Three years ago I decided to go “meatless.” It wasn’t a difficult decision as I wasn’t a voracious carnivore to begin with, however there were a few dishes that I missed that contained meat and wondered how I was going to live without these favorites.

Rather than resign myself to the notion that these dishes could never be converted over to a meatless status, I decided to pull myself up by my vegetarian boot strings (cotton, of course), and see if I could find a way to convert these meat-is to meatless.

The first was my Grammy’s recipe for American Chop Suey, actually, almost everyone’s Grammy made this or some variation of it. I tried different ways but this one comes the closest:

Meatless American Chop Suey

1 vidalia onion chopped

1-2 tbsp. butter

1/2 pkg Quorn (brand name) veggie grounds frozen

2 cans Campbell’s Tomato Soup

1 tblsp. catsup (yes catsup, you can’t really taste it, it just adds a rich color to the sauce)

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 lb of your favorite fancy pasta in its rigati form, that means with lines, or something like gemelli or rotini

Melt butter in a medium sized skillet over low heat. Add vidalia onion and gently saute until translucent. Add frozen Quorn grounds and heat till thawed. Add 2 cans soup and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Add catsup salt and pepper and cook an additional 102 minutes.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain thoroughly and add sauce to pasta. Stir to incorporate completely. Serve. Serves 4-6 people as a side.

This next one is an adaptation of a Greek-Middle-Eastern recipe for Dolma. I loved this dish as a youngster summering on Cape Cod. A wonderful Lebanese family “turned me on” to this dish and I have finally found a way to make it meatless and spectacular!

Veggie Dolmas

1 jar of Grapeleaves in brine

Filling:

2 cup basmati rice cooked

1/2 cup currants

1/2 cup of pine nuts ground

1/2 cup quorn grounds thawed

2 tbsp. dried mint (or 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped fine)

1 tbsp. dried parsely (or 1/4 cup fresh parsely chopped fine)

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1/8 cup fresh oregano chopped fine)

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp pepper

1 small can tomato paste

Juice of 2 lemons

Remove the grape leaves from the jar, rinse and unfold carefully and rinse again. Lay paper towels and pat dry. Gently remove any stems that are still on the leaves.

In a large bowl mix the filling ingredients together till they are well incorporated.

Carefully separate a few of the leaves and line the bottom of a 1-2 gallon stock pot.

To roll take a leaf, place 1 heaping tsp of filling in the center of the leaf about 1/2 inch up from the bottom edge. Fold 1/2 inch up over the filling, fold each side toward the middle, then beginning at the bottom again roll the whole package up till you have a 1-2″ “log.

Continue with the rolling process till you use up all the filling.

Line the rolled leaves up in a circular pattern in the stock pot till all are in. Pour the juice of both lemons gently over the rolled leaves. Place a dinner plate on top with a stone in the middle to keep in place. Gradually add cold water till it just covers the leaves.

Bring contents to a boil then reduce and simmer for abount 1/2 hour till tender. Drain water by holding on to stone to keep plate in place and gently pour out cooking water. Leave plate on till almost cool.

Remove plate and serve with plain yogurt, yummy.

These can be frozen in 1-2 serving sizes for later. I like to do it this way then microwave them for a minute and a half for a quickie meal.



By: DEV DAAS

About the Author:

shadowdemonmaki asked:


She’s decided a while ago that she wanted to be a vegetarian. I was wanting to know if there was any advice you could have, or if she should have more of something in her diet with the lack of meat. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. ^^

Rabbit food. That’s what my dad calls vegetarian cooking and cuisine. Salads and vegetables – can’t be anything more to it, can there? Oh, but there is. Vegetarian cooking is at least as varied as ‘regular’ cooking – and in some cases, far more imaginative.

Nearly thirty years ago, Diet for a Small Planet, and the follow-up cookbook, Recipes for a Small Planet hit the bookstore shelves with a resounding thud that still echoes. While many of the theories of protein complementarily that Frances Moore Lappe presented have been proven to be naïve by further research, the basic theories of eating and the wonderful meatless – and truly vegetarian - recipes endure. The Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest followed, and then an avalanche of cookbooks devoted to the vegetarian gourmet.

