Day 5 - Find Substitutes

Indulge me for a moment.  Fill in the blank in this sentence:

"Tina, you are an awesome siren goddess.  However, I just can't do this with you, because there's no way I could ever give up ______________ (insert the name of the appropriate food item here)."

First of all, thank you for your sincere, unsolicited compliment.  It is a little hint as to our topic for our next project, by the way.  In 9th grade English, they called that "foreshadowing."  In blogland, we call that "a little hint."

But I digress.  I challenge you to fill in this blank with that ungiveupable food, post your response here - and I, Tina the Awesome Siren Goddess, will recommend a substitute for it, such as would make the palette of the most discerning food critic bleat like a little lamb, crying out, "More, Mama - More!!".  Serious as a heart attack.   I've been surfing the web, reading Sarah's book with it's great charts, and perusing the local health food and regular food grocers.  I have to tell you, I think I pretty much found a "fake" substitute for every conceivable food. 

So, in my house, we gave up milk a few years ago; my son prefers vanilla soymilk with his cereal.  Brandwise, I buy whatever is on sale and he hasn't complained yet.  I have noticed that he prefers the refrigerator section brands, not the box stuff that you buy off the shelf and refrigerate after opening.  I love to cook with butter, but I also love to cook with coconut oil.  My only problem is, the most affordable source for coconut oil - Bear Foods in Chelan - rarely has the "bulk" coconut oil in stock, so you have to get the prepackaged stuff, and it's pretty expensive.

My mission now is to find a bread substitute...we don't eat a lot of bread, really, but it would be nice to have a brand in mind so I can just grab it when I want to buy bread.   I'm guessing tortillas are vegan, and we eat a lot more wraps than sandwiches.

I swear, at the end of the day - it's that "hidden" milk and those "hidden" eggs in pre-made foods that are going to be my downfall.  If there are any vegans in the house, can I get a woot woot?

Back to THE BOOK.  Here is what Sarah had to say for today:

"Go to the local health food store or the health food aisle in your local supermarket. Look for soy-based meat, cheese, and dairy substitutes. If someone is shopping in the same aisles, you may want to ask if they have any experience with the products, and what brands they recommend. Buy at least one new substitute product that you have not tried before. "
Sarah Taylor. Vegan in 30 Days: Get Healthy. Save the World. (Kindle Locations 220-222). Kindle Edition.

So, I'm all about outing myself on the internet for your pleasure, so I have to confess that I didn't go shopping today.  I did go last week (Safeway, not the health food store, again with tattling on myself) and purchased: "Lightlife Smart Cutlets Spicy Sweet & Sour Veggie Protein Cutlets in Sauce" as my new product.  It looks like a really, really flat chicken breast and it's got some sauce on it.  I'm thinking over rice, add some sauteed mushrooms and we are set. 

As far as asking someone who's shopping there, did I mention this is ranch country?

Point of clarification, so you don't think I'm weaseling my way out of the health food store part - I do frequent the health food store in Chelan, probably 5 times a year or so, even though it's 60 miles one way and gas is like $85 a gallon.  I do this because it makes me feel trendy and green, and because I figure there's going to be some single men there.  My assumptions are inevitably wrong, as no one has ever accused me of being "trendy," "green," or "dateable."  But I still have a good time because it's Chelan, and they also have an indie bookstore and a kitchen store that sells fudge.

Fudge.  Oh crap.  Substitute ideas, Sarah?

All that being said - I look forward to sleuthing out your substitutes.  Bring it, baby.   Even fudge.