But the study indicated that of the non-vegetarians surveyed, 5.2 percent were "definitely interested" in following a vegetarian-based diet in the future.
For vegan cookbook author Nava Atlas, the only downside to giving up animal products is the dilemma of what to put on her feet.
"I always joke that the thing I like least about being vegan is the shoes," said Atlas from her Hudson Valley, N.Y., home, explaining that vegans don't wear leather. "I'm just not crazy about synthetic shoes. What can I say?"
Footwear fashion aside, Atlas and her 17- and 19-year-old sons — who were raised vegetarian — wholeheartedly made the leap to veganism seven years ago after a visit to a local dairy farm.
"That was what tipped the three of us," Atlas said. "There is something uncomfortable about coming face to face with your food source."
This final step meant that, in addition to avoiding meat, poultry and fish, she and her family also dropped dairy, eggs — even honey.
Atlas grew up eating a standard Jewish diet prepared by her mother, who, while wanting to please, was not a terrific cook. For as long as Atlas can remember, meat repelled her, so when she was in high school, she approached her parents about becoming a vegetarian.
"They told me I was going to be very unhappy and I would have to cook for myself," Atlas recalled of her early '70s stance. "That backfired big-time.
"I got my first cookbook, 'The Whole Earth Cookbook,' and I started making my own concoctions. Before long, the rest of the family wanted what I was having."
MAKING THE LEAP
One of Atlas' first veggie experiments was a melange of lentils, wilted spinach, soy sauce and melted cheese, liberally dusted with wheat germ. "It sounds horrible, but at the time, it was such an awesome recipe."
She began writing down her recipes at the request of her college sweetheart and future husband. Her first book, "Vegetariana," was printed in 1984, and includes drawings displaying her artistry, which has since been exhibited in museums across the country. Ten books followed over 25 years, including vegan revisions of two of her earlier vegetarian books, "Vegetarian Express" and "Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons."
"It's definitely not as hard as it used to be," Atlas said of adhering to a vegan diet. "There is such a proliferation of Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and ethnic restaurants."
Even though she is a committed disciple of veganism, Atlas suggests novices tread gently, adopting a vegetarian lifestyle first. She also advises starting with foods you like, such as stir-fries and Southwestern dishes, and adapting them to be meatless. Atlas credits her vegan diet not only for her good health, but also for helping her stay hip.
"I'm about to turn 54," said Atlas. "I think a vegan diet adds to my feeling of youthfulness and vitality. The label 'vegan' is very cool and progressive, too. I have a lot of younger friends and fans I feel very grateful for."
FINDING INSPIRATION
Chris Constable, who cooks for and co-manages the all-vegan deli at Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market in San Diego, says starting on the veggie path isn't difficult.
"Inspiration is everywhere," said Constable, 35, who has been a vegetarian for 13 years, half of that as a vegan. "I find my inspiration from ethnic foods, regular recipes, even some of my mom's recipes."
He said an easy way to start is by taking your favorite sandwich and simply removing the meat and mayonnaise. From there, the world can be your oyster ... er, your dried shiitake mushroom.
Constable encourages people to vegetarian establishment near their homes to get inspiration for their own dishes and to see how tasty vegan cuisine can be. "We have so many different items, people are amazed. It's such a foreign thing to them."
Among the deli's vegan offerings is a mock chicken salad so popular it has to be made every day in 25-pound batches. Wednesday is Vegan Pizza Day. A "wicked" Caesar salad is part of the deli-case rotation, as is a macaroni and cheese casserole so cheesy you would never know it gets its ballast from pureed cashews.
Every morning customers can nosh on vegan biscuits and gravy, oven-fried potatoes, tofu scramble, tempeh sausage and breakfast burritos. Vegan muffins sweetened with maple or agave syrup are popular, but the vegan pancakes, available only on weekends, really gets the cafe jumping.
Amber Forest McHale, 47, a spokeswoman for the cooperative market in Ocean Beach, has been a vegetarian since she was 12. She remembers eating "a lot of bean burritos and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches" when she first stopped eating meat, but now she is a fiend for steamed veggies, avocados, flax and hemp-infused smoothies, rice cheese for its superb meltability, and milk made from rice, soy, oats, hemp or almonds.
Her animal-free lifestyle is an ethical choice, developed after she learned about how animals are treated on factory farms and how animal agri cultural affects the environment. She scoffs at the notion that a vegan diet doesn't provide all the nutrition a body needs.
SOME READING
If you want to learn more about veganism or vegetarianism, Nava Atlas and Chris Constable suggest these books:
"Diet for a New America" by John Robbins, H.J. Kramer
"Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet" by Versanto Melina, Brenda Davis and Victoria Harrison; Healthy Living Publications
"Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina; Book Publishing Co.
"The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet" by Nava Atlas, Broadway
Puree of Spring Greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved in 3 cups water
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch Asian greens, thick ribs trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped (see note)
8 to 10 ounces fresh spinach, well washed and stemmed
2 heads green lettuce, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup parsley leaves
1 to 2 cups rice milk, or more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Silk creamer, for garnish, optional
Yields 6 servings.
Heat oil in soup pot. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute until onion is golden. Add water with bouillon cubes and potatoes. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower heat. Cover and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add Asian greens and cover. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves and cover; cook just until they wilt down. Add lettuce and parsley, and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, or until all the greens are just tender.
Puree mixture in a food processor in batches until smooth. Return to soup pot and stir in enough rice milk to give the soup a slightly thick consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
For an optional garnish, pour some creamer into a small pitcher and pour a spiral design onto the top of each serving.
Note: For Asian greens, you can use a small bunch of regular or baby bok choy, tatsoi or mizuna.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 128 calories, 5 g fat, 4 g protein, 3 g fiber, 18 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 107 mg sodium
(From "Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons" by Nava Atlas, Broadway Books)
VEGAN MAC 'N' CHEEZE
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 cups cashews
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
Yields 8 servings.
2 1/2 slices toasted bread, buttered with Earth Balance, then processed into crumbs (see note)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente and drain.
In a blender or food processor, puree bell pepper, cashews, lemon juice, sunflower oil, onion powder, sea salt, garlic powder and turmeric until completely smooth. Combine sauce with pasta and pour into baking dish. Cover and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove cover, add bread crumbs to top, and bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes more.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 417 calories, 21 g fat, 12 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 455 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber.
Note: Earth Balance is a butter substitute sold at Trader Joe's and health food stores.
— Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market.
RAW MOROCCAN RED SALAD
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups seeded and diced tomatoes
1 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 bunch radishes, sliced in half moons
1 1/4 pounds beets, shredded
1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Yields 6 servings.
Place olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, red onion, radishes and beets. Mix well, then add parsley and cilantro and mix. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 125 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, mg 0 cholesterol, 249 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber.
— Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market.
TEMPEH TACO SALAD
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup tamari (see note)
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 pound tempeh, steamed and crumbled (see note)
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Yields 4 servings.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute bell pepper, onion and garlic for 10 minutes. Stir in tamari, paprika, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Add tempeh. Mix well, then remove from heat and allow to cool. Once mixture has cooled, add tomatoes and cilantro.
Note: Tamari is a thick sauce made from soybeans. Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake with a texture similar to soft tofu and a yeasty, nutty flavor. Both are available at natural-foods stores.
Per serving: 416 calories, 27 g fat, 25 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 1,032 mg sodium, 4.5 g dietary fiber.
— Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market.
Carolyn Dipping writes about food for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Contact her at Carolyn.dipping@uniontrib.com.
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