Vegetarian cooking is more than just ‘meatless’. There’s an art to mixing flavors and textures in just the right combinations to create masterpieces that are as appealing to carnivores as to those who’ve eschewed meat. For Hindi chefs who practice Ayurvedic cooking, food is more than nutrition – it is a meditation, a gateway to the higher consciousness. There are three major components and six tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent) to be considered in the preparation of every dish, and a meal prepared according to the Ayurveda is a feast for the eyes, the nose, the mouth and the mind.

The very best vegetarian meals are not ‘meatless’ versions of dish that usually has meat in it. ‘Meatless’ lasagna suggests that something is missing from the recipe. Anyone who has dined on spinach lasagna knows that there’s nothing missing – the blend of creamy cheese and spinach and spices is perfect in and of itself. Polenta with spicy black bean sauce has no need of meat to make it more complete – made right it melts on the tongue AND sticks to the ribs at the same time.

Even within the overall umbrella of ‘vegetarian cuisine’ there are variations. Outside Western culture, most meals have little or not meat at all – so it is not surprising to find vegetarian main dishes in Indian and Chinese cuisine, nor in Russian cooking and African regional cuisines. Many base main dish meals on legumes and nuts. Peanut and cashew soups, humus with spices and lemon, fermented black bean sauces ladled over bread and pasta and rice and couscous – Middle Eastern and African cooking offers all of those and more.

If one approaches vegetarian cuisine as a ‘substitute’ for cooking with meat, one is sure to be disappointed. It is a way of eating and cooking, of spices and combinations that can be as light and fluffy as a meringue or as dense and chewy as the best seven grain bread. If you’ve never tried a real vegetarian meal – as opposed to a ‘meatless’ or ‘meat substitute’ – the very best place to start is at your nearest Indian or Middle Eastern restaurant. You’ll be amazed at the flavors and textures – and you won’t even notice that there’s no meat.



By: Dolly Kapil

About the Author:

NourishingHope asked:

Part 5 Contains: Protein, Avoiding Soy, Regarding Vegetarian Diets, Carbohydrates. Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant, gives a comprehensive presentation to Parents and Clinicians in Toronto, Ontario.

Video by TVOntario - Click here http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/tvoparents/index.cfm?page_id=145&action=article&article_title_url=HowdoesdietaffectASDkidsAParentsPerspective&article_id=3242

I grew up in a vegetarian family. As a child, I had more grains, vegetables, and soy products than most people will eat in a lifetime. When I was about 16 years old, I had had enough–I wanted to eat meat! At first, it was strange cooking with real meat. After all, I had never touched meat before, so I was a little repulsed by it at the beginning. But over time, I learned how to cook meat and found that I really loved cooking. But, I never really felt quite right about eating meat. Since my formative years were spent living a healthy vegetarian lifestyle, the new meat-eating me felt sluggish and unhealthy. Sluggish or not, I continued to eat meat into my adult years. I knew I needed to make a change in my diet, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to go about it. How could I have ever guessed that my daughter would be that catalyst for a change that I’d needed since I was a teen myself?

One of the unique joys of motherhood has been nurturing a mutual relationship with my children: I inspire them, and they inspire me. As they grow into their own personalities and pursuits, I am constantly amazed–and sometimes caught entirely off guard–by their independence and self-declarations. For example, a short while ago, my eldest daughter stood up at the dinner table, after stirring her food around on her plate for a while, and announced that she wanted to be a vegetarian. I was surprised at her announcement. I was not surprised at all, however, when–without any arguments–the rest of the kids and I decided that we would all “go vegetarian” together as a family. I’d been considering it for quite some time, but wanted the kids to decide for themselves.

The impact of that decision was bigger and better than I could have ever imagined. I quickly realized that, not only was I reducing injury to the health of our planetary body and our animal friends, I was also starting to see an amazing difference in my own body. Within weeks, my digestion improved; I had more energy; and, the insomnia I had suffered from for so many years was suddenly gone! But, with all this positive affirmation, I was quite surprised to find that I wasn’t experiencing the kind of weight loss I had anticipated when I returned to my vegetarian ways. Frankly, I was disappointed because–health aside–I wanted to lose weight.

