Easy Vegetarian If you are thinking of following vegetarian diet for certain causes – religious belief, health reason, economic reason, animal rights – you will face a barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical relatives and friends. A common argument about vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing vegetarian meals. Don’t get swayed or discouraged by this argument because there is a lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and starches like potatoes and rice are also part of the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be incorporated depending on what type of vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in your average grocery store. Also, there is a variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, and even TV shows are veritable sources of healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss anything because the choices are limitless. Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a regular diet except for the absence of meat. Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are well-balanced. They have the required amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a mineral often associated with milk, is not missed either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are known to have strong teeth and bones but their diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there is no reason you couldn’t get your calcium requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria that enter the body which can cause heart diseases and infections. You can watch meat lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own healthy body with vegetarianism. After proclaiming that you are eating healthier with vegetarianism, you’d think that the nonbelievers will stop bugging you. But no, they’re back and possibly bearing the most difficult question for hedonists. They’ll ask if you’re not depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. When vegetarians state that there are easy vegetarian recipes, they don’t just mean easy to prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike meats which use a lot of salt. If your friends and relatives still won’t stop bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a feast. When they see that you didn’t even break a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they’ll be convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don’t be surprised if they’ll ask you to go produceshopping in the following days.
Today, we look for versatility, variety and convenience in the foods we eat. Tomatoes top the list of versatile foods because they are not only good for you, they complement almost any meal or occasion. There are more than a dozen varieties of tomatoes. Slices of large, round tomatoes are great on the grill; Roma or plum tomatoes make delicious sauces; and cherry or grape tomatoes make a convenient snack. Tomatoes’ versatility makes them ideal for all eating and entertaining occasions, whether used as an ingredient, an accompaniment or as a stand-alone. To ensure the best flavor, never refrigerate. The tomato makes an enzyme that produces flavor as it ripens. Once the temperature falls below 55 degrees, it permanently stops producing that enzyme. Tomatoes are an important dietary source of lycopene, an antioxidant being studied for its ability to keep tissues healthy. Tomatoes also are high in vitamins and fiber – one medium red tomato has 20 percent of the daily requirements of vitamin A, 40 percent of the daily requirements of vitamin C and as much fiber as a slice of whole wheat bread. This tomato recipe, developed by SunRipe Produce, meets nutritional standards set by Produce for Better Health Foundation. SUNRIPE BELLA ROMA DI POMODORO (Makes 6 servings) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 12 Bella Roma Italian-style tomatoes (plum tomatoes), cut into chunks 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 pound penne pasta 10 basil leaves, torn by hand into small pieces 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute garlic. Add Bella Roma (plum) tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer sauce for 10 to 15 minutes; do not overcook the tomatoes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Spoon sauce over pasta and sprinkle with parsley and
basil. Nutritional information per serving: 364 calories, 8.3g total fat, 1.3g saturated fat, 20 percent calories from fat, 3 percent calories from saturated fat, 12g protein, 63g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 4g dietary fiber, 65mg sodium. http://www.recipekingdom.net