- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2003 CF Ronces to Santiago
Hospi San Anton 2016.
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I understand that this is all new to you but you are making it sound as though cooking for vegans is like cooking for aliens who come from a planet that has none of the same ingredients that we have on earth. Most of the ingredients you already cook with are likely to be vegan. All it takes are some tweaks here and there to come up with simple, healthy, vegan meals.So do I just put all the veg on the table and ask the pilgrim to make their own or do I TRY to cook?
Most dried pasta is indeed egg-free, while most fresh pasta is not. Gnocchi is typically fresh and would often contain eggs although in all cases it's obviously always best to check the list of ingredients on the packet.I know you can get Vegan(egg free) Pasta and of course there is gnocchi.
I'd recommend starting with Happy Pear, two brilliant Irish lads who make vegan cooking easy using simple recipes, mostly whole foods and basic ingredients.I look forward to some suggested recipes that may only take say 20 minutes but lasagna
pasta and other elaborate dishes I will also try.
I understand that this is all new to you but you are making it sound as though cooking for vegans is like cooking for aliens who come from a planet that has none of the same ingredients that we have on earth.
I think it's important to point out the menu del dia and pretty much the staple restaurant offerings on the way, outside of the big cities, for vegetarian / vegans are unappealing salads (always originally still offered with tuna per most dishes in Spain), plain pasta in a basic sugary tomato sauce, fries and bread
In the 1980s I walked to Walsingham twice with the Student Cross pilgrimage. In one village kind local ladies had cooked food for us: shepherd's pie for the carnivores and chicken for the vegetarians.... A concept not fully understood in rural Norfolk at the time. Things have moved on a bit since then for vegetarians and vegans - even in SpainIs this really what it’s like for us vegetarians?
In one village kind local ladies had cooked food for us: shepherd's pie for the carnivores and chicken for the vegetarians.... A concept not fully understood in rural Norfolk at the time.
It's not that bad in my experience. While what the person you replied to said regarding the daily or pilgrim menus is generally true, there are also more options if you seek them out. We have always found that even if there's nothing suitable on the menu, restaurant staff in Spain are usually willing to accommodate requests. Speaking Spanish helps but even without it, making suggestions for dishes that already contain ingredients they know/have is a good idea. For example, if you're in a small village with one restaurant and you ask for a tofu red curry or a buddha bowl, that's not realistic. But if you ask for parrillada de verduras (grilled vegetables, always more delicious than it sounds!), paella de verduras, garbanzos guisados (stewed chickpeas) etc, you should have more luck. ¡Buen camino y buen provecho!Is this really what it’s like for us vegetarians? I guess it was just a matter of time before I encountered something about the Camino that I am not looking forward to
Thank you, yes, it is! I saw a Rouses, but had never been in one so I opted for my go to Walmart when down here across the street. Very limited supply, but I did buy a loaf of gluten-free grain bread...only $6.@Camino Chrissy, would that be Gulf Shores, AL? New Orleanian who has spent family vacations on your lovely stretch of coast hereIf there's a Rouse's nearby (which Google Maps tells me there is), they have a great selection of vegetarian, vegan, and even non-gluten food and condiments. And even a lot of things in the "regular" aisles at the supermarket would be suitable for your guests, though it may involve some extra label-reading on your part. Thank you for being such a kind and considerate host!
I saw a Rouses, but had never been in one so I opted for my go to Walmart when down here across the street. Very limited supply, but I did buy a loaf of gluten-free grain bread...only $6., among other items.
EDIT- I assume needing gluten-free offerings on the Caminos could pose a few problems for some, in addition to the vegetarians issues.
My wife and I ate at vegan restaurant in Pamplona and there were options in many places that 20 years ago wouldn’t have existed
Just be careful about chick-pea *amounts consumed*. Wonderful source of protein, also a neurotoxin…. This feature is very well-known in regions where chickpeas are used as the primary replacement for a variety of things from eggs to flour ( so the vegan GF crown can really fall into this issue). I learned about the hazards of overzealous reliance on chickpeas in grad school: anthropology of medicine…. Was very surprised.A friend pointed me towards a recipe for a vegan tortilla using chickpea flour as an egg replacement. I make it quite often even though I am pretty omnivorous
Tortilla or Spanish Omelette (V + GF)
Tortilla (or Spanish Omelette) is a typical Spanish recipe, probably one of the most famous in our country. This is a vegan version, so delicious!simpleveganblog.com
A confusion over naming here I think. The chickpeas in the recipe I posted are Cicer arietinum - the very common legume known in Spanish as 'garbanzos'. The article you linked to concerns a plant of an entirely different genus which happens to share a similar common name - Lathyrus sativum.Just be careful about chick-pea *amounts consumed*. Wonderful source of protein, also a neurotoxin….