I began my search for the perfect, veggie-friendly weight loss solution. As have so many others, I read extensively on the most popular low carb diets on the marketplace today, including the Atkins Nutritional Approach™, the South Beach Diet, The Zone, and other low-carb diet plans. Although I could readily see the benefits of living the low carb lifestyle, I found no low carb diet plans available in the marketplace that would be acceptable to vegetarians. Meat is at the center of each and every low carb plan.

If I wanted to lose weight by using a low carb diet, I would have to either be A) willing to eat meat, or B) put my research, cooking, and vegetarian skills to good use and develop a plan that allows vegetarians to successfully lose weight without compromising their food and lifestyle ideals. Since eating meat was not an option for me or my family, I chose Plan B!

To those ends, I was particularly interested in the G.I. Diet, a book by Rick Gallop, which emphasizes a healthy, low carb diet plan that doesn’t completely exclude carbohydrates from the daily meals. The diet is more focused on the process of reducing and/or eliminating foods in the diet that increase blood sugar while increasing foods that are low on the Glycemic Index scale. This combination leads to effective and healthy weight loss.

The G.I. Diet asks people to consider changing the way they think about themselves, the foods they eat, and dieting in general. As such, if the commitment is made, the diet is sustainable and nutritionally-viable so one could reasonably maintain it long after the weight has come off. However, the G.I. Diet is not vegetarian.

So, with research in hand, I began thinking about how I could merge the valuable contributions of Gallop and a low carb diet together with a vegetarian lifestyle. After extensive trial and error in the kitchen–some things just don’t taste right no matter how good they are for you–I created a series of fun, easy, and amazing ways to re-design some of the most delicious recipes to make them both low carb and vegetarian. I’d finally found a way that I could lose weight, be healthy, and live well as a vegetarian.

When my family and friends saw me lose over 20 pounds in less than 3 months, the questions started pouring in:

How did you do that?

What are you eating?

How do you make vegetarian chicken parmesan and vegetarian beef stroganoff?

Where’s the meat?

Where do you get your protein?

How can you eat low carb when you aren’t eating meat?

My answers to those questions and the countless recipes that I scribbled down for my friends and families became the backbone of this FREE book, Living La Vida Low Carb: The Vegetarian Way, which can be found for free at http://www.VegetarianLowCarb.com,that I share with you now. I can’t tell you that you’ll experience the same results as I did. I can tell you–with pride and honesty–that these recipes can help you achieve a healthier, more balanced diet. And, thankfully, the book demonstrates that losing weight as a low carb vegetarian no longer means peanut butter and tofu at every meal! Good luck and good health!

Ready to learn more about this revolutionary way to eat healthy, without sacrificing taste? Visit http://www.VegetarianLowCarb.com/Article_Vegetarian-Meets-Low-Car b.html

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GET 400 MORE FREE TIPS AND RECIPES: Incorporate health-filled, self affirming tips and ideas into your daily routine. http://www.VegetarianLowCarb.co



By: Sylvie Charrier

About the Author:

expertvillage asked:

There are many health benefits for being vegetarian. Learn about how healthy being vegetarian is in this free vegetarian video.

xoxoxo asked:


Any tips on how to ENDURE would be helpful. Also, if you have any food ALTERNATIVES or ways to get those essential VITAMINS, please say so in your answer.

Hugh Janus asked:


I have no moral objections to meat, but was raised as a vegetarian.
I now think that starting to eat meat would be a good idea to get some protein in and go with what feels ‘natural’.

Please give advice or ideas including what to try first…

inkandart asked:


I want to know the best books, websites, magazines and tips for Vegetarians. I am thinking of converting my carnivorous ways but want to make an informed decision. Any recipes, advice wanted and appreciated…

Katie W asked:


I’m practically a vegetarian already, I only and barely eat chicken, and i was thinkning about becoming one. The diets convince me that it is healthier, and it just seems like a good life style. How tough is it? What are the benefits? Any tips or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks