First of all, being vegan has to do with more than just what you eat. It's what you believe, what you stand for, your morals, ethics, compassion, and entire lifestyle - being a true vegan means that not only are animals not on the menu (but on the guest list!) but that you don't use any part of the animal, in anything. Like lipstick, nail polish, food coloring, artificial flavor, shoe leather, wool rugs...get my drift? Being a vegan is an entire life style, not just a food style.
My personal viewpoint? I don't want to eat animals. I don't like it, I think it's wrong, I feel bad for them, it makes me ill to think of the process, they deserve a whole lot better life than being bred for the dinner table in abominable living conditions, and I believe that animal protein is terribly unhealthy for human beings. Eat plants! However. I also don't believe in taking my convictions so far that it negatively affects my family life, finances, or causes excessive difficulties in the kitchen, which in turn complicate other aspects of life.
Example: I'm allergic to beef and carrots, so what sort of broth do I use for soup? (Don't use broth, you say, use water. Pardon, but I prefer soup with flavor, not an overabundance of seasonings...neither do I like watery soup.) I use the one brand of chicken broth in the entire grocery store that has neither artificial flavor, coloring, preservatives, or extra ingredients that you couldn't buy off the shelves - and doesn't contain carrots. Seriously, check the labels next time. Carrots are in every-freakin-thing...
Another example: My family is a huge fan of lasagna. (You too, huh? I've got a great recipe, if you'll give me a post or two) I've experimented with the true vegan lasagna recipes, and eh, they're ok. But the price tag! Wow! Checked the price on soy cheese lately? And you can't even find vegan mozzerella around here, you have to order it online or through co-op...so now we have a very rare and expensive Italian treat, that doesn't taste half as good as it should. What do we do? We make our own ricotta (stay tuned), and use a small quantity of real cheese - but not mozzerella. Why? Because I'm lactose intolerant, and it ain't pretty when me an' mozz mix. But did you know that the longer a cheese ages, the less lactose it has in it? So those really hard, sharp cheeses? Lactose free! So no, I don't like thinking about the animals that gave me the cheese, and I don't like to use it often due to health concerns...but in this household, we use real cheese sparingly instead of the fake cheeses. We save money, and we don't eat chemically processed products. (When you check the price, check the ingredient label in some of those faux cheeses.)
In addition to the chicken broth and asiago cheese, I have one more mind blowing explanatory bit about the Almost part - on occasion, I ingest chicken and tilapia. Shock and awe!!! Why, you ask? Have you met my grandmother? She's great and I love her, but holy asparagus...when it comes to making dinner for a "vegan" she get heart palpitations and worries me! And I can't remember the last time she came to dinner over here, come to think of it...and when she asks me what we're having for dinner, she asks with this strange laugh, then says she assumed we were having beans and rice again, and wonders how we get enough nutrients and why we haven't gotten deathly ill yet, not getting enough calcium and protein and all that. So, it's become easier to let her know that I'll eat chicken, as long as it doesn't taste like chicken...and it's half burnt...and very small...with a lot of broccoli on the side. Why do I eat fish? Because I have a husband and young children, and they're so very patient with me...they love Tilapia, so once or twice a month I make herbed and olive oiled Tilapia with rice pilaf from a box! and a big pile of something green.
There are probably more reasons as to why "almost", but this seems long enough for now. And has probably generated a few more questions, while answering the two. Hope this sheds some light, and I do hope you'll be back for the recipes I have planned for this afternoon/evening's posting! It's been a fun day of baking, and I just hope you get to do the same! When you do, enjoy the yumminess!!
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