For many, giving up cow, chicken, and pig-based foods is pretty easy, but seafood is a whole different story. Seafood is marketed as being super healthy and less cruel than eating land animals, but neither are really true - there is a lot of mercury in most seafood and these creatures are just as aware and sensitive as any other. And if that isn't reason enough, the ocean is in a lot of danger because of overfishing and pollution - in fact, the International Programme on the State of the Ocean recently released a report with shocking findings.
Whether you'd like to slowly cut back on your seafood consumption or you've gone vegan, there are plenty of delicious plant-based alternatives to seafood. Here are some to get you started:
Frozen faux seafood is easy to find in most natural markets, especially mock tuna and shrimp. You can even buy mock calamari! Check out VegeUSA's line Vegetarian Plus, ecoVegan, and Sophie's Kitchen
Add sea vegetables like nori or dulse to any vegan meal and it will give it a seafood-ish taste.
Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) make a great mock tuna salad when mixed with vegan mayo, celery, pickles, and dulse.
Sunflower seeds can also make a delicious tuna salad, which can be made raw and soy-free for those with food sensitivities. Check out the recipe in the RAWvolution book (or do a web search)
Tempeh (fermented soy) also makes a mean tuna salad, and adds a nice hearty taste and texture.
For more creative plant-based alternatives, check out the book Vegan Seafood, which includes recipes for "crab", "caviar", "fish" tacos, and more.
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