{"id":54,"date":"2018-01-16T11:19:22","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T19:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/?p=54"},"modified":"2018-01-16T12:19:08","modified_gmt":"2018-01-16T20:19:08","slug":"winter-vegan-comfort-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/2018\/01\/16\/winter-vegan-comfort-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Vegan Comfort Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writte<\/span>\"\"n by Karina N. Almanza, CSUN Dietetic Intern<\/span><\/p>\n

When I tell people I\u2019m a vegan, 80% of them will respond, \u201cWow, I could never be a vegan.\u201d The other 20% think it might be attributed to a career in nutrition as an aspiring Registered Dietitian or just all together think I\u2019m crazy. Granted, I am slightly crazy but that\u2019s just part of my quirky personality and has nothing to do with the title I take on as a vegan.<\/p>\n

A vegan is an individual who abstains from the consumption of animal-related products avoiding meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products (butter, yogurt, cheese, ice cream) and honey. Other hidden sources of animal-related products could be seen in gelatin, baked goods (including cakes, breads and cookies), some wines, some sugars, and dishes that use fish sauce\/oil. Now you might be thinking, \u201cWhy would anyone be a vegan?\u201d Here are three of the top reasons to practice a vegan diet.<\/p>\n

Health Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

A vegan diet promotes the exclusion of animal fats that are attributed to illnesses and conditions including, but not short of, heart disease (the #1 leading killer in the US), cancer (the 2nd leading killer in the US), diabetes,
\narthritis, hypertension, and obesity. A vegan diet encourages lower body mass index, lower blood pressure and a longer life.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Better for the Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n

A plant-based diet is eco-friendly and a sustainable lifestyle for the environment. Meat
\nproduction requires a significantly higher use of land, energy and water.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Animal Protection and Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n

Organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have been encouraging the practice of veganism or vegetarian diets for several years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What are the different health benefits of veganism over vegetarianism?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The difference in diets is the exclusion of milk, dairy products, and eggs. Vegans do not consume any cholesterol from foods whatsoever.\u00a0Excluding dairy products also promotes elimination of saturated and trans fats that can be commonly seen in baked goods, ice cream, and different cheeses.<\/p>\n

With these exclusions, it might seem impossible to enjoy the usual comfort foods the winter
\nseason brings forward like mashed potatoes with gravy, mac n\u2019 cheese, leftover thanksgiving sandwiches,
\ntamales or hot cocoa. I\u2019m here to tell you that it is possible! The demand for plant-based diets has
\nincreased and several individuals have come forward with creative ideas and approaches.<\/p>\n

Here are my top 13 vegan baking substitution tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Eggs \u2192 powdered egg replacer (potato and tapioca starches)<\/p>\n

2. Eggs (unsweetened baking) \u2192 ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water<\/p>\n

3. Eggs (sweetened baking)\u2192 mashed banana<\/p>\n

4. Egg fluffiness \u2192 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar<\/p>\n

5. Foam of egg whites \u2192 aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)<\/p>\n

6. 2% Milk \u2192 Soy Milk<\/p>\n

7. Whipping Cream and Half and Half \u2192 Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk<\/p>\n

8. Buttermilk \u2192 1 cup of Soy Milk with 1 tablespoon of Lemon or Vinegar<\/p>\n

9. Condensed milk \u2192 Coconut Milk with White Sugar and Vanilla Extract<\/p>\n

10. Butter \u2192 Vegan spread or Coconut Oil or Avocado<\/p>\n

11. Honey \u2192 Maple Syrup or Molasses Agave Nectar<\/p>\n

12. Chocolate \u2192 Cocoa Powder<\/p>\n

13. Frosting or Filling \u2192 Powdered Sugar mixed with Coconut Oil or Cashew Cream<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It all sounds foreign at first but these substitutes call for great recipes and a whole new
\nlevel of potential in the kitchen. I\u2019ll end this post with my favorite recipe that always wins the trophy at
\npotlucks. It might be out of your comfort zone but I dare you to endeavor in this recipe of vegan Mac N\u2019
\nCheese.<\/p>\n

Super Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Author: Lindsay Rey<\/h6>\n

Incorporated with tips from Karina Almanza<\/p>\n

Serves: 4-5<\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 10 ounces dried macaroni (or about 2\u2154 cups)<\/li>\n
  • 1 cup peeled\/diced yellow potatoes (or russets)<\/li>\n
  • \u00bc cup peeled\/diced carrots<\/li>\n
  • \u2153 cup chopped onion<\/li>\n
  • \u00be cup water (preferably use liquid from pot of boiled veggies)<\/li>\n
  • \u00bd cup raw cashews<\/li>\n
  • \u00bc cup coconut<\/span> almond milk<\/li>\n
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes<\/li>\n
  • 1<\/span> 2 tablespoon lemon juice<\/li>\n
  • \u00be to 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)<\/li>\n
  • \u00bc teaspoon garlic powder<\/li>\n
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)<\/li>\n
  • 1 pinch paprika<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Tip from Karina : If you would like to make a whole box of macaroni, double the quantity of<\/span>
    \n each ingredient in the recipe!<\/span><\/p>\n

    Directions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Cook macaroni al dente, according to package instructions (usually requires boiling for 6-8 minutes in salted water), drain, and set aside.<\/li>\n
    2. Bring several cups of water to boil in a small pot. Place chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soft enough to blend. Cooking time will vary slightly, based on how small you have chopped your veggies.<\/li>\n
    3. When veggies are soft enough to blend, use a slotted spoon to remove them from cooking water, and place them in your blender. Add \u00be cup of that cooking water to your blender, along with your remaining ingredients.<\/li>\n
    4. Blend until smooth.<\/li>\n
    5. Pour sauce over your cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, taste for salt, and serve immediately.<\/li>\n
    6. Or, place macaroni mixture in a baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until crumbs are turning golden brown.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Vegan Dining near CSUN Campus<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

      There are several vegan restaurants around the CSUN area including Veggie Grill (Woodland
      \nHills), Follow Your Heart (Canoga Park), and Vihn Loi Tofu (Reseda). Do you know of other vegan dining restaurants in the area? Or vegan baking substitutions? Tell us your vegan tips in the comments section below.<\/p>\n

      References<\/span><\/p>\n

      http:\/\/veganyumminess.com\/creamy-vegan-mac-and-cheese\/<\/span>
      \n People with nut allergies: https:\/\/avirtualvegan.com\/baked-vegan-mac-and-cheese\/<\/span>
      \n https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/is-a-vegetarian-or-vegan-diet-for-you<\/span>
      \n http:\/\/ajcn.nutrition.org\/content\/78\/3\/660S.full<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Written by Karina N. Almanza, CSUN Dietetic Intern When I tell people I\u2019m a vegan, 80% of them will respond, \u201cWow, I could never be a vegan.\u201d The other 20% think it might be attributed to a career in nutrition as an aspiring Registered Dietitian or just all together think I\u2019m crazy. Granted, I am […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,14,36],"tags":[40,39,38],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-baking","category-recipes","category-vegan","tag-baking-substitutions","tag-mac-and-cheese","tag-vegan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/140"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.csun.edu\/nutritionexperts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}