Saturday, December 25, 2010

Why Consider A Diet With Low Calorie and Vegetarian Recipes?


Meat can be very unhealthy. Not including cholesterol and fats, there are antibiotics, bacteria, parasites, and chemical toxins that can be present in commercial meats that are consumed. These harmful ingredients can be extremely detrimental to physical and mental well being and can create problems with digestion and can even lead to a reduction in cancer fighting agents in the body.

Also becoming a Vegetarian can be a result of having certain beliefs about life and all of its components. Most Vegetarians believe that eating animals is cruel and unethical. Most commercial meat is from animals such as calves, young chickens, and pigs that are many times raised in unbelievably terrible conditions (which are believed to produce the choicest cuts of meat).

Another reason is ecological. The environment suffers from the inefficient raising of livestock. Fertile land is being destroyed to the point that it may never be usable again. Not to mention methane emissions, bacteria, and other ills of major corporate agriculture farms. Meat is also more expensive, more perishable, takes longer to process, needs refrigeration, and is transported over vast distances. This process takes up an enormous amount of resources.

Dietary Benefits of a Vegetarian Lifestyle

A Vegetarian diet can fight many chronic diseases. Numerous studies have shown that a Vegetarian diet rich in plant foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes can aid in lowering the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

A Vegetarian diet is very kind to your waist line! The whole grains, fruits, and vegetables fill you up but don't fill you out. The fiber in these foods and their high water/low calorie content makes you feel full long before you are able to over eat or consume too many calories.

Great heart health is another wonderful aspect of the Vegetarian lifestyle. Most plant foods are very low in saturated fats (artery cloggers). A high blood cholesterol level is the number one culprit for heart disease and since dietary cholesterol is found only in animal foods, Vegetarians have the opportunity to eat dietary cholesterol-free. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are also rich in antioxidants which provide extra benefits for your heart.

There are many benefits to a Vegetarian lifestyle that are physiological and ecological. If you are considering becoming a Vegetarian then take your time, pick the best meals for you, and enjoy all the incredible benefits that this diet offers!








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The Top Six Nuts to Use in Healthy Vegetarian Recipes


Nuts are a better choice than processed snack food and sweets for snacking. They are also great for using in healthy vegetarian recipes to add flavor and substance. Here is a breakdown of six great choices to add to your pantry.

1. Almonds

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 160

Fat = 14 grams

You may be looking at that fat number and saying "Wait a minute!" but remember that this is healthy monounsaturated fat not the dangerous saturated fat. And almonds have nearly 10X more of the healthy fat than the bad fat. Not only that, but they also contain protein, fiber, calcium, and iron. They have no cholesterol and they are also one of the best sources of vitamin which can protect you against stroke and cancer.

2. Walnuts

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 190

Fat = 18 grams

These nuts are awesome because they are full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids like the ones found in salmon. They are also high in polyunsaturated fat which can help protect against type 2 diabetes.

3. Pistachios

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 160

Fat = 13 grams

Pistachios are a great source of potassium and high in monounsaturated fat. The researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reported recently that the pistachio has the highest level of LDL-lowering plant sterols.

4. Peanuts

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 170

Fat = 14 grams

These are actually legumes, not nuts. They are helpful for keeping your cholestrol down. They also provide more protein (7 grams per serving) than true nuts do.

5. Hazelnuts

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 180

Fat = 17 grams

These have one of the highest ratios of good fat to bad. They are also packed with folate, which is a vitamin that protects against birth defects,cancer, and heart disease.

6. Pecans

Serving Size = 1 oz.

Calories = 200

Fat = 20 grams

They are high in unsaturated fat and lower in bad saturated fat than other nuts.

So the next time you go to reach for a processed candy bar or some other sugary high fat food, reach for some nuts instead. Your body will thank you for it.








Find everything you need for healthy vegetarian recipes at http://www.vegetarianhealthyrecipes.com
Recipes for baking, everyday meals, and simple meatless recipes


The Truth About Easy Vegetarian Recipes


Despite the health benefits of being one, most people quit being vegetarians because easy vegetarian recipes are sometimes hard to come by. In some cases, the need to find an easy recipe is motivated not just by the need to really find one but to satisfy curiosity as well. Is there really such a thing as an easy vegetarian recipe?

The Value of Cooking at Home

Some new vegetarians may be tempted to easily buy take outs at vegetarian restaurants. Most of us know however that there are great advantages to cooking meals at home. Home cooked meals are almost always cheaper to prepare and have the additional benefit of binding members of a family in a comfortable atmosphere. One other major plus factor for you is that you are 100% sure of the cleanliness of your vegetables and what exactly goes into a dish.

Knowing What Type You Belong To

To find an easy recipe is to identify first what kind of vegetarian you are as well as the others you are planning to cook a meal for. The most common type is the lacto-ovo-vegetarians who eat vegetables, fruits, eggs and dairy products. A lacto eats the same kinds of food except for the eggs.

Those that don't eat animal meat and are strict types are called vegans. There are other kinds but these are the most common. Once you know where you, your family and your friends belong to, finding an easy recipe will be easier.

The Recipe Myth

A lot of non-vegetarians have the common misconception that vegetarian recipes are either hard to come across or are complicated to prepare. Since most of them also lead busy lives, this may seem discouraging. There is however no truth to this common belief. In fact, some vegetarian recipes are the easiest to prepare.

Vegetables and fruits can be simply pureed and blended to keep the freshness and nutrients intact. Less strict vegetarians however also have a variety of choices. For lacto-ovo-vegetarians for example the only thing that needs to be omitted are meat products and meat based products. This means that you can basically saute or steam anything you like as long as there isn't any meat in it. For a truly substantial, tasty and healthy recipe, you can substitute meat with tofu, beans, legumes and nuts.

Stocking

The real key to an easy recipe is having a stock of a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products at home. Aside from the usual fruits and vegetables, you can also stock up on spices, seeds, olive oil, pasta, rice, cereal and noodles. Just imagine what you can cook up even with just these basic ingredients. Food preparations can be as convenient as sautéing some vegetables, spices, beans, tomato sauce and topping it on rice.

Washing

One thing you have to remember about any easy vegetarian recipe is that you have to properly wash and clean all of your fruits and vegetables even those with inedible peelings. Most of these food items have changed hands so often before reaching you that they're bound to carry some dirt or bacteria. Wash