Trying new things

Rachael Ray's recipe for Chicken, Biscuits 'n' Gravy Casserole is...sniff...just heavenly.  Truly. 

I am currently fifteen days off of meat and dairy, and all of the websites I visit suggest I "cook what is familiar."  And so I decided to do just that.  How different could it taste, anyway?  I would simply omit the chicken and make a few minor substitutions:

Cow's milk = Rice milk

Cheddar cheese = Vegan cheddar cheese

Chicken stock = Vegetable broth

Butter = Earth Balance "buttery spread"

White flour = whole wheat pastry flour (the only whole wheat-y thing I had on hand)

I worked furiously, my hopes higher than high.  As the gravy mixture began to waft up to my nostrils, however, my hopes slowly began to deflate.  I could really smell that rice milk, and it didn't seem to blend well with the veggies.  All the same, I popped the casserole into the oven and waited.  

The consistency of that vegan cheddar kind of gives me the willies.  I reflected on this as I waited for my casserole to bake.  (Stay positive, goddammit!  It's time to baste the biscuits with the garlic butter buttery spread!)

Reader, I'd like to tell you my Tuesday night experiment was a glittering triumph; that I polished off half the pan, the way I always used to.  In reality, this dish...made me weep.  And not in a good way.  Hubby came over and sat down next to me, having just eaten a BBQ chicken sandwich, and brushed a tear from my cheek.  It was the rice milk, he suggested, or perhaps the vegetable broth; we'd buy a different brand next time.  It would be okay. 

For a moment I remained inconsolable.  "I just miss...my flavors."  I do, indeed.  Everything is so unfamiliar.  Giving up the meat was hard enough without also forgoing milk, butter, eggs and cheese.  Faced with this challenge, one has to be creative, one has to be brave.  One has to try new things.  Doesn't one? 

In any case, I could only force down a few bites.  When you adore food as much as I do, cooking familiar things in an unfamiliar fashion is downright painful.  It sure looked pretty, though. 

Comments

[Amy]

I really am proud of you for sticking to your guns, however, I really hope you are taking vitamins, especially fish oils. While you may feel great you are depriving yourself of certain things that your body needs. This is also not the most ideal diet for the future... :) And that is all for my unsolicited advice. :)

[Keely]

Could you compromise and just cut out meat?

[the odd broad]

I ran out of vitamins yesterday, actually...but Amy you reminded me! I got some more today. Fish oil counts as meat, though. Sigh.

Last night's vegan meal really shook my resolve. I went into Trader Joe's on my lunch break and just stared at the cheese case. It was kind of weird. Keel, I'm thinking I'd really love to add the dairy part back in...I was initially going to try for one month vegan...but it's only been 16 days. I don't want to wimp out. And yet...I want CHEESE.

[Weinerdog]

Why'd you go whole hog? The skinny Bitches say you can do 1 thing at a time.

I'm starting with meat & will try to sub as much soy for dairy as possible.

Remember it's not a diet it's a lifestyle & since you did go whole hog in the words of the skinny bitches..........DON'T BE A PUSSY!!!!!!

[Kathleen]

I am very proud of you for going 100% right off the bat...but that is SO hard! I try to be vegan as much as I can during the week but I still slip in the dairy now and again on the weekends and I've found it impossible to give up fish 100%. I never liked milk so having soy milk is no problem. But cheese, I love it! Try to buy cheese and milk from a local farm with a few cows and you'll know that you can feel better about eating. You're already a skinny bitch so you don't need to worry about that aspect of it :)

Your blog is advertising for Oakhurst milk, by the way...

[the odd broad]

Weenie, I have no idea why I went whole hog...I didn't really "think it through." Surprise, surprise!

Thanks Kathleen! I was thinking I would do that, maybe find a nice brand of local cheese at whole foods or something. I'm jonesing for cheese even milk real bad. I can't believe I've gone this long without it. I did buy vegan fillo dough the other day- I'm pretty excited to use it.

xoxo

[Stacey]

I tried some cheese at Sprouts the other day that was made from almond paste. The lady had made some grill cheeses using it and it actually melted pretty well.... maybe you could try?

[the odd broad]

I'll definitely have to try that! Thanks Stace. I found something kind of exciting at Shaw's yesterday...vegan FLUFF! Now all I need is vegan Nutella and my life will be complete. :)

xoxo

[Cousin danboy]

i bet you were glad to have the coconut milk coffee ice cream to wash it down then ..haha

[the odd broad]

LOL!

Oh Dan, that horrible vegan ice cream will probably stay in my freezer for the next two years! So...coconutty

xoxo