise as a base and make your own!

Beans and Lentils

Where would we be without them? Packed with protein, vitamins and minerals, they are cheap and can be used in loads of meals. There’s a huge choice of beans available and they are easiest to use from a can (although you can buy them dried, but do follow instructions carefully). Lentils are great and easy to cook (35-45 minutes) and can be used as a meat substitute in casseroles, soups and stews, or make a Dahl (puree) with them.

Snacks, Munchies and Treats

There are plenty of snack-type foods available, so you don’t need to feel that you miss out on the finer things in life. First, the sweets ...

Cookies

• Alternative Baking Company - Cookies, 11 yummy & chewy varieties to chose from their incredible chocolate chip to the snickerdoodle.
• Barbara’s Bakery - Snackimals Animal Cookies
• Boston Cookies - All Varieties
• Frookie -- Frookwiches - Chocolate, Duplex, Lemon, Peanut Butter, Vanilla and Funky Monkey Cookies - Chocolate & Vanilla
• Hain - Kidz All Natural Animal Cookies
• No Cookie - Scrumptious varieties including Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Brownie with Nuts
• Now & Zen - Chocolate chip
• Organica Foods - Double Chocolate coffee toffee, Peanut butter almond chocolate chip, Oatmeal Coconut Cranberry Chocolate Chip, Ginger Walnut Cherry Chocolate Chip
• Sunflower Baking Co. - All varieties are vegan
• Uncle Eddie’s - Vegan Cookies (nice and chewy)

Vegan by Accident

• Country Choice - Sandwich Cremes
• Keebler - Droxies Crème-Filled Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate and Vanilla, Vienna Fingers
• Mi-Del Snaps Cookies - ginger, chocolate and vanilla are all vegan
• Safeway -Tuxedos: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Double Filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Chocolate Crème Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Mint Chip Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Maple Leaf Cookies with Maple Syrup.

Snacks

• Affi’s Marin Gourment - Soft crackers
• Amy’s - Organic Toaster Pops - Apple, Strawberry
• Barbara’s Bakery - Fat Free Wheat Free Fig Bars, Fat Free Wheat Free Raspberry Bars, Low Fat Traditional Blueberry Bars, Low Fat Traditional Fig Bars, Fat Free Apple Cinnamon Bars
• Belsoy - Organic Pudding Snacks
• Boulder Bars - Original Chocolate, Apple Cinnamon, Peanut Butter, Boulder Berry, Choco Chip Peanut Butter
• Bumble Bars - all flavors vegan
• Brown Rice Snaps - Unsalted Sesame, Tamari Sesame, Toasted Onion, Vegetable
• Deli-Style - Sesame Thins
• Edward’s Organic Fine Confections - Organic Chocolate Covered Fondants (Peppermints and Orange Mints. Organic Chocolate Dipped Jellies (Banana, Orange, Strawberry)
• Health Valley - Amaranth Graham Crackers, Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, Date Almond Granola Bars
• Let’s Do...Organic - Organic Jelly, Classic, Super Sour, and Black Licorice Gummi Bears
• Now & Zen - cinnamon rolls
• Odwalla Bars - Superfood, Chocolate, Super Protein, Cranberry C Monster, Peanut Crunch, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Carrot
• Ryvita - most of their crispbread is vegan (crackers)
• Stonewall’s - Vegan Jerquee
• Stretch Island - Fruit Leathers
• Sunridge Farms - Organic Sunny Bears, Black Licorice Chews, Red Licorice Chews (to name a few)
• Tofurky - Tofurky Jurky
• Veggie Booty and Fruity Booty - puffed rice and corn snacks - yummy!

Dips/Spreads

• Affi’s Marin Gourment - Eggplant Dip, Sundried Tomato- Porcini Mushroom, Pesto Provence, Garlic & Balsamic Vinegar, and Caper Hummus.
• Wildwood Natural Foods - spreads (garlic aioli, tomato basil), lowfat hummus, spicy lowfat hummus, mideastern hummus, basil pesto hummus, baba hanooj, tabouli)

Vegan by Accident

• Carr’s - Hob Nobs, Tea Biscuits, and Table Water Crackers

Go Nuts

Not surprisingly, nuts are vegan! Eat them au natural, or try ready salted mixed nuts (but watch out for honey - this means avoiding honey-roasted nuts too!).

And for the chocolate lovers…

Chocolate

At the risk of stating the obvious, milk chocolate contains milk. However it’s easy to get vegan chocolate from your health food store.

