Vegetarianism Made Simple

The most difficult part of vegetarianism is maintaining a diet filled with an assortment of fun, diverse, and nutrient-rich foods. At times it may feel as if you are cutting numerous choices out because you are no longer eating meat, losing even more options if you have cut out dairy and eggs from your diet. With a some creative thinking, and preparation, you may be surprised how much assortment you can have in a vegetarian diet.

Most people that are considering vegetarianism don't know how to remove meat from their diet with out only eating salad. There are some simple substitutions you may experiment with in a vegetarian diet to replace meat in your favorite recipes. Tempeh, which is cultured soybeans with a chewy texture; tofu, if frozen and then thawed, gives tofu a meaty texture; and wheat gluten or seitan which is made from wheat and has the texture of meat. These are all great meat substitutes that make switching to vegetarianism easier.

Milk and other dairy products can also be easily replaced in a vegetarian diet Vegetarianism allows you to consume soy milk, soy margarine, and soy yogurts. You can also make nut milks by blending nuts with water and straining, and rice milks by blending water with cooked rice.

A good vegetarian diet includes beans instead of meat in dishes, like casseroles and chili. Because of their many health benefits, beans should be eaten often in vegetarianism. Some great examples are chickpeas, split peas, haricot, lentils, and kidney beans.

Nuts and seeds are great in a vegetarian diet. Both in and out of the shell, whole, halved, sliced, chopped, raw, or roasted, nuts have important nutrients needed in vegetarianism. Cashews, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds are easy-to-find examples. Sunflower and sesame seeds are great choices for zesting up salads and other vegetable dishes.

Don't worry, vegetarianism does not mean that you will have to give up your favorite Mexican, Italian, or other favorite dishes. They can still be enjoyed in a vegetarian diet and only require slight variations. Some popular and easy dishes include: pasta with tomato sauce, bean burritos, tacos, tostadas, pizza, stir-fry, and veggie burgers with French fries. The freezer sections of most grocery stores carry an assortment of foods that are great for vegetarianism.

After deciding to switch to vegetarianism, the first step is to get in the kitchen and let your creativeness lead the way! You will be probably be surprised at just how much more variety your vegetarian diet will have and how great your will feel!