Just interested. Personally I think I'm much more experimental and willing to try new things so it would be a 'yes' from me.
Did going vegan make you a better cook?
- Thread starter spottygiraffe
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Since I'm not vegan yet (but soon), I probably shouldn't vote, but I did anyway. 
When I ate meat, I was a terrible cook. I hated to cook, I hated to touch the meat, I tried to avoid eating it if I could. But I was brainwashed with the "you need your proteins" thing. After I became vegetarian, my interest for food and abilty to cook has increased a lot. I've eaten vegan a lot since I became vegetarian, and it have also been the meals I've experimentet the most with and have the most joy cooking.
When I ate meat, I was a terrible cook. I hated to cook, I hated to touch the meat, I tried to avoid eating it if I could. But I was brainwashed with the "you need your proteins" thing. After I became vegetarian, my interest for food and abilty to cook has increased a lot. I've eaten vegan a lot since I became vegetarian, and it have also been the meals I've experimentet the most with and have the most joy cooking.
I wasn't sure how to vote as I used to be able to bake a lot better with eggs but now I don't bother baking as vegan cakes don't taste as nice when I make them. I've had nice vegan cakes in cafes and restaurants so there must be a trick to them.
I do cook more from scratch since being vegan but I wouldn't say I was a great cook.
I do cook more from scratch since being vegan but I wouldn't say I was a great cook.
I'm not really sure. I consider myself a decent cook, but I will say I have become much more adventurous in trying new foods. So in that sense, yes, I am a better cook.
Moll, regarding vegan baking...don't give up. I just keep reading about/trying out new techniques and combinations until I find something that works to my liking. I'm still tinkering with cookie recipes, as cookies seem to be the hardest things to get the way I like them.
Moll, regarding vegan baking...don't give up. I just keep reading about/trying out new techniques and combinations until I find something that works to my liking. I'm still tinkering with cookie recipes, as cookies seem to be the hardest things to get the way I like them.
I found that being vegan forced me to cook more, as there were less ready made things obviously. So more practise. Hard to say though as I went vegan as a 21 year old student who'd just started her second year of uni, so could've easily just become better at cooking anyway. That said, I'm still not particularly good haha.
thefadedone
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Going vegan made me more interested in exploring new foods and trying different things. I didn't cook a lot when I was younger, but as I've gotten older I seem to cook more and more.
kazyeeqen
Superb Owl
I didn't have to cook before I was vegan because instant food was so easily available, but ten years ago the vegan options were much slimmer, so I had to use real food, and now it's a habit.
I'm also more adventurous with trying new foods but if I were to be honest, my cooking and baking were way better before.
I have had some good results with vegan cooking but the good results have been limited.
I have had some good results with vegan cooking but the good results have been limited.
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OP
OP
Interesting to read your replies. Seems like most of us are more experimental and do a lot of cooking from scratch either through choice or necessity!
I'm still experimenting with the baking side of things. I made a vegan carrot cake that was without doubt as good as non-vegan but I was a bit disappointed with some brownies I made. Maybe cakes with fruit (or veg) in them lend themselves more to being tweaked into vegan versions. I haven't tried a version of traditional cookies yet, but found a nice recipe at the weekend for biscuits made with ground hazelnuts, coconut, chia, maple syrup and dried cranberries. Lovely crumbly texture, but nothing like a cookie.
I'm still experimenting with the baking side of things. I made a vegan carrot cake that was without doubt as good as non-vegan but I was a bit disappointed with some brownies I made. Maybe cakes with fruit (or veg) in them lend themselves more to being tweaked into vegan versions. I haven't tried a version of traditional cookies yet, but found a nice recipe at the weekend for biscuits made with ground hazelnuts, coconut, chia, maple syrup and dried cranberries. Lovely crumbly texture, but nothing like a cookie.
SummerRain
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
I think so, but I went vegan at 16 so I didn't do a lot of cooking. Since I moved out (at 18) I've cooked pretty much every day. But I think my passion for cooking stems from the fact that I'm vegan, I think I use a wider range of ingredients, cook from a wider variety of cultures/styles, and am more open to recipes that seem a bit strange than I would other wise... But maybe I just like cooking, and if I was an omni I'd be the same. My family are vegetarian and they eat the same 10 or so meals on rotation. I try to cook a couple of new recipes each week, I have a massive recipe collection and we don't repeat meals very often (i.e. we don't eat the same few meals all the time, I definitely have more time for cooking than most people I know.
Oh not true! You just need a good recipe. I really like the brownie recipes in Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar.
Oh not true! You just need a good recipe. I really like the brownie recipes in Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar.
I need to get that book.I think so, but I went vegan at 16 so I didn't do a lot of cooking. Since I moved out (at 18) I've cooked pretty much every day. But I think my passion for cooking stems from the fact that I'm vegan, I think I use a wider range of ingredients, cook from a wider variety of cultures/styles, and am more open to recipes that seem a bit strange than I would other wise... But maybe I just like cooking, and if I was an omni I'd be the same. My family are vegetarian and they eat the same 10 or so meals on rotation. I try to cook a couple of new recipes each week, I have a massive recipe collection and we don't repeat meals very often (i.e. we don't eat the same few meals all the time, I definitely have more time for cooking than most people I know.
Oh not true! You just need a good recipe. I really like the brownie recipes in Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar.
The vegan brownies I have made are pretty good, but they don't measure up to the non-vegan ones. Maybe this one will. I will say I have done very well with oatmeal-raisin cookies, sugar cookies (which taste just as awesome as the non-vegan ones) and chocolate chip cookies, though I am forever tinkering. My work colleagues love my baking, though, so I think I'm my worst critic!
OP
OP
That is exactly my problem. But the non-vegan ones are absolutely packed with sugar, so no wonder they taste good. It is probably unfair comparing the vegan ones I made because I used some molasses instead and I wasn't 100% happy with the flavour.
Ooh, thanks for the recommendation, SR. I actually haven't got any vegan cookbooks!
Spang
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SummerRain
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
I need to get that book.
I should get some sort of advertising fee
I think it's really good, and I've fed them to many non-vegans who all agree they're brilliant brownies, including relatives that aren't likely to lie out of politeness, haha.
AeryFairy
Anachronism
Definitely a better cook now than when I went vegan, and I'm pretty sure going vegan had something to do with it.
Calliegirl
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I definitely cook from scratch a lot more. I'm not sure how good it is though. While I like the way most of it turns out, I'm not sure anyone else would feel the same way.
Brownies are the one thing that just don't seem to come out right, so I usually make a single serving brownie in a mug that tastes really good.
Brownies are the one thing that just don't seem to come out right, so I usually make a single serving brownie in a mug that tastes really good.
OP
OP
Interesting -is the recipe easy to post? I'd love to have a look at it. I think I saw a similar non-vegan version a while back -do you microwave it?
AeryFairy
Anachronism
I've hade excellent vegan brownies, but they're the one thing I can't seem to replicate at home.
I used to make this recipe very often when I was following a medium carb diet. It is a very simple method and you
only need approx. 1 minute to cook them.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/brownie_in_a_mug/
Calliegirl
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That's similar to the recipe I use.
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1-2 TBL cocoa powder (I always use 2)
2-3 TBL water or milk
1 TBL melted vegan margarine
1 TBL chocolate chips (optional)
Mix together the wet ingredients in a large mug. Mix together the dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture. Mix well. Add in the chips if using. It will be very thick.
Microwave for 1 1/2 - 3 minutes depending on the wattage of your microwave. It's done when the center looks dry and a toothpick comes out clean. Watch carefully, it's easy to overcook, which will dry it out.
