Tips for Easy Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

by Diana Pells

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
Easy healthy vegetarian recipes are basically similar to regular meat containing recipes. 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.
Protein substitute are found in beans, nuts and legumes. 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
There is absolutely nothing wrong with serving steamed vegetables, corn and peas. 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
Sometimes all you need to prepare and serve easy healthy vegetarian recipes is just a little bit 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.
Being a vegetarian is nothing more than making fresh and easy healthy vegetarian recipes everyday. Discover more about easy vegetarian recipes!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Pells


Canava Cafe's
Vegan Baked Ziti - serves 5-8
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 box organic ziti/penne pasta
1 canned tomato puree
1 canned tomato paste
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 tablespoon onion flakes
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-3 tablespoon turbinado/organic sugar
1-2 tablespoon canola oil
2-4 tablespoon Veggie Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

In a large pot, boil 6 cups of water
and add canola oil and pasta. Boil for
20-30 minutes or until pasta is tender.
In a medium sauce pan, on medium to
low temperature, add 1 -2 tablespoon
of olive oil & chopped garlic, saute
until garlic is soft. Add oregano,
granulated garlic, onion flakes &
cayenne. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add
tomato sauce, paste & sugar. Simmer
for 15 -20 minutes. Drain pasta.
Mix sauce & pasta together in a
Casserole dish. Sprinkle Veggie Parmesan
all over pasta. Bake for 15- 20 minutes.

Cooking Vegetarian Family Meals
By Lisa Paterson


Every family can benefit from increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in their diet. Even if you are not vegetarians, consider cooking a couple of "meat free" meals each week. People who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have lower cholesterol, stronger immune systems and are more likely to maintain a healthy body weight.

Here are some tips to help you make the switch:


* Start with a "family favourite" recipe, such as lasagna or bolognese, and modify the recipe for a meat free version. Remember, you don´t have to make the meal solely from vegetables. Use one of the many soya-based meat equivalents.
* If you find the thought of cooking a vegetarian meal from scratch a little daunting, buy a couple of supermarket ready meals first. Most stores offer a great choice of dishes and it should be easy to find one that appeals to the family´s taste.
* Buy a cheap vegetarian cookbook or download recipe ideas from the internet. There is a wealth of information out there, so there are no excuses for serving limp salads!
* When eating out, try to switch to a vegetarian option. Even the fast food chains offer vegeburgers and bean burritos, so making the switch is easy. Just make sure that you go easy on the side orders. French Fries might be made of potato but they are still loaded with fat!
* If you find the taste of some vegetarian meals a little bland, use herbs, spices and seasoning to add taste and flavor.
* Think of all the recipes that your family enjoys and eats anyway. Chances are that there are quite a few vegetarian meals in the list! Tomato soup, bean salad, coleslaw, macaroni cheese..it should be easy to put together a vegetarian menu a couple of times a week.
* Go easy on the higher fat foods such as cheese. It is still possible to gain weight on a vegetarian diet if you eat the wrong foods in large portion sizes. Remember to check that any cheese you buy is vegetarian, as some cheeses are made from animal rennet. Increase your consumption of beans and pulses in tasty stews and casseroles. Legumes are a good source of protein.
*If you don´t think you can miss meat out of your recipes altogether, try giving up red meat instead. Switch to chicken or turkey mince in pasta sauces and burgers, as the fat content is considerable lower.
* Most cooking styles will have a wealth of vegetarian options available, meaning you can have an extensive and varied repertoire of family meals. Italian pasta sauces, stir fry recipes, mexican food, curries.. the choice is endless.
* Many vegetarian dishes can be easily cooked in your slow cooker. Vegetable stew, Winter Vegetable Casseroles, soups and curries. Save time, effort AND calories with these healthy choices.

Try making the switch and see if your family can tell the difference. The first time I made lasagna to the usual recipe, but with soya mince, no-one around the table even noticed. And if your family enjoys the meals so much that you decide to make a lifestyle change, remember that you will have to start checking the ingredients on every food item that you buy. Read the nutritional labels of every product carefully, as animal products do turn up in the strangest places!

You can even adapt your favourite crock pot recipes to be vegetarian. Lisa has with these vegetarian crock pot recipes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Paterson

The Lentil Burger - A Great Low Calorie Vegetarian Recipe For Lovers Of Fast Food
By Molly Bickford

It was not long after I’d made the lifestyle change, when I found myself in the city one day in between appointments. I was hungry and had this idea of sitting somewhere quiet, having a nice meal and doing a bit of nothing before my next appointment.
I noticed a mild anxiety rising within me about where I would find such a place. I seriously did not expect to find a fast food outlet that served low-calorie vegetarian recipes. Then I believed that even if I did find one the prices would not be what I could afford.
I wanted low calorie vegetarian fast food on a budget vegetarian meals and whether it was going to cost me an arm and a leg. Vegetarian meals back then (about ten years ago) were noticeably more expensive then meat-based meals.
Anyway, as I walked along a tree-lined street that autumn day not terribly confident about my chances, I noticed a restaurant that I had passed many times previously. For some reason, I looked in and saw a large menu displayed on a stand by the door. I couldn’t help but peruse the menu not really expecting to find anything that would satisfy my needs, i.e. a low-calorie, low-cost, vegetarian lunch.
Well, blow me down! Was I in for a surprise! On the menu was a lentil burger for $6.99 and for an extra $2.00 you could have potato wedges served with sour cream. Naturally I passed on the wedges, but the burger screamed, “Eat me”.
A smiling waitress greeted me, offered me a selection of tables and proceeded to take my order.
To cut a long story short, it was a meal I thoroughly enjoyed, delighted at my find and especially delighted upon realizing that it was something I could easily make myself. And because good things are meant to be shared, here is the recipe! Enjoy!

Lentil Burger

Low-fat pan bread, toasted
Yellow/red lentils (pre-cooked with garlic, onion, ginger and some coconut milk)
Fresh spinach or lettuce
Tomato slices
Sesame seeds
Olive oil
Eggplant slices (optional) (Precooked in olive oil and some vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread some olive oil over the bread. Layer with the greens, followed by the eggplant and tomato slices. Spread the cooked lentils over. (Use as much as you like as long as you can cover and hold your burger!). Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and add salt and pepper as required.
Discover all the other great low calorie and vegetarian recipes just waiting for you at my low calorie and vegetarian recipes website or at http://www.low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes.org/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Molly_Bickford