xpinkbananasx asked:


I am going vegetarian. No one seems to be on my side. My mom,, grandma, and Uncle say that I need meat to grow and it’s unhealthy to not eat it. I love the animals, but the stress is too much. Any advice on how to fight for my right and get all the nutrients I need at the same time?

A great vegetarian soup recipe is not just all about preparing your appetite for a healthy vegetarian meal - it should be healthy as well. To help you come up with some of your very own vegetarian soup recipe, here are some tips.

Experiment

When it comes to vegetarian recipes, there is really no hard-and-fast rule. You just have to follow the preliminary basics and then let your imagination rule. This means that you may just have to sauté the usual garlic, onions and your choice of vegetables, add the soup stock or vegetable broth and then add whatever you like including spices. If you are preparing a cold and raw vegetarian soup recipe, then you can experiment by swapping some ingredients like watermelon for tomatoes or vice versa.

The only general rule is to basically respect your taste buds and whoever you are cooking for. It would be better though to reserve experimentation on your free days and simply use tested soup recipes on regular days when you have little time.

Be Generous with Spices

At times, a small portion of green onions, celery or carrots sauted in onions will make a big difference in taste. Other soup recipes however may need a little more than the usual herbs and spices. Try a few mixes like oregano and rosemary; pepper and lemon or pepper and lemon grass. You can also use other spices like cayenne and cumin. One tip with vegetarian soup recipe seasoning is to use an appropriate amount or mix of spices so you can cut back on salt.

Thicken the Soup

To make the soup more savory, make the texture just right - not too thin, and not too thick. Texture may of course be improved by thickening the soup. One secret of oriental cooks is that they use flour or cornstarch to thicken a vegetarian soup recipe instead of using milk. Some would suggest adding a precise number of parts of flour or cornstarch to water but sometimes you just have to make an estimate.

To put more texture or thickness to your soup, simply add a small amount of cornstarch. Simply mix a small amount of cornstarch with some warm water and then slowly pour the mixture while stirring in soup that is just about ready to be taken out of the fire.

Convert

Non-vegetarians usually add meat to make the soup tastier. However, vegetarians can substitute the meat with other ingredients. Aside from spices, pepper and green onions, you can also add a bit of soy sauce to give your soup some flavor. Beans can also add to the flavor of your vegetarian soup recipe and even supply much needed protein which others normally get from meat. Aside from beans, peas, lentils and squash are also tasty additions to vegetarian soup.

Freezing Soup

One great thing about soup is that you can prepare more than enough and freeze the rest for the next day. Just make sure that before you freeze soup, you allow it to cool completely first. Have it chilled so that you can remove excess oil before transferring it to small containers for freezing. Makes sure there is some extra space in your container after the soup has been transferred to allow the liquid to expand.



By: Diana Pells

About the Author:

shoegirl20 asked:


I don’t do much cooking, so I am not looking for recipes. Quick n easy foods to prepare/microwave for dinner and easy lunches. Any advice would be great, thanks!

P.S. Don’t forget to include the point values! Thanks!

Everyone is in competition nowadays to look good and live healthy.

So to look good usually they go for dieting with the aim of losing weight as personality with overweight is not pleasing.

People diet for many reasons. Some are at an unhealthy weight and need to pay closer attention to their eating and exercise habits. Some play sports and want to be in top physical condition. Others may think they would look and feel better if they lost a few pounds.

Lots of people feel pressured to lose weight and try different types of diets. But if you really need to lose weight, improving your eating habits and exercising will help you more than any diet.

Dieting could be a solution if done in a right manner.

Unhealthy Dieting, especially extreme food-intake reduction and rapid weight loss, can have the following side effects:



Fatigue



Depression



Prolonged hunger



Sinus



Muscle loss



Blood shot eyes



Gall bladder diseases



Acidosis



Rashes



Irritability



Fainting



The best way to diet is to eat a wide variety of enough food to meet your body’s needs. Aim to eat more fruits and veggies, cut back on meats high in fat (like burgers and hot dogs), greasy fried foods, and sweets, and drink more water instead of sugary drinks like sports drinks or sodas.

Great Dieting Tips to loose weight safely:

Eat less. More often.



Don’t eat right before going to bed.



Kick the sugar habit.



Shop with calories in mind.



Reduce the amount of breads, chips, crackers, and salty snacks you eat.



Exercise daily.



Drink milk, including fat-free or low-fat milk.



Drink plenty of water (at least four to six 8-ounce glasses a day).



Eat lean, high-protein foods, like lean meat, chicken, fish, or beans.



Eat whole grains (like whole-wheat bread or pasta), which provide fiber, B vitamins, and iron.



Eat breakfast.



Choose smaller portions at fast-food restaurants.



Stay away from fad diets — you might lose a few pounds temporarily, but if you don’t focus on changing your habits, you’ll probably just gain it back when you go back to your usual way of eating.



Don’t take diet pills.

Avoid seeing foods as "good" or "bad" or eliminating entire groups of foods, like dairy. If you eliminate entire food groups, you may miss out on important nutrients, like calcium



If you choose to become a vegetarian, talk to your doctor or dietitian about how to make nutritious vegetarian choices.



By: Jyoti

About the Author:

There is no truth to the rumor that vegetarians have difficult recipes to follow and that not following complicated recipes will result in bland food. The truth is that there are so many options for easy healthy vegetarian recipes. The wealth of choices actually makes vegetarianism an exciting journey into healthy food. Here are some things you need to remember when preparing easy healthy vegetarian recipes.