Passing through London on my return from a Camino several years ago I got into conversation with a young American woman who was in the UK for a few weeks summer school. She asked about the Camino and said that she might like to walk one day. Then she went on to tell me that she belonged to an evangelical church very strongly opposed to alcohol and that she personally would never eat in a place where alcohol was sold. Not a problem in her "dry" home county in the southern US. She was finding it quite tricky to find eating places in London which were alcohol-free other than fast-food joints. I suggested she try halal restaurants which are fairly common in many parts of London. I'm not sure she really understood or believed me when I told her that virtually all cafes and restaurants in Spain sell alcohol and that she would struggle to eat along the way if she kept to her strict rule. It would certainly be a challenge.Thank goodness no one (as far as I know) tries to keep Kosher while on the Camino.
Latin binomials change all the time, so it gets confusing. L. arietinum, L.sativum, and C.arietinum are the same beast.A confusion over naming here I think. The chickpeas in the recipe I posted are Cicer arietinum - the very common legume known in Spanish as 'garbanzos'. The article you linked to concerns a plant of an entirely different genus which happens to share a similar common name - Lathyrus sativum.
I think that is incorrect. If you search for images of the plants and seeds you will find that Cicer arietinum and Lathyrus sativum are very different species. The Wikipedia articles for both species list the binomials used for each species in the past and these terms do not overlap.Latin binomials change all the time, so it gets confusing. L. arietinum, L.sativum, and C.arietinum are the same beast.
Most interesting , I have noticed that most people I know have a signature dish that they are good at preparing. Even though you cannot play the piano and I understand that FULLY! , you still have a coping mechanism , I like that. Your little recipe is perhaps the most simple and best so far.Hmmm, interesting responses, but I sympathize.
I am vegetarian (since I was a kid – just hated eating meat, didn’t like the taste and everything about it, and my nephew did the same before he could even talk), and yet I have no idea how to cook vegetarian, as I cannot cook to save my life. Don’t tell me it’s practice – you can either play the piano, speak another language, ride a bike, or you can’t.
Anyway, what I am saying is: Keep it Simple. One of my favourite meals is mixed veges (roasted, steamed, boiled, microwaved, stirfried or whatever) with a handful of chopped nuts spinkled on top, and maybe soya sauce at hand for seasoning. Can’t get any simpler than that, and beats a soggy salad.
Maybe a fresh tomato (or seasonal veg or bean) soup before, and followed by a yummy homemade dessert, NOT flan.
Wow! I make my own sweet corn bread , a few slices with your dish would go down well , forget the bacon.This is one of my favorite vegan (actually whole food plant based) recipes.
(vegan - oreos - processed food leaves you with WFPB)
Greek Lentil and spinach Soup with lemon (though it is thick so maybe a Stew or add more water). It takes about an hour to make and it makes a lot, holds well in the fridge or freezer.
Ingredients
You can change the greens or the squash, use more or less or different types. It can be served with orange slices instead of lemon. Green or brown lentils. A jalapeno pepper or whatever kind you have on hand.
- 1 pound brown or large green lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 10 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 medium Yukon gold, russet or red potatoes (1 1/4 pounds), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 10 ounces baby spinach, chopped
- 1 small butternut squash (1 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, with leaves, sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 lemons
I've made it myself many times and I never get tired of it. We had it last week and I already want to make it again.
You could serve it with ham or chicken cubes on the side, or bacon. Cooking for omnivores doesn't have to be so hard.
No, far more likely that I'm wrong.Is that likely?