• Ah!laska - Chocolate Syrup
• Chocolate Decadence - vegan chocolates (order at www.chocolatedecadence.com)
• Sunspire - Earth Balls (available in bulk), chocolate chips (Grain Sweetened, Organic)
• Tropical Source - Chocolate bars (all varieties), baking chips

Vegan by Accident

• Chocolove - All dark chocolate flavors are vegan (cherries & almonds, orange peel, raspberries, etc)
• Endangered Species Chocolate Company - Tiger Bar, Rainforest Bar, Grizzly Bar, Chimp Bar, Wolf Bar, Sea Turtle, Dark Chocolate Bug Bites and Chimp Mints.
• Ghirardelli - Double Chocolate Chips, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Goldberg’s - Peanut Chews
• Green & Black’s - Organic dark chocolate, Organic Hazelnut and Currant Dark Chocolate, Maya Gold Chocolate and Dark Chocolate for cooking.
• Newman’s Own - Sweet Dark Chocolate Bars, Sweet Dark Espresso Dark C
• Rapunzel - Pure organic swiss chocolate (Semisweet Chocolate, Semisweet Chocolate with Almonds, Semisweet Chocolate with Hazelnuts)
• Santa Cruz - Organic chocolate flavored syrup
• Scharffen Berger - Bittersweet Bars, Nibby Bars, Moch Bars, Semisweet Bars, Cocoa Powder, Cacao Nibs, Chocolate Chunks
• Sunridge Farms - Chocolate Almond Raisin Clusters, Chocolate Macadamias, Chocolate Cashew Clusters, Chocolate Nut Clusters, Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Chocolate Pecan Clusters, Chocolate Almond Clusters, Chocolate Pretzels, Chocolate Ginger, Chocolate Pineapple, Chocolate Raisins, Chocolate Peanuts, Chocolate Apricots, Carob Peanut Clusters, Carob Almond Clusters, Carob Apricots, Chocolate Apricots (to name a few)
• Trader Joe’s - Pound Plus (Bittersweet Chocolate, Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds, Dark Chocolate)
• Whole Foods - Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with Almonds, Dark Chocolate with Currants and Raisins

Biscuits and Breads

Both health food stores and most fresh bakeries will have vegan bread, since fresh bread is quite often vegan by default. But do be sure to look out for ingredients such as honey, eggs and dairy products (whey) - the same is true for bagels.

Vegan by Accident

• Sara Lee (also under the brand name Food Lion) - Texas Style Artificially Flavored Butter Biscuits, Texas Style Artificially Flavored Buttermilk Biscuits.

Ethnic Cuisine

Open up a new world of food and explore Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, French, African or Caribbean cookery.

Lots of refried beans state if they are suitable for vegetarians. Don’t forget to check the ingredients for ready made sauces for you to mix in.

Desserts

Traditional desserts can usually be made using vegan ingredients, but if you’re more interested in buying them than making them, there are plenty of choices available:

• Emes Kosher-Jel - Plain, Lemon, Strawberry, Lime, Orange, Cherry, Raspberry, Grape, Pineapple, Black Cherry, Black Raspberry
• Hain - Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding - boxed mixes, Superfruits dessert mix (vegan jello)
• Harvest Direct - Soy puddings - boxed mixes: French Vanilla, Banana, Chocolate Fudge, Lemon Creme Soy Pudding
• Hip Whip (Now & Zen) - vegan whipped cream and a chocolate mousse
• Mori-Nu Mates Pudding Mix & Pie Mix - Chocolate, LemonCreme & Vanilla (dry packets)
• Mother Nature’s Goodies, Inc. - Whole Wheat Pie Shells

Vegan by Accident

• Keebler - Graham Cracker Ready Pie Crust (also sold under the name Food Lion)
• Marie Callender’s - Fruit pies (Apple Pie, Cherry Crunch Pie, Dutch Apple Pie, Peach Cobbler, Razzleberry Pie)
• Pepperidge Farms - Apple & Raspberry Turnovers
• Trader Joe’s - Apple Strudel (seasonal)

Interesting Vegetables If you find yourself cooking the same old vegetables day in, day out, why not take a trip to your nearest supermarket and see what other vegetable delights grace their shelves? Choose from artichoke, eggplant, or daikon. No, we don’t know what to do with them either, but we have fun trying! Or visit your local ethnic food shops and see what they have to offer - we guarantee you’ll find something there you’d never heard of before and the produce workers may give you some tips.