Check the Label

The most convenient way to create healthy recipes is to stock ahead on sauces and ingredients. This way you just have to open packs and cans when you need to whip up something fast. This is generally a good idea especially if you’re thinking of canned beans, salsa sauce, dried peas, canned mushrooms and tomato sauce.

You should however always make it a point to read labels before adding unfamiliar ingredients to easy healthy vegetarian recipes. Some products may seem vegetarian but may contain animal based ingredients like gelatin and animal oil. Pure vegans might also want to find out if instant foods contain cheese, milk and other dairy products.

Cook the Same Way

Regular and vegetarian recipes involve the same procedure when it comes to preparation. The only thing lacking is meat. This means that you just have to cook like you always do. Just have a little knowledge to supplement your nutrients and a little creativity to make easy healthy vegetarian recipes as tasty as meat dishes.

Remember that poultry can be found in nuts, beans, legumes and soy based products. Calcium can be obtained from milk and green leafy vegetables. To make your easy healthy vegetarian recipes especially tasty you can experiment with herbs and spices like chilies, oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil.

Don’t Overdo Plain Dishes

Serving steamed vegetables, corn and peas are among the most common favorite. They are also obviously easy healthy vegetarian recipes. Sometimes though, you might want to cut back on these basic dishes so that your family doesn’t get too bored with the same taste. Serve the same dishes but maybe you can sauté these food items first with some tasty onions, garlic and some pepper.

Serve Healthy Snacks

In some cases, all it takes to prepare and serve better recipes is a little more time. To make sure that your family members don’t come home hungry and ready for a big meal at six, serve them healthy snacks to delay their craving for dinner. Pack some nuts, dried fruits, fruit mixes, crackers and cheese for them to take to school or work.

Serve Raw and Simple

Raw vegetarianism is still considered a controversial issue but those who stand by it maintain that it is the healthiest way of life and is the greatest source of easy healthy vegetarian recipes. You might want to try one night in seven as a raw night. Raw foods are considered healthy because they lose none of their nutrients through heat in the cooking process. More rigid raw eaters simply blend fruits and vegetables. You may however just want to settle for simple salads with delicious dips and sauces.



By: Diana Pells

About the Author:

Lasagna recipes are generally known to be meaty and high in calories. Aside from these, it’s also time-consuming to prepare. It has also been commonly known as a difficult and potentially time consuming recipe to prepare. These may not always be true. A vegetarian lasagna recipe simply breaks all the old concepts about lasagna.

Why You’ll Love It

A typical vegetarian lasagna recipe is not only tasty, it is also very nutritious depending on the mix of ingredients that you use. This is therefore a good dish to serve if you have picky kids who may not get enough nutrients in their bodies.

There are also variations to a common vegetarian lasagna recipe. It is very convenient to prepare since some recipes can be frozen and then heated later without destroying the taste. The important thing to always remember though is who you are cooking for. Be sure of what kind of vegetarians you are preparing the meal for so that you can cut the dairy products if you need to.

How to Cut the Time

You don’t need to take forever to prepare a delicious vegetarian lasagna recipe. One useful tip is to just do away with boiling the noodles by using oven ready lasagna noodles instead. You can also always have bunches of pre cut and diced vegetables in your storage bin so that all you have to do every time you prepare a vegetarian lasagna recipe is to add the pre diced vegetables and the sauce on oven ready noodles.

Ingredients

The truth is that there are probably hundreds of variations to a typical vegetarian lasagna recipe. The key therefore is to come up with a mix of vegetable ingredients that suites your taste. You can use only the vegetables which your family usually loves to eat. It would be a great idea to follow someone else’s vegetarian lasagna recipe first and then you can attempt to make modifications to the recipe according to your taste.

Some recipe variation techniques include dicing and chopping vegetables very finely to come up with a more packed vegetarian lasagna recipe. You can also just simply experiment with the amount of ingredients that you include. You may for example increase the cheese and sauce if you love a creamy vegetarian lasagna recipe. Or you can add other non typical lasagna vegetables like the slightly bitter spinach for a different taste.

Sauce and Spices

Sometimes the key to a truly tasty vegetarian lasagna recipe is to be creative and generous with the sauce and spices. You may for example add more crushed tomatoes instead of just placing tomato sauce to improve the texture and taste. You can also add white vegetable cream sauce instead of tomato sauce to change the taste.

You can try increasing the amount of pepper, basil, rosemary or oregano that you put into your lasagna for a more flavorful and distinct taste. Expert cooks also recommend using only fresh ingredients including fresh cheese which they say makes a big difference in the taste.



By: Diana Pells

About the Author:

sparkle asked:


I’m slowly reintroducing meat into my diet after 11 years of veggie/fish/dairy only (due to vitamin deficiencies + other). I want to stay with strictly free-range organic meats but they are incredibly expensive. Any advice on good quality ethical meats (if there is such a thing) that aren’t so pricey?

Switch Angel asked:


I am a cyclist. I compete throughout the year in high endurance century rides and stage races (very looooong rides!). I’ve dropped eating red meats awhile back, and really want to make the commitment to become a vegetarian. However, my efforts have been thwarted by my coach who tells me “you can’t compete if you don’t eat meat.”

Yes… it’s a very ignorant statement. So, I am wondering if there are any books / advice out there geared specifically for endurance athletes nutrition in a vegetarian lifestyle.