The 5 Weirdest Vegan Foods You Have to Try

I have spent the better part of the past three years using this blog to convince people that vegan food is…well, just food. Nothing weird to see here. And now, I’m going to let you all in on a little vegan secret - there are some pretty weird things that vegans eat! But weird doesn’t mean bad. In the case of these five foods, weird is wonderful! These are foods that every vegan, and non-vegan, should try. You’ll be amazed…astounded…and you’ll wonder why you never tried these foods before.

Aquafaba

This one sounds like something that a mad chemist dreamt up in an underground lab somewhere. I honestly don’t know who, or how, someone came up with the idea that the liquid canned chickpeas are packed in (called aquafaba) can mimic egg whites and be whipped to the perfect meringue for cookies, or to top a pie. I’ve made aquafaba meringues many times for nonvegans and not once has anyone questioned what they were made of. The replication of an egg white is pretty much 100%. It’s truly the stuff of mad science!

Jackfruit

Full disclosure…I’m not a fan. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t delicious because there are a lot of people out there that swear by it as a substitute for any kind of “pulled” meat. As a testament to its popularity, many restaurant menus feature jackfruit tacos, curries and sandwiches.

Fresh, canned or frozen, jackfruit comes in little pods that literally shred, like chicken or beef. On its own, jackfruit has a very bland, very slightly sweet taste, similar to an under ripe pear, but once mixed with a sauce, it transforms into a delicious and hearty meat alternative that many people find very delicious and satisfying.

TVP

Also known as texturized vegan protein, TVP used to be the only “meat” alternative for vegans back in the day. It comes dried in many shapes and sizes so that it can be rehydrated and eaten on its own with seasoning or used in stews, casseroles and pasta sauces.

TVP is soy based and has a neutral flavour, similar to tofu. And, like tofu, it absorbs whatever flavours you cook it in. Depending on the shape you choose and the seasonings you use, TVP can act as a substitute for pretty much any animal-based meat. Plus, TVP is a complete plant-based protein meaning that it doesn’t need to be combined with any other protein source to provide you with all nine essential amino acids.

Nutritional Yeast

You know I love this stuff! You can read all about it in detail in my blog dedicated to all things “nooch”. These tasty flakes of gold, which have an unfortunately unappealing name, are a must-have staple of the vegan diet. Not only is nutritional yeast delicious, adding a very subtle cheesy, slightly nutty taste to pretty much everything from soups to smoothies and salad dressings to pasta sauces, it’s also a ridiculous source of B vitamins which can be challenging for vegans to get from food. Be sure to purchase nutritional yeast that has been fortified with B vitamins to get the full nutritional benefit of your nooch.

Kala Namak

Another check for the weird name category! Kala Namak is a black (sometimes pink), volcanic rock salt that will have your senses going insane trying to figure it out. It looks like salt, sprinkles like salt but smells and tastes EXACTLY like cooked eggs. It has a pungent, sulfur smell and a taste that is crazy! Just a few grinds of this salt and a tofu scramble becomes perfect scrambled eggs! Anywhere that you want the taste of eggs, Kala Namak will make it happen. I use it to create the most delicious egg salad I’ve ever had (and that includes ones made with eggs!). This is one of my all-time favourites so I’m going to share it here with you. This recipe is very adaptable so increase, or decrease, the ingredients to your taste.

The Best Ever Egg Salad Recipe

1 454g block of firm or extra firm tofu, pressed to release all the water

1 tbsp yellow mustard

¼ tsp – ½ tsp ground kala namak

2 tbsp green relish

2 green onions, chopped

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (I love Hellmann’s!)

Directions

1.     Crumble the pressed tofu into a bowl with your fingers until it mostly resembles small pebbles – a few larger pieces are good for texture

2.     Add remaining ingredients and combine well.

3.     Adjust to taste adding more salt or mayonnaise, as desired

I hope this blog has helped you find your way to plant-based eating. Remember…the goal is not to be perfect. Do the best you can and enjoy the journey! Sign up for vegcurious to be delivered right to your inbox at vegcurious.ca.

Note: It is strongly recommended that you consult with your primary care physician before making any changes to your diet. This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to recommend or endorse any particular product, diet or eating plan.