It’s a common sentiment expressed by people who wish they could go fully plant-based. “I’d love to do that but I could never give up ___”. For me, before going vegetarian it was turkey. Before going vegan, it was cheese. Now that I’m fully plant-based, there are so many other foods I’ve discovered that I could now never give up. Most of them, I never would have discovered if I hadn’t fully given up animal products.
So I wanted to make this post to show that giving up an old favourite doesn’t have to be restrictive, since it can open up a whole world of brand new favourites! Which you’ll never have to worry about giving up!
For me, there are a few new faves. Definitely the [PPK cashew queso recipe](https://www.theppk.com/2011/11/cashew-queso/) (with the modifications I mentioned in [this comment](https://reddit.com/r/PlantBasedDiet/comments/1afjn8g/favorite_easy_party_ideas/kobzl3q/) the other day). I love it more than I used to love cheese! It’s so good on everything! Also soups and stews. I know it sounds weird, but before this diet, I hardly ever made soup or stew because I had my regular rotation of go-to mostly-processed meals, so I didn’t really work to expand my horizons. E.g. would I have ever bothered to buy beluga lentils before? Hell no lol. But now I keep them in the cupboard so I can make [creamy beluga mushroom stew](https://rainbowplantlife.com/creamy-mushroom-and-black-beluga-lentil-stew/).
So I’m super curious, what kind of foods did you only discover after going fully plant-based, which you could now never give up?
by Yoggyo
15 Comments
Sweet potatoes. I eat one almost every night. The Japanese white ones are incredible. Just cook em up in the toaster oven. 70 minutes at 410 degrees. When the insides get all gooey, it’s the best thing ever
legumes. I don’t feel like I’ve really eaten unless I have some
Beans. They go with literally everything.
Tofu. Air fryer tofu, to be specific.
Oh humble garbanzo bean, let me count the ways I have come to love you.
Roasted and crunchy, you make my salads so special.
Puréed with garlic and lemon juice into hummus is simply magical.
Cooked in soups and stews you add savor and depth.
I cannot imagine life without out you, my beloved garbanzo bean!
Hahahahaha dates
Tahini
Delicata squash. Sliced and roasted. Tastes like candy!!
Hummus. I have perfected my own recipe.
Fermented drinks.
Mine would be mushrooms. I had only ever tried the white buttons pre-vegan and now I can’t live without my oysters, lionsmane, oysters, shiitakes and the all the other dried ones that are available in Asian grocery stores. Try the snow fungus soup.
Tofu
I could literally give up anything whole foods if I had to. That’s the nature of unprocessed foods. None of it is additive so it’s quite easy to not eat it. It’s much harder to not eat processed foods, even when it’s vegan.
Vegan pizza, potato chips, vegan ice cream, French fries, bread, all foods that are hard to give up. I wish unprocessed foods was exciting as those, but they’re not, and if they were, they would be addictive and likely a problem at that point.
Frozen blueberries. I put them in smoothies and make ice cream with them. And I also just eat bowls of them frozen. Have been doing it since I was a kid.
Just here to say that I love this question