Vegetarian?

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slaytonzaylonda
slaytonzaylonda Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is anyone else a vegetarian? I just became a vegetarian and i love it physically and mentally but i am finding it hard to spice things up. Any suggestions?

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  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    What are you missing that isn't vegetarian? The spices? The texture? The variety? The flavor combinations?

    It's very common to fall into a rut when you switch to something unfamiliar. Experimenting with new things will help you figure out what you like and what you don't. There are many vegetarian recipes on the internet, you could dedicate a day a week to trying something new to build a mental database of the things you like.

    I'm not a vegetarian but I've always eaten more plant based than meat based meals, so I don't feel like there is something missing when a meal doesn't contain meat. Most of my favorite foods are vegetarian. Yesterday's dinner was a falafel sub with hummus, tahini salad, and fried eggplant and cauliflower. It was amazing. If you plant to continue eating this way, you will discover some amazing dishes with time and experience.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,979 Member
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    Do you literally mean "spice" things up? You can use whatever spice combinations and flavor profiles you enjoyed as an omnivore now that you're a vegetarian. Just put them on legumes, eggs, grains, vegetables, dairy, fruits, nuts, seeds, and fungi instead of on meat.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
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    I'm trying a new chickpea tomato curry today. Here it is:

    Quick Curried Chickpeas

    This was delicious and easy:

    Thai Green Vegetable Curry

    And I loved this:

    Ethiopian Lentils
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
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    I have a favorite recipe for cauliflower nachos. I have never been successful at cutting the cauliflower into "chips", so it really comes out more of a casserole. I've attached a recipe, it isn't the one I use, but it has the seasonings. I add a half cup of pinto beans and a half cup of black beans, and use frozen cauliflower for convenience.

    https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a48260/cauliflower-nachos-recipe/

    And here's a recipe for butternut squash chili. Again, not the one I use, but looks quite tasty.

    http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-squash-chili

    There are many fabulous recipes out there - good luck to you!
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Do you literally mean "spice" things up? You can use whatever spice combinations and flavor profiles you enjoyed as an omnivore now that you're a vegetarian. Just put them on legumes, eggs, grains, vegetables, dairy, fruits, nuts, seeds, and fungi instead of on meat.

    This comment reminded me: if you like chorizo and eggs, you can skip the chorizo and put chili powder and comino directly on your eggs and get the same flavor.

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Ovo-lacto vegetarian here! I'm slowly working my way through the 1,000 Vegan Recipes cookbook and seldom make the same main twice. My diary is open if you'd like to see the kind of recipes I do and whether anything sounds good. (If it does, PM me and I'll give you the details.)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,906 Member
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    nickssweetheart wrote: »
    ...

    And I loved this:

    Ethiopian Lentils

    I love Berbere spice! I get mine directly from Frontier, but Amazon is currently selling it for a great price as an Add On item: https://smile.amazon.com/Frontier-Berbere-Seasoning-ORGANIC-Bottle/dp/B005WDVQHG/ref=sr_1_5_a_it

    @nickssweetheart Do you use the whole 1/2 C of spice? Seems like a lot for just 1 C of lentils. I'd use 1-2 tablespoons myself.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
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    I should have put that in my post, actually! I used 1/4 cup the first time, and just a tad more than that the second time. But yes, the full 1/2 cup would be a lot, at least using the blend I bought. Fortunately I got a ridiculously good deal at this tiny Ethiopian market near me that shares its space with a cell phone store.

    BTW, @slaytonzaylonda, the chickpea curry I linked earlier turned out just okay. Not bad, but not memorable. It is very easy, but here's a better chickpea curry, imo.

    Chickpea Curry

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