Saturday, December 2, 2006

Good Tips For Adding some Variety to your Vegetarian Cooking

So you have decided to do some healthy vegetarian cooking, the best thing is you’re only limited by your imagination. It’s good to incorporate a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, including seeds and nuts. Variety is said to be the spice of life, and it will help ensure your vegetarian cooking is nutrient-dense, interesting, and the best thing is fun! Aim for variety; be different, even when you serve your favorite foods over and over again, by serving different side dishes, snacks and desserts.
Be creative in planning your meals. Boost your consumption of beans and vegetables by eating these foods for lunch rather than just for dinner. Make it a goal to cook a different vegetable every day for lunch and for dinner. Plan a meal around a particular vegetable. A baked potato can be a hearty meal, just by its self or serve it with baked beans, a sauce of stewed tomatoes or a few tablespoons of salsa. Or make a simple meal of sautéed vegetables and pasta, with a touch of basil pesto.
Try different foods often. Experiment with a variety of grains such as quinoa, couscous, bulgur, barley, and wheat berries. Try fruits and vegetables that are popular in different international cuisines, such as bok choy. Accentuate the positive. Focus more on healthy foods that fit into your vegetarian cooking plan instead of foods to avoid. If you’re unsure how to include a new food into your vegetarian cooking just experiment. The internet can be a great resource for new recipe and preparation ideas. But be sure that you’re building your menu on a strong plant food base. Make them the base for all your vegetarian cooking ideas.
Don’t stress about getting enough protein. As long as calories are sufficient and the diet is varied, vegetarian cooking easily meet protein needs. Grains, beans, vegetables, and nuts all provide protein. Vegetarians do not need to eat special combinations of foods to meet protein needs. However, it is important to be aware of fat. Even vegetarians can get too much fat if the diet contains large amounts of nuts, oils, processed foods, or sweets, but just remember one important thing and that is to enjoy yourself, to learn more about vegetarian cooking click here to learn more.