Lana, Sureste, and Levante pilgrims - moderation is your friend. It sounds like you need to eat a lot over an extended period to cause Lathyrism, as in times of war or famine:Flour made from grass peas (Spanish: almorta) is the main ingredient for the gachas manchegas or gachas de almorta.[8] Accompaniments for the dish vary throughout La Mancha. This is an ancient Manchego cuisine staple, generally consumed during the cold winter months. The dish is generally eaten directly out of the pan in which it was cooked, using either a spoon or a simple slice of bread
During the Spanish War of Independence against Napoleon, grasspea served as a famine food. This was the subject of one of Francisco de Goya's famous aquatint prints titled Gracias a la Almorta ("Thanks to the Grasspea"), depicting poor people surviving on a porridge made from grasspea flour, one of them lying on the floor, already crippled by it
I think that is incorrect. If you search for images of the plants and seeds you will find that Cicer arietinum and Lathyrus sativum are very different species.
That I understand. As a vegetarian living in France I have asked for vegetarian omelette and had it cooked with lardons (small cubes of bacon) or bacon removed from around French beans when commented on.In the 1980s I walked to Walsingham twice with the Student Cross pilgrimage. In one village kind local ladies had cooked food for us: shepherd's pie for the carnivores and chicken for the vegetarians.... A concept not fully understood in rural Norfolk at the time. Things have moved on a bit since then for vegetarians and vegans - even in Spain
Well, it may not be appropriate to tell her that she's full of misinformationI shall have to write to the bio-anthro professor in the medical anthro programme and tell her that she’s full of misinformation.
As far as I can see (which isn't very far), the connected article does not equate the "drought-resistant chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus)" with our chickpea/garbanzo.
Not the same person as in this article. And yes, even profs make mistakes, but not usually in their main areas of research.Well, it may not be appropriate to tell her that she's full of misinformation. But if she was the person who connected the research cited below, with the chickpea/garbanzo, she may have made a mistake. Even respected professors/scientists can make mistakes, and the example of lathyrism is still an interesting medical anthro case to study.
As far as I can see (which isn't very far), the connected article does not equate the "drought-resistant chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus)" with our chickpea/garbanzo.
The biggest use of soy and corn is to feed animals in the meat, dairy and egg industries, not to feed vegans.I increasingly wondered about the amount of *processing* and issues of bioavailability in totally vegan diets… and of monocropping (soy, corn, etc.)
In fact, almost 80% of the world’s soybean crop is fed to livestock, especially for beef, chicken, egg and dairy production (milk, cheeses, butter, yogurt, etc).
Yes, and I don’t eat industrial meat for that reason. I am very privileged to be able to afford to eat only from small, local farms with a “closed circle” approach to chicken, lamb, beef and pork, and to small plot vegetables (farms of roughy 30 acres in which they rotate the vegetable crops and the animals).The biggest use of soy and corn is to feed animals in the meat, dairy and egg industries, not to feed vegans.
Re: soy, from WWF:
Re: corn from data posted in this article at Visual Capitalist: the highest use of corn in the U.S. is for animal feed (38.7 percent), then ethanol (fuel) at 26.6 percent.
Would that 300g per day be for a normal population or for the malnourished populations that were researched. This may be an example of how a valid conclusion from good research can develop a life of its own, and mutate into misinformation.She was very clear with us in the caution about amounts. She said that it would take about 300G per day
She said we could reach that very quickly if we started using it as a substitute both for protein and for flour as a vegan/GF diet might. Cheap, easy, tasty, and with good textural results… it could enter into the 300g zone very easily. That was her caution. The 300g came from the prison/concentration camp data, and it would not apply to anyone who just likes hummus (my kid eats 2-3 tubs of it per week), but if you start making crackers, hummus, “omelettes”, stew… and used the *chickpeas* (I can’t stress how much she was not worrying that we’d go get a different looking, flatter pea) for all those things, we would easily hit it. Chickpea omlette, hummus and crackers, chickpea stew, a 5-bean salad with chickpeas… in different tasty/savoury deliveries would not feel like a diet of chickpeas… that was her point.Would that 300g per day be for a normal population or for the malnourished populations that were researched. This may be an example of how a valid conclusion from good research can develop a life of its own, and mutate into misinformation.
I would be interested in what she might say now, if you do end up asking about it.that was her point.
For a time I worked at a community kitchen as a volunteer, ad we would pulverize soaked seeds (small, flat, dark brown — the name won’t come to me now)
She said we could reach that very quickly if we started using it as a substitute both for protein and for flour as a vegan/GF diet might.
And I never said chickpeas weren’t tasty… just was immediately reminded of this rather serious caution about not using them across the ”substitutions” list (from a prof who had been vegan and remained a very disciplined vegetarian).
Hey let me know the next time you are having a vegan feast! Yum!I am not vegan or vegetarian. As a fact, i like fish and meat very much.
However, i like to cook and make my guests happy, so i make arrangements for their preferences.
This Silvester we had a vegan friend over, and a vegetarian was 50/50 on joining us aswell. So i came up with the question on what to cook.
We went with Tacos and it was awesome. Guacamole, vegan. Salsa Roja, vegan. Refried beans, vegan. Herbs and spices, vegan. All without buying anything out of the ordinary. Cheese was a bit of a thing, but i found a vegan cream cheese. For "meat" we made Tofu-crumbles and they are amazing (Recipe)
And for the non-vegans there was some shredded regular cheese and a single bbq-marinated grilled chicken breast. Awesome meal and mostly ingredients that every supermarket carries.
Since silvester my wife asked me to cook more vegan, so for tonight it's Zuchini+Carrot pancakes with some vegan herb cream cheese, for tomorrow Spaghetti Alio&Olio. Anything Chickpea is also always a staple. Hummus, Falafel... can't go wrong with that. Bulgur and Quinoa (Quillnoa?) are also stuff that works surprisingly well in a lot of dishes.
So i am likely not going to keep cooking this much vegan food, but to be honest, i am quite surprised how easy it is. Of course i can always cheat at work and have a Bratwurst for lunch.
edit: Even a Caldo Verde can be easily made vegan. Just offer the meat/chorizo as a side dish so everyone can adjust to their likings.
edit2: Same goes for Sopa de Ajo, another camino classic.
Having plant milk for people to put in their coffee/tea (soymilk, oatmilk, whatever's available locally and not too expensive) is a really unexpected and nice thing to see when not at home.
Don't be afraid to season things heavily! So many people make vegetarian and vegan dishes very bland, and there's no reason for it.
Fake meats/cheese/etc are a nice treat but tend to be expensive--I don't use them often at home.
Don't be afraid to have a heavy hand with things like olive oil. Most vegan foods have very little fat on their own compared to meat/dairy/eggs; and fat makes things taste better and also makes meals more satisfying.
Check the labels on things. Non-vegan ingredients hide in surprising places--and conversely, some foods are vegan that you wouldn't expect!
Definitely.Remember that as a hospitalero, you never have to cook for the same person twice. In other words, you can cook the same dinner every night. I would experiment with a few vegan recipes at home before you leave. Choose the best one, and then serve it every night in the albergue (and have a crafty bacon sandwich in the kitchen when everyone has gone to bed when you can't stand it any more).
Pardon me for the complete tangent, but is maple syrup readily available in Spain now? I didn't think to look for it when last on Camino, but I have definite memories about trying to explain it to English students in Spain 30 years ago when they had never heard of it.I think it would be very nice to have sugar/honey/maple syrup, oil, salt, pepper, vinegars, lemon juice, soy sauce, condiments-?, and plant milk available, near or at the table. (that is what one of my kitchen counters has on it!)
It's not a tangent! I have no idea.Pardon me for the complete tangent, but is maple syrup readily available in Spain now? I didn't think to look for it when last on Camino, but I have definite memories about trying to explain it to English students in Spain 30 years ago when they had never heard of it.
Not sure about Spain but I have to go to specialty stores to get it in Portugal as the standard supermarkets don’t have it.Pardon me for the complete tangent, but is maple syrup readily available in Spain now? I didn't think to look for it when last on Camino, but I have definite memories about trying to explain it to English students in Spain 30 years ago when they had never heard of it.
In the 1980s I walked to Walsingham twice with the Student Cross pilgrimage. In one village kind local ladies had cooked food for us: shepherd's pie for the carnivores and chicken for the vegetarians.... A concept not fully understood in rural Norfolk at the time. Things have moved on a bit since then for vegetarians and vegans - even in Spain
Exactly!Basic trick I think is don't try and make a "vegan meal", but make something a carnivore would like except with veg.
Not quite: meat eaters want meat protein. Vegetable protein is not the same stuff but can be enjoyed alongside meat.Protein is important, so chick peas, lentils, and so on -- which most meat-eaters enjoy too.
Sure it is!meat eaters want meat protein. Vegetable protein is not the same stuff but can be enjoyed alongside meat.
True, AFAIK.I had read years ago that beans and rice combined in the same meal make a perfect protein, but I'm not sure if that is fact or fiction.
So true!The amount of protein that is needed per day often gets overestimated, and the amount of protein found in vegetables, nuts, grain and seeds underestimated. Even oats ect. contain protein! So you eat a lot of protein 'accidentally' everyday, and probably much more than you think you do, overall.
Many plant based protein sources do not have all essential amino acids, that's true. But if you eat a healthy mix of different things, you'll get what you need.
Lentils/beans/chickpeas + grain/rice + nuts/seeds are usually a good combination.
For example:
- Hummus with tahina (sesame) and bread, plus vegetables/salad.
- Bean chili with rice, plus salad with nuts/seeds.
- thick lentil soup with bread, plus salad with nuts/seeds.
And to be honest, I make sure to get the nutrition I need, so if I'm a guest somewhere, and the meal that is offered is low in protein, it doesn't really matter. I probably had enough during the day already, and if not, one low protein day should be overall irrelevant if you usually eat a healthy, balanced diet most days...
You are preaching to the converted, but what I meant was it's important when cooking for vegans.Not quite: meat eaters want meat protein. Vegetable protein is not the same stuff but can be enjoyed alongside meat.
Pray tell why one would need animal fatWhat vegans most lack though is the animal fat.
It is THE best nutrient that exists. Including for biochemical reasons, our mitochondria love it, and the fat feeds our brains.Pray tell why one would need animal fat?
And neither do I although I would not call it a requirement but rather a dietary or lifestyle choice. I certainly don't know of any vegan who by choice would consider eating animal fat!I would not recommend my own dietary requirements on anyone.
It is THE best nutrient that exists.
Thank you! If the thread goes further into such debate, posts may need to be deleted and the thread closed!I think the OP was looking for ways to accomodate those with a variety of diets. I hate to see this thread devolve into discussion of what diets are best.
Basic trick I think is don't try and make a "vegan meal", but make something a carnivore would like except with veg. It's vegetarian cooking really, just without the eggs and dairy. Or with pasta, keep the grated cheese separate, and let each use it or not to taste.
I have no idea at all what a 'gumbo' is, but if it has all the mushrooms it can only be perfect!
Well, I would slightly disagree with this: what "vegan" meals often miss is sufficient fat, period. Avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil...it's harder to successfully eat low carb sometimes. (Beans are starch, peanuts are starch--because they're beans, all the grains are starch, potatoes are starch, sweet potatoes have less but are still starch...)You are preaching to the converted, but what I meant was it's important when cooking for vegans.
What vegans most lack though is the animal fat.
I might have to try that out some time.We got fresh mint in the winter which I incorporated as a part of a marinated lentil salad.
Veggie bouillon for the win, it tastes good, it builds a nice broth with not too many more additions, and it has needed salt in the bargain.I always looked for and kept a package of gluten-free pasta, plenty of vegetable bouillon cubes, cans and bags of beans, bags of rice and lentils, and as many fresh vegetables as I could buy reasonably on hand.
Thank you for your consideration. Beans, veg, salad, chips, patatas braves, soups, dried pasta, rice and Gnocchi are all good. You could consider veg stir fry, bean chilli, lentil soups, burritos, tostados con tomate (my favourite breakfast) avacado salad. Mushroom Rissotto without cream and cheese unless vegan. My absolute favourite whilst in Spain has to be vegtable Paella.I have a few members of our family that are vegans. I do not understand it but I really do not want to be ignorant. I have seen a chicken moved of the dinner as it has an offensive smell , yet the same person ate meat for 30 years?
In today's times it just seems so difficult to please everyone - HOWEVER , I am keen to learn and as a hospitalero I may be asked for a vegan meal? So do I just put all the veg on the table and ask the pilgrim to make their own or do I TRY to cook? I know you can get Vegan(egg free) Pasta and of course there is gnocchi.
I look forward to some suggested recipes that may only take say 20 minutes but lasagna
pasta and other elaborate dishes I will also try.
Since this is a topical thread at the moment, some of you might be interested to know that I am giving a talk tomorrow (Saturday 29 January) about walking the Camino as a vegan. It's part of an online summit on vegan travel.
If you wish, you can register for free at this link.
Yes! You can find the replays of all the summit talks at this link:I'm sorry I missed your talk, @Wendy Werneth! Is it available to view online anywhere?
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