10 Great Websites for Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetarianism isn't a fringe lifestyle choice anymore. In fact, as Huffington Post blogger Kathy Freston recently noted, "Vegetarian is the New Prius.". That's because a vegetarian diet reduces your carbon footprint as well as, if not better than, driving a hybrid car. Meat production, especially in its modern, industrial form, is inherently energy-intensive, far moreso than any type of fruit, vegetable or grain farming.

Researchers at the University of Chicago, for instance, reported that it takes 1,600 calories of energy to produce only 100 calories worth of grain-fed beef. Growing 100 calories of plant foods, on the other hand, takes only 50 calories of energy.

If numbers like that persuade you that vegetarianism is an environmentally responsible way to live, but you're not sure how to make the switch, check out these Websites, each of which provides a wide range of recipes and lots of other information and resources for vegetarians, both newbies and veterans:

All Recipes Vegetarian Cooking:Browse vegan, tofu and tempeh, bean dishes and more; search for your favorite recipes; or browse the top 20 or newest vegetarian recipes on the site.

Recipezaar's Vegetarian Recipes: One of the best sites I've found so far for recipes in general, Recipezaar also offers a huge selection -- 27,776 at last count -- of vegetarian recipes, everything from Celtic Druid's Honey Mead (an ancient alcoholic beverage) to Tofu Lasagna and Dessert Nachos.

Savvy Vegetarian: You'll find a variety of both vegetarian and vegan recipes here, including Mozambique Vegetable Stew, Vegan Organic Pumpkin Pie and Easy Vegan Ravioli.

VegCooking: One of many Websites operated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), this site lets you browse or search for vegetarian and vegan recipes, including many ethnic selections, from Chinese and Creole to Tex-Mex and Thai.

The VegetarianSociety: In addition to guidelines for meal planning, the society's Website lets you browse recipes by course, ingredients, special occasion or theme (including "Chocolate Heaven"). There's also a feature with easy recipes for new vegetarians.

Vegetarian Times: The online version of the print magazine for vegetarians offers great recipes, although there's a catch: there's no browsing or easy access to the entire collection of recipes. Instead, the search feature requires you to type in the ingredients or dish name in a search box, then takes you to the appropriate results.

VegFamily.com: This online magazine for vegan families (who eat no animal products of any kind) features a section with numerous recipes for vegan appetizers, breads, salads, soups, side dishes, entrees, desserts and beverages.

The Vegetarian Journal: In addition to cooking and nutrition tips, you'll find an eclectic variety of recipe collections here, including "Vegan Polish Dishes," "Virtual Seafood in a Vegetarian Reality" and "Low-Fat Jewish Vegetarian Cooking."

VegSource: VegSource lets visitors browse recipes by numerous categories, from beans, bread and breakfast to stews, soup stocks and sweets.

VegWeb.com: This site lets you search for vegetarian recipes in a wide range of categories, from kid-friendly and raw food to quick and easy, regional and non-food (homemade shampoos and conditioners, household cleaners, balms and more).