Vegan Stuffing Recipe

For some people, the phrase "Vegan Cuisine" sounds like an oxymoron. For others, it resembles the way a hardcore food nutritionist. "Scary" was the word used by my roommate when I announced that I would try to become vegan. What most people do not realize that it is very possible, even probable, for a creative chef to make vegan food just as exciting and full of variety as any other type of cuisine.

What is veganism, first of all? Strictly speaking, veganism is a diet that contains no animal by-products. Not only do vegans eat no meat, as vegetarians, but do not consume a food created by animals. No milk, no eggs, no dairy of any kind. No pulp derived from eggs. No gelatin. When you stop to think, it is surprising how the typical American diet is animal.

All this, I admit, can sound rather scary to the typical meat and milk lover, and certainly the average American who is surrounded by fast-food burgers and sandwiches from Bologna at an early age. But veganism is not as intimidating as it sounds. In fact, when the right choices in recipe and menu are made, it can be extraordinarily flavorful and rewarding.

Think of it this way: vegan cuisine can not rely on heavy, flavorful ingredients like meat and dairy products for its flavor and substance. So what do they occur? They replace the ingredients in a way that makes you never miss them, with fresh vegetables, heady spices, wonderful texture and delicate wheat-based starches.

One of the only vegan foods most on the market, and one that tends to scare the layperson the most, is tofu. Tofu is basically a bean curd with a sponge like consistency and a bland taste that absorbs the flavors are all around him. Am I still tempts you?

Wait. Let's try this. Imagine a dish of Italian stuffed shells, loaded with tomato sauce and basil, garlic and oregano. Now imagine that instead of cheese, the shells were stuffed with a mixture of soft tofu, blended with fresh spinach. Tofu absorbs the Italian spices and a delicate creamy flavor of its own. Would you noticed the absence of cheese? Sure. Would you miss? Not likely.

There are many recipes unique vegan is really surprising in their variety and flavor. Curry is one of the darlings of vegan cuisine, and is available in all shapes and flavors. Other wonderful vegan dishes include several types of stir fry, swimming in soy sauces and fresh vegetables, salads overflowing with fresh beans and sweet oil dressings, and spicy side dishes and many exciting and appetizers. Many people, for example, love the wonderful zing of garlic hummus and did not realize that it is a distinctly vegan food.

Add vegan cuisine a try. Once you stop relying on meat and milk for your flavor and fullness, you may discover a whole new world out there, where spices are abundant and soybean curd can be delicious.