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FAQs: Ask the Vegan Chef

Former restaurant chef Robin Robertson is a quintessential vegan queen of the kitchen. The author of 10 vegetarian cookbooks, including Vegan Planet and The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook, Robin answers your questions about vegan cuisine. From meat-free must-haves to keep in the kitchen to how to satisfy cravings for vegan French toast and much more, Robin shares years of experience and a wealth of expertise with you. Read on! (And to learn about her upcoming events and releases, visit Robin’s Web site at RobinRobertson.com.)

Picky Eaters

Q. I just discovered GoVeg.com and have decided to go vegetarian. But I have a huge problem—I cannot stand vegetables. I tried broccoli yesterday and I gagged. I don’t know what to do. I enjoy soy milk and will substitute it for cow’s milk, but I don’t know what else to eat!

A. For starters, the broccoli you tried may have been overcooked (yuck) or raw, which is not to everyone’s taste. Even if perfectly cooked, not everyone loves broccoli. But don’t stop there—there are literally hundreds of vegetables out there (if not more) and dozens of ways to prepare them. Not everyone loves them all, but surely you’ll be able to find a few that you like!

Don’t try to eat veggies “straight,” which is how many of us were raised—a pile of steamed veggies plunked onto the plate alongside the meat and potatoes. Blah. No wonder so many people grow up with a fear of veggies! Instead, try sneaking chopped or shredded veggies into casseroles, meatless loaves, burritos, stir-fries, curries, tofu scrambles, and pasta sauces. Top your baked potato with chopped veggies and a savory sauce. Try fried potato cakes that also contain shredded carrots, onion, and zucchini. Maybe a puréed vegetable soup would do the trick. Try roasting vegetables or throwing them on the grill, which brings out their natural sugars. The trick is eating vegetables that have been well prepared (not overcooked!) and lightly seasoned. It may take a bit of research (just flip through some cookbooks until you spot something that sounds good) and a little experimentation on your part, but I think you’ll discover that you like vegetables a lot more than you thought.

Q. I have been a vegan for most of my life, but I’m a picky eater. Anything that looks like meat disgusts me, including veggie burgers. I tried curry the other day, and I just about got sick. However, I do like soy cheese pizza. Food has to look appetizing before I can eat it. Can you suggest any meals that will make dinnertime more enjoyable for my whole family?

A. Sounds like your best bet may be to stick with the basics: beans, brown rice and other whole grains, and lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Try seasoning your foods simply—roast or sauté your veggies in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and include garlic or onions if you like them. Not everyone likes heavily spiced foods, or it could be that the curry you ate wasn’t prepared very well. Are there any ethnic foods that you like? How about pasta with marinara sauce? Veggie lasagna? Bean burritos? Maybe some cooked pasta sautéed in olive oil with veggies and pine nuts or chickpeas? If you like salads, be sure to include a portion of cooked beans or tofu to up the protein. Look through some vegan cookbooks until you find things that appeal to you and then try at least one new item each week.

Q. I have a 2-year-old boy who is a very picky eater. We are a vegan family and are very happy with our diet, but our little boy won’t eat anything except prepared foods in jars, cereal, and fruits that I mash for him, such as avocados or bananas. The only things that he will eat on his own are French fries, apples, homemade breads, raisins, and cookies. Do you have any suggestions for finger foods that I can introduce to him or just any ideas about vegan foods that picky children might like?

A. Cereals, mashed fruit, apples, raisins, and homemade bread are all good foods for kids. To expand the selection further, how about preparing other healthy foods in the same way that you prepare foods that your son already likes? Because he likes French fries, try making oven-browned “fries” from sweet potatoes, carrot sticks, or asparagus spears. (Roast the veggies with a little olive oil at 425°F until tender, turning once.) If he likes mashed foods, maybe he’d like smoothies. You can get a variety of fruits into him that way. When you give him homemade bread, try spreading it with almond butter for protein and other nutrients. Other foods that you’d like him to try should be made to look like “fun” foods—try cutting them into cute shapes or serving them in interesting containers. You can even make homemade foods and put them in washed-out supermarket jars that he likes!

Q. Hi. After seeing PETA’s Web site and watching the videos there, I have decided to become a vegetarian. I never liked meat to begin with, but everything seems to revolve around it and dairy products. My problem is that I am also not a big fan of vegetables. The only vegetables that I really like are potatoes and green beans. (I can eat others, but I will not eat onions or peppers, lettuce, or celery.) What should I do? Can you suggest some good recipe books? I have seen many on this Web site, but I don’t have a credit card, so I need to go to a bookstore to buy them. Also, when I go to Starbucks (yes, I am addicted), what can I order?

A. Why not go to the public library? Most have a good selection of books about vegetables (there’s a whole world of veggies out there from asparagus to zucchini!) and vegetarian cookbooks that you can borrow. Take them over to Starbucks, order a soy latte, and read through them. The key is knowledge. Learn about what’s out there. You don’t have to spend lots of money on cookbooks—once you figure out which veggies and other great veggie ingredients you enjoy, you can find loads of great recipes right on the Internet. In fact, I’d wager that there are some great recipes right here on this site!

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