We've heard just about every quip about veganism there is: "What's the best way to prepare tofu? Dump it in the trash and buy some bacon" (thanks for that one, Facebook). But it might be the meat-free folks having the last laugh, as this no-fish, no-eggs, no-dairy diet is basically everywhere these days, from professional athlete diets to high-end bars and bakeries. There are both health and environmental benefits to adding a few new vegan recipes to your diet, but before you pull the plug on pork, make sure you read this list of common mistakes people make when going vegan.
Potato chips are potato chips, whether or not they're from organic spuds or their bag is made from eco-friendly packaging. The more mainstream a diet becomes, the more the food industry capitalizes on it—meaning convenience and packaged foods pop up everywhere you turn (remember gluten-free cookies a few years ago?). So while you can now easily find vegan versions of doughnuts, cookies, muffins, and decadent desserts, remember this: Just because they don't contain butter doesn't make them healthy. And check the packaging: While it's not a rule, some vegan baked goods contain double the ingredients of traditional pastries, just to achieve the texture left out when the dairy and eggs got ditched.
While we're all for experimentation (see: "The Fake-Meat Burger So Realistic It Fooled My Entire Family"), be wary of meat replacement products with dozens of ingredients. Many are highly processed and, while that's not necessarily good or bad, it is probably counter-intuitive if you're looking to eat a simpler, more natural diet. Instead of shrink-wrapped meat alternatives, try experimenting more with raw ingredients like, say, quinoa in a meat-free burger. And who needs fake steak when you can grill fat pieces of cauliflower and eggplant to perfection? It's no coincidence that the words "vegan" and "vegetables" share a root.
Iron, protein, healthy fats…these are all considerations vegans need to consider just a little more than the average eater. Michelle Dudash, RD, registered dietitian and creator of the Clean Eating Cooking School, suggests seeking out foods with mono- and poly-unsaturated fats (those are the "healthy" fats). Avocados and nuts are a great option, and easy to find and prepare. "Algal oil, found in supplements and some fortified foods, provide the essential omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which is important for brain and heart health," she adds.
Another, often-ignored, element of a vegan diet is vitamin B12. B12 is only found in animal foods, so, Dudash explains, if you're not eating meat you'll need to supplement with a pill. Lack of B12 can cause anemia, fatigue, and even depression. Iron, on the other hand, isn't found just in steak. Eating dark leafy greens, broccoli, pistachios, raisins, and molasses are all ways to get enough iron. Dudash recommends vegetarians consume 1.8 times the recommendation daily amount of iron to be safe—the body doesn't absorb it as well from plant-based foods as it does from animal foods.
The staples in a meat-inclusive diet—beef, pork, lamb, and the like—all contain fat. In contrast, many vegan proteins, like tofu and tempeh, are devoid of or low in fat. While this no doubt is part of the reason society considers a veganism to be inherently "healthier," there is one big problem with a fat-free diet: It has a lot less flavor. It also means you feel hungry faster. "The solution to that is as simple as adding diced avocado on 'bowls', soups, stews, and tacos; drizzling pasta and salads with healthy oils; or sprinkling nuts and seeds on cereal and salads. Good fats in their whole-food/unrefined state are your friend!" says Dudash.
You don't need to break out the bacon grease for your sautéed portobellos, but adding enough plant-derived fat to the pan also ensures that your food will cook evenly (and won't stick). It also adds flavor and delivers a richer texture. Coconut oil is a good substitute for butter (it's solid at room temperature, like butter, and has a similar texture). Other vegan favorites include avocado oil, sunflower oil, and grapeseed oil. Save the delicate, low-smoke-point oils like flax or hemp seed oil for finishing.
As mentioned above, yes, coconut oil can be a good stand-in for butter. But BA senior associate food editor Claire Saffitz cautions against screwing with tried-and-true non-vegan recipes. Baking is a science, she explains, reliant on the chemistry of how the ingredients react with each other. So while eggs aren't necessary for a chocolate tart, you're better off using a recipe made specifically to exclude them than you are nixing 'em and hoping for the best.