Faux Meat: Friend or Foe?

When it comes to faux meat, there are now more options than ever before. Gardein, Boca, and many other companies offer a wide variety of plant-based alternatives to most traditional meat favorites. And new faux meat products like the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are making it even more convenient and accessible to choose vegan options. The popularity of some of these products has also sparked curiosity in those who might otherwise not have tried faux meat.

For people who are not already vegan or vegetarian, this wide availability makes it easier to try these products and possibly choose them more often. And for kids and picky eaters, having more options that are closer to their favorite foods is always advantageous.

As faux meat gets closer to imitating real meat, some vegans might be turned off by how much it resembles real meat. But I feel this is outweighed because tasting more like real meat will help more non-vegans try it.

"But it's so processed," you might wonder. While I'm not making nutritional claims on this blog, it's common knowledge that it's generally better to eat less processed food. I personally prefer to replace meat in most dishes with more vegetables, but this doesn't work for everyone, or for every recipe.

Take burgers for example. On my journey to eating vegan more often, burgers were my last holdout for land-animal meat products. Until I tried the Beyond Burger. I still crave burgers, but the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger are close enough for me that they satisfy my craving without needing to eat beef. I haven't had a beef burger since.

To be fair, it's not like non-vegans don't eat their share of processed food too. Yet for some reason the nutritional aspect is questioned more when it's vegan. I wouldn't recommend eating faux meat every day, the same way I wouldn't recommend eating any heavily processed food every day, but that's up to each person to decide for themselves.

And are all processed foods equally "bad" for being processed? I would guess that some vegan faux meat options are more nutritious than some of their fast food, "real meat", counterparts. Consider chicken nuggets, which are highly processed whether they're made from meat or plant-based protein.

So is the rising trend of faux meat products a good thing or a bad thing? While it's up to individuals to balance the amount of processed food in their diet, having more plant-based options is always a good thing in my opinion - and it benefits everyone from vegans to vegan adjacents, and even carnivores.

Have you tried any plant-based meat alternatives? Which is your favorite?

5 Simple Ways to Eat More Humanely, Without Changing Your Lifestyle

I posted this a couple weeks ago for The Humane Eating Project, a nonprofit I volunteer with. I'm reposting it here because this is what Vegan Adjacent is all about. I feel like a lot of vegan posts I see online are extreme (meat is murder!) and that scares people away.  Or have you heard the joke, "How do you know if someone is vegan? They'll tell you." I am not one of those blogs! If you are vegan (or vegan adjacent) for animal welfare reasons like me, we are playing a numbers game. Billions of animals are used for food each year in the US alone. Instead of traditional all-or-none vegan messaging, I want to focus on baby steps that everyone can make.

Although these changes are small, if everyone adopted them they would have a dramatic impact on the demand for animal products. These tips are all easy to adopt and I have done each one. My boyfriend is a big guy (6'2, 260lbs) and was hesitant about reducing how much meat we eat. Well let me tell you, he does not notice the difference. Plus, eating more vegan meals has encouraged me to be a more creative cook. I have him eating vegetables now, and liking it!

1. Use the Vegan Option When There is One

Many products come in several varieties, and there is often a vegan version. For example, buy vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. This is a pretty simple switch and you will not notice the difference in your recipe. 

When it comes to dairy products, the non-dairy market is exploding. I see new products every time I go grocery shopping. There are tons of vegan products you can use instead of dairy. An easy one to try is Earth Balance spread instead of butter. In fact, many margarines are “accidentally vegan.” I’ve found Earth Balance tastes and bakes like real butter, whereas margarines can vary. 

You can also switch to soy or almond milk instead of using cow’s milk. My favorite is Almond Breeze sweetened vanilla, I love it on cereal or in coffee. Unsweetened rice and soy milk work better for savory recipes. There are also a bunch of other non-dairy milks out there, like coconut or hemp milk. 

2. Meatless Mondays

Try cutting out meat for one day a week. If you think about it, you probably like a lot of meatless meals already. Any pasta lovers out there? Just combine your favorite shape, sauce, and vegetables and you’re done! (More recipes if you keep reading to #5). 

7 people that do Meatless Mondays have the same impact as one vegetarian. By cutting out meat once a week, you can make a difference without giving up your favorite foods. 

3. Eat Less Meat

When you eat meat, eat less of it. Many recipes call for a pound of chicken or ground beef. Try using a half a pound. In most recipes, you won’t notice a difference. And besides benefiting animals, you’ll also save money. 

4. Switch to Humanely Raised

There are farms that treat their animals well, and farms that don't. Unfortunately, most meat today comes from factory farms. To make sure you're buying meat from humane farms, there are three third party certifications to look for: Global Animal Partnership (GAP), Certified Humane, and Animal Welfare Approved (AWA).  GAP certified products are available at Whole Foods. You can search the Certified Humane and AWA websites for where to find their products near you. 

To find humanely raised options when you eat at restaurants, there's an app for that! The Humane Eating Project app finds nearby restaurants offering humanely raised, vegan, and vegetarian options. It will be available in March, 2014. 

5. Look for Veganized Versions of Your Favorite Recipes

Thanks to the internet, it’s incredibly easy to find and share new recipes.  Someone has probably made a vegan version of your favorite food. Just google: “vegan [your favorite dish].” Here are some examples for Mexican food, lasagna, burgers, Mediterranean food, fried rice, and potstickers.

This is especially easy for baking. There are many alternatives to eggs for baking. Plus you won’t have to worry about whether or not the eggs have gone bad! You can make any baking recipe vegan by substituting with Earth Balance and egg replacer. Some recipes are already vegan so you don’t need to change anything. Here are some great vegan recipes for brownies, fudge, muffins, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, croissants, and even peanut butter cups!

And of course, I will be posting vegan recipes here! I will also post reviews of vegan products.