The KInd Life Community Forum

I'm new to this and will appreciate whatever suggestions some of you might have for easing the transition away from animal consumption. What I think I'll miss most is dairy, especially cream in my coffee. Does anyone know of good vegan substitutes for half and half, if there are any?

For cheese substitute daiya is a great sub. I tend to crave cheese when i eat it though because it make u feel like your actually eating real cheese so i have trouble saying no to cheese when i'm not at home. I use alvacado in place of cheese alot. It's creamy and it satisfies that fat craving. Hummus or alvocado as a sandwhich spread. Also grains really fill u up, not like whole grain bread but brown rice, millet, amaranth, rye, quinoa. Barley is my favorite it kinda like oats only bigger i use it in place of oatmeal it's a little chewier.

yes it is narrated by him :) It is a very good documentary, I love the beginning but honestly I found it so traumatic to watch i couldn;t finish it, but at least watch the introduction! what he sauys is very wise and beautiful.

I recommend reading the book breaking the food seduction by Neal Barnard or looking up his research about casomorphins in dairy, or watch this :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWi6dXCT7I
once u know the science behind why dairy , particularly cheese, is so addictive...its what helped me to stop consuming it, hope it helps you.

I like making sauces with tahini, if you have the kind diet book, find alicias recipe :) else just mix a bit of tahini with water and perhaps lemon juice and soy sauce. ( to add to veggies and such, it's very creamy and has a alot of fat, which is what dairy has and what people tend to crave dairy for)
. I personally don't drink coffee much but I like to use oat milk in my coffee/dandelion tea. soy/rice blends also have a pretty neutral flavour, pretty close to what "normal" milk is.

your welcome!!! Im just going back to vegan today after a huge phase of falling off the wagon so I have to do all of this again myself too :) the pull of those foods are pretty strong but once theyre outa your system you don't really miss it, as long as you eat enough you don't go hungry.have enough variety in your diet.

I agree with Alexia's dairy replacement suggestions. There are great soy creamers that wonderful in coffee. I find almond cheese the most satisfying for me. Oh, and Tofutti cream cheese is yummy, too. The hardest thing for me is not feeling like an outcast while in social situations since there is rarely anything vegan. For books and such, I would have to recommend Eating Animals and The Food Revolution. A good DVD that is not traumatic is "Vegucated." I can't stand to watch any suffering, but I am very sensitive. I also want to read the China Study. Your health will skyrocket if you go cold turkey. Give it a couple of days and chow down on fruits and veggies and you won't believe the difference. (I've lost 20 lbs since Thanksgiving when I decided to go vegan and my blood pressure was slightly eleveated and is now 92/64!!). Congrats and good luck Scott!