New Vegetarian - Please help

I'm not a total vegetarian, but I really enjoy Morningstar Farm brands meatless products. There is a Spicy Black Bean burger that is so good as a meat substitute in tacos or taco salad, and their Breakfast Sausage Patties are really good too. So a lot of times for dinner I'll have egg whites and some fake sausage. It's all low fat. Another thing I like is black beans as a sandwich filler. So I'll have a pita and stuff it with black beans and tomatoes, lettuce, and some light laughing cow cheese, then add some salsa. Very low fat and low cal, but filling and nutritious. And you can take it on the go. Eliminating the consumption of meat products will not just be better for your health, but better for the environment. But sometimes, you just gotta splurge on a cheeseburger And definitely keep an eye on how much iron you're eating. I have found out that Shredded Mini Wheats have an astounding percent of iron - about 90% of your daily requirement. You can find it in other places too, just check labels. Good luck!

My daugther watched the video Sweatin is speaking of and gave up meat. However I disagree with the video. It is another scare tactic that takes one environment and make it look like it represents to whole. It is accustomed the political spindriffs who make people think someone is a racist by editing their tapes and posting them. Anyway...

I am a vegetarian by choice and not by fear. I am the most apt of everyone who responded to give the best advice and yes you should take a multi vitamin to make sure you are getting the proper nutrients whether you are a vegetarian or not.

Also, my diary is open to the public. Look at it and use what you can. Enjoy and let me know if you want to know some speicifics. You can send me a private message so you can learn from someone who is instead of someone who is not.

If you want to watch that video do it with an open mind on who put it there and its intended purpose. My daughter did and was not mature enough to understand the back ground and decided to become a vegetarian. However she is not one in the strictest means. She eats lots of pizza and cheesy stuff which is high in calorie and animal fat. Me, I eat egg whites (egg beaters usually) and low fat and light cheeses but in moderation. Avoid the majority of animal fat. I drink Silk vanilla flavored soy milk (delicious - times have improved) and I am so close to being a Vegan it is weird but I am not because I still depend on my egg whites/beaters for protein as well as my low fat and light diary cheeses.

I ate vegetarian, and even vegan, for a long time, so I've got a lot of good recipes!

My favorites, though, are black bean soup and vegetarian chili.

The soup is easy enough:

Set out 4-5 cups of dried black beans in water overnight to soften. Drain and rinse the next day.
Pour black beans in large pot. Fill with water until beans are just barely covered. Bring to boil.
(Add 1-2 cubes vegetable bouillon if desired.)
Add 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes.
Blend into puree.
Season with a little salt, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne to taste.

It's really good, and goes well with carrots, peppers, tortillas, and/or bread for dipping.

If you want more recipes, just message me and let me know. Eating vegetarian, or even vegan, can be super delicious!


(BTW- I'm guessing on some of the amounts for this, because I've always done it by feel. This serves about 8.)

OK, I'm back.

I recommend checking out some books at the library and do some research so you can find what works for you. I really like the book The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone. Its geared towards Veganism, but full of DELICIOUS recipes. Trust me, you won't even miss the dairy in those recipes. But she also gives great advice on making the transition and balancing your nutrition. Personally, I do not take any supplements at all. I've had my nutrition monitored over the past few months and have maintained proper levels of protien, folate, vitamins, minerals, etc. without supplements. Its all in the balancing of your meals.

Look for protien from beans mostly. There are so many varieties and they are cheap. You can make your own blackbean burgers, lentil burgers, tacos, burritos, use them in salads...... So many options.

Try tofu. Use it in stir-fry's, Bbq it, put it in a smoothie. I even bread it and bake it, then broil it for a few minutes to get it crispy. It makes good nuggets, the hids love them vegetarian or not.

I buy soy milk, but don't limit yourself there. Soy milk has more protien, so I use it in smoothies or for my daughters cereal in the mornings. But Almond milk is so yummy! Rice milk has a milder flavor and I prefer it in my cooking because I think soymilk has a strong sweet flavor that overpowers the recipe.

Nuts and seeds are great too. I know everyone gets freaked out about fat. But I've lost 52 pounds eating fat. I eat nuts every day. I use slivered almonds in brown rice with some raisins, cinnamon, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup for a filling breakfast porrige. I use sunflower seeds for crunch on my salads instead of croutons. Oh! And pumpkin seeds, mmmm!

Vegetariantimes.com has a get started book you can download. Its free, informative, and short. It tells you how to stock your kitchen, how to shop, how to cook..... I highly recommend that site for recipes as well. They have sooooo many!

I hope that helps you a little. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about anything, or add me as a friend. I have lots of veggie friends on my little network.