Success with Vegetarian Cooking

My husband and I have no religious or philosophical beliefs about eating meat. We like meat, actually. However, in our quest for better health, we have realized that less meat is better, especially when the only meat we can afford is the kind that is not likely processed in an environmentally or health-friendly manner.

For the month of January, we have been on a vegetarian adventure, and while I was apprehensive at first, it has turned out to be a grand success. Although next month I will be adding more dairy and a little meat back into our diet, we are now very excited about eating foods that are better for our bodies.

My biggest worry about "going healthy" was that I learned to cook, and learned to love to cook, with meat and processed foods like refined white sugar and flour. I wasn't sure I could make things taste as good without ingredients like that, wasn't sure if I could make anything that my family would eat!

The only truly vegetarian meal I knew how to prepare was tabouli salad with hummus and pita bread, and we couldn't eat just that for a whole month. However, I've found it isn't that difficult to put together good vegetarian meals. When I really started searching, I found vast numbers of vegetarian and vegan recipes, more than I could ever wade through in my lifetime.

The few that we have tried were huge successes. Taco Lentils was a real leap of faith for me-who would eat tacos without meat? And how could lentils possibly compete with ground beef in taste? However, we all loved that meal and it is now an official favorite. Taco salad with lentils is just as good as taco salad with beef, and better for our health, to book. Likewise, Black and White Bean Chili tasted great, especially with just a tiny sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese on top. With these successes, I was encouraged. Meat isn't always necessary for a great-tasting, good-for-you meal.

A side benefit of eating healthier is spending slightly less on grocery shopping. Because I am having to think harder and plan better to come up with meals, my shopping list has become more refined and I'm rarely left wondering why I bought some particular item. We are also eating slightly less, because we are not experiencing blood sugar crashes or "the munchies" anymore, due to filling our bodies with food that nourishes better and lasts longer.

I have also learned through this that it is alright to present a very simple meal several times a week-one of our favorite simple meals consists of baked sweet potatoes and a simple salad with sunflower seeds and cheese for protein.

Filling, delicious, and best of all, cheap! It is a little counterintuitive, because natural and organic foods tend to be pricier than boxed and processed foods, but because whole foods fill us better and don't cause food cravings, the extra amount we spend on good food is easily worthwhile. Even fast-food is not as budget-friendly as simple, healthy eating. To feed the four of us just one meal per day at a fast-food joint would cost close to $20, while we generally spend less than $10 per day (three meals plus snacks), even with buying about one-third of our groceries from a natural foods store.

While I am looking forward to eating chicken alfredo and a good beef stew once in a while, my menu for February reflects the success we've had with vegetarian eating, for once actually listing more vegetables and legumes than meat-based meals. As a family we are going to continue this adventure in good eating and good health, with great enthusiasm.