The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook

How Healthy Are Vegan/Vegetarian Substitutes?

Oh the substitute! Many a dieter turns to these options as a way to make up for cutting out their original counterparts, but how healthy are they and what the heck is in them? Some of the most popular vegetarian and vegan substitutes are made to satisfy the lingering cravings some vegetarians may have for cheese, bacon and milk products. But in reality a lot of them are too good to be true. I’ve investigated the products most often substituted by vegetarians and vegans alike to find out which fit the Eat-Clean Diet bill of health!

Bacon

Vegetarian and vegan eaters often long for the taste of bacon. I remember a story my daughter Rachel told me about a few of her vegetarian classmates who kept bacon in their regiment of food simply because they could not give it up! A popular replacement is bacon spread. Bacon free, it still has that smoky taste you crave. Unfortunately, it’s full of additives – gluconic acid, microcrystal-line cellulose, and calcium disodium EDTA, to name a few. If I’m making an effort to keep meat out of my diet, then you can guarantee I won’t be eating these chemicals either. Learn to love your lifestyle bacon free!

Eat-Clean Option: none

Deli Slices/Burgers/Hot Dogs/Nuggets

I have to admit, eating vegetables and grains that look like hot dogs and nuggets doesn’t seem to be the point, but a lot of people choose these options. Before you do keep in mind the work it took to make it look as it does, including the additions of calcium pantothenate, ferric orthophosphate and dipotassium phosphate. If you’re craving a burger, choose a Portobello burger instead.

Eat-Clean Option: Grilled Gourmet Bella Burgers (ch. 8), fish sticks from The Eat-Clean Diet® for Family & Kids

Cow’s Milk and Yogurt

The refreshing fluidity of dairy is easily replaced by non-dairy options. In fact, many of these beverages and yogurts provide more vitamins and minerals than your typical cow’s milk. Just watch the sugar content of these options, and limit soy consumption to an as-needed basis.

Eat-Clean Option: soy milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk, hemp milk, coconut milk and soy yogurt

Cow’s Cheese

I have Dutch heritage through and through, which means I love my cheese. I choose to limit my consumption of it rather than looking for alternatives, which are often full of junk. Employ this option if you are a lactovegetarian. If you’re vegan, be careful. Vegan cheese is full of many things other than tapioca. Try nutritional yeast instead.

Eat-Clean Option: nutritional yeast

“Stick to healthy oils such as coconut, olive, pumpkinseed and avocado instead.”

Beef/Chicken Broth

This liquid is easily replaced with a healthy option. Simply combine mushroom broth with a dash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Replace mushroom broth with vegetable broth for a chicken broth option. You’ll get the taste and the added benefit of extra aminos. Just be sure to choose low-sodium options.

Eat-Clean Option: Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and vegetable broth

Ground Beef/Turkey/Chicken

TVP or TSP (Textured Vegetable/Soy Protein) are made from crumbled soy and vegetable flours. It’s an interesting way to achieve a ground-meat texture, but it works. It’s also a healthy way to keep meat out of your diet. Just limit your soy intake to once a week.

Eat-Clean Option: TVP/TSP

Scrambled Eggs

Missing your morning scramble? Scrambled tofu and egg replacements are out there to help. I would recommend choosing scrambled tofu over egg replacers, which usually contain sodium carboxymethylcellulose and other nearly unpronounceable preservatives.

Eat-Clean Option: scrambled tofu

Butter

Replacing butter with dairy-free options is tough. For the most part, oil spreads are hydrogenated. Even olive-oil based spreads, which claim to be non-hydrogenated, are light on the olive oil and high on palm and canola, along with many other things. Worst of all, they claim to be high in omega fatty acids, but they are in forms that are hard for your body to use. Stick to healthy oils such as coconut, olive, pumpkinseed and avocado instead.

Eat-Clean Option: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, pumpkinseed oil

Yogurt Cheese

PREP: 5 minutes + overnight draining of yogurt | COOK: 0 minutes | YIELD: 4 cups

This one is essential for any Eat-Clean kitchen!

2 quarts (1.9 L) low-fat, plain yogurt, dairy or soy based (see Prep Tip)

Place four layers of damp cheesecloth in a fine mesh sieve or colander. Place the colander over a bowl.

Add yogurt and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.

Discard the water from the bowl.

PREP TIP

The yogurt you use for this recipe must be all natural and free from gelatin or other binding agents.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING (½ CUP):

Clean Marinara Sauce

PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 25 minutes | YIELD: 3 cups

This comforting sauce is easy, versatile and delicious!

1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil

½ large yellow onion, diced

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste

1 x 15-oz (440 ml) BPA-free can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 x 15-oz (440 ml) BPA-free can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely chopped fresh oregano leaves, or ½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) sea salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan with straight, shallow sides. Add onion and red pepper flakes and sauté until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a handheld immersion blender or stand blender, blend sauce to desired smoothness. Season with salt and pepper.

CHILL OUT

This sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to three months.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING (½ CUP):

Eat-Clean Cooking Spray

PREP: 2 minutes | COOK: 0 minutes

Yes, my friends, there is such a thing as a healthy cooking spray. This will change your life!

Extra virgin olive oil or other Clean cooking oil

Place oil in food-grade spray bottle to spritz over pans, veggies or wherever you need a small amount of oil.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

PREP: 30-40 minutes | COOK: depends on use | YIELD: 1½ lbs raw dough

Whoever said pizza isn’t healthy couldn’t be more wrong, especially when you’re making this Clean and easy-to-make version. Best of all, you can take out any frustrations you may have on the dough when you punch it. Food and therapy all in one – not bad!

1 cup (240 ml) warm water, about 115°F (46°C)

½ tsp (2.5 ml) Sucanat or other unrefined sugar

1 x ¾-oz (21 g) packet active dry yeast

2¼ cups (540 ml) whole wheat flour, plus more for kneading and dusting

½ tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt

2 tsp (10 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Eat-Clean Cooking Spray (see above)

In a small bowl, stir together water, Sucanat and yeast, and let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy. If mixture doesn’t foam, the yeast is no longer active, and you will need to start over with new yeast.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil, and mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients using dough attachment on medium speed for about 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a wooden spoon and mix 1 to 2 minutes until thoroughly combined.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead by hand for about 2 minutes. If dough is sticky, add a little more flour. Mist a large bowl with Eat-Clean Cooking Spray, add dough, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Place dough in a warm area of your house and let rise 20 to 30 minutes until doubled in size. Punch dough down and it’s ready to use, or wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to three days.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING (1 OZ OR 1/24 OF RECIPE):