Bonjour Vegan
Classic French Fare Goes Veg
By Angélique Complainville
Three years ago, I watched a video on YouTube called "101 Reasons to Go Vegan" and I thought to myself, "I can't justify eating animal products for taste now that I know about the suffering that comes with it." But another part of me thought, "I'll try my best, but I don't know if I'll be able to do it in the long haul considering how all the food I am used to has some sort of animal product in it."
After all, France is known for cheeses and fancy meat dishes. I started by taking it a day at a time and educating myself on what veganism meant. I used several resources, including The Vegetarian Resource Group website. The more I learned, the more I realized it wasn't as hard as I thought it was/would be. I had to learn to cook differently by using olive oil instead of butter or checking the ingredient list to find vegan pasta. I was a little worried about not being able to take part in social events since I didn't know any vegetarians, let alone vegans. But I found that by being open and making a veganized version of a popular dish for social gatherings, I could still feel like I belonged.
I think that the number one thing preventing people from going vegan (especially in France) is their love for cheese. And the great news is an awesome company called Les Petits Vegans came out with four typically French vegan cheeses at a reasonable price (www.petits-veganne.fr/categorie-produit/specialites-vegetales/). There are also good recipes to make vegan cheese, and I find that I don't miss it at all because there are so many other delicious foods.
Another funny thing that happened was how my taste buds changed. Growing up I was the picky eater; the only veggies I liked were cucumbers and spinach. I didn't even like pasta until I was 8. But I set my mind to it and tried recipes with ingredients I did like, slowly adding new veggies. I noticed my taste buds completely changed! Who would have thought that one day I could enjoy eating a colorful salad as a part of my lunch?
One thing key thing to remember is that there isn't only one way to eat vegan. Just because you see vegans eating a certain way, it doesn't mean that you can't eat differently. It's all about figuring out what you like and making it vegan. For me that means pasta, risotto, grilled cheese, rice, and veggies, but it could mean smoothies, salads, casseroles, and vegan meat alternatives to you.
Grilled Avocado Sandwich
(Makes 2 sandwiches)
In this recipe, creamy, smooth avocado replaces cheese for a Parisian style sandwich.
1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
15 white button mushrooms, chopped
4 slices bread
3 Tablespoons vegan pesto
1 avocado, pitted, skinned, and thinly sliced
8 fresh spinach leaves
Add olive oil to a medium-sized pan, and warm over medium heat. Once heated, add onions and sauté until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook until reduced by half.
While the mushrooms are cooking, coat one side of each slice of bread with pesto.
Prepare each sandwich by layering the mushroom-and-onion mixture, avocado slices, and a few spinach leaves on one slice. Place the remaining slice of bread on top to close the sandwich and add it to a panini press. Cook until golden, or about 5 minutes.
Note: If you don't have a panini press, heat the sandwich in pan over medium-high heat for three minutes per side, and press down with a plate.
| Total calories per serving: 417 | Fat: 24 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 44 grams | Protein: 13 grams |
| Sodium: 332 milligrams | Fiber: 12 grams |
Ratatouille
(Serves 5)
This traditional dish is typically served as a side. It was originally a plain stew served in the military but grew to become part of French culinary heritage.
2 sweet onions, chopped
1-1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 zucchini, skin-on
1 large eggplant, skin-on
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
4 large ripe tomatoes
Pepper, to taste
Sauté the onions in a large pot with olive oil over medium-high heat. While they are cooking, slice the zucchini and halve the eggplant and then slice each eggplant half. Add the cut zucchini, eggplant, and garlic to the pot. Add salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the pot. Cover and lower the heat to medium-low, simmering for about one hour. Stir every 20 minutes. Cook on low heat for another hour without the lid. Before serving, add pepper to taste.
| Total calories per serving: 130 | Fat: 5 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 21 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 29 milligrams | Fiber: 8 grams |
Pissaladière
(Serves 4)
La pissaladière is the French equivalent to an Italian pizza. Family recipes are usually passed down from generation to generation. This is like an open-faced tart.
Dough:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 packet dry baker's yeast
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Tart Topping:
2 pounds sweet onions (5 or 6 onions)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons organic granulated sugar, optional
1 jarred roasted red pepper, slivered
15 pitted black olives
To make the dough, place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Slowly pour the yeast-water mixture and the olive oil into the mixing bowl and stir to form a soft dough.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Place it back into the bowl and cover it with a towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Peel the onions and finely slice them into rings. Heat up a pan with 3 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add in the sliced onions and thyme and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Remember to stir often and add in some sugar to taste. Once caramelized, remove from heat and cool.
Go back to the dough and stretch it out. If it sticks, add a little more flour. Roll the dough into a circle or rectangle about 12 inches wide and 2 inches thick.
Place the dough on a tray lined with parchment paper. Pour and spread the onion mixture on top of the dough, leaving 1/2-inch edge of crust.
Bake the pissaladière for 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and arrange the red peppers and olives on top. Put the pissaladière back in the oven for another five minutes. Remove from oven and voilà!
Time-saving tip: Buy premade vegan pizza dough!
| Total calories per serving: 565 | Fat: 23 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 79 grams | Protein: 11 grams |
| Sodium: 821 milligrams | Fiber: 5 grams |
Niçoise Salad
(Serves 3)
As the name states this salad is from Nice, a beach town in the south of France. It is traditionally made with only raw veggies and fresh fava beans, but since fresh fava beans aren't commonly available in the USA, try fresh chopped green beans instead.
4 frozen artichokes hearts
5 tomatoes
1/2 cucumber
3 green onions
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 clove of garlic
1-1/2 cups cooked fresh fava beans or chopped green beans
10 black pitted olives
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the artichoke hearts until you can put a knife through them. Drain, slice, and allow to cool.
Thinly slice the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and bell pepper. Rub the bowl with the halved garlic.
On a bed of lettuce (or not), place all the veggies and beans and top them with the olives.
For the dressing, mix together olive oil, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle on the salad.
| Total calories per serving: 254 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 38 grams | Protein: 12 grams |
| Sodium: 220 milligrams | Fiber: 15 grams |
Crêpe
(Makes about 5 using an 11-inch pan)
Crêpes originated in Brittany in the 13th century and were made from buckwheat flour. Though these types of crêpes, galette, are still very popular in France, crêpes are now more commonly made out of white flour. Sweet and savory preparations are both common. For example, you can fill crêpes with a mixture of caramelized onions, chopped tomatoes, and mushrooms. For a sweet version, simply spread melted vegan margarine and organic sugar on each crêpe, or try vegan chocolate-hazelnut butter.
3 Tablespoons organic brown sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
1-3/4 cups almond milk (or any unflavored non-dairy milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Non-stick spray
Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk well to form a smooth batter. You could also use a blender to make sure that the batter is lump-free. Let the batter sit for about 5 minutes.
To cook the crêpes, place a non-stick pan over a medium heat with a little bit of non-stick spray, and as soon as it's hot, pour in 3 Tablespoons of batter, spread it with a spoon using circular motions, and cook the first side for about 30 seconds or until you see the batter bubbling. Once the first side is cooked, flip the crêpe with a spatula and allow to cook for another 30 seconds. Place crêpes one on top of the other on a plate and keep warm by covering with foil until serving.
| Total calories per serving: 136 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 28 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 118 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Angélique wrote this article while volunteering with The Vegetarian Resource Group in Baltimore last summer. She lives in France. Watch a video of her and another VRG intern preparing these recipes: youtu.be/vmRhqpU9f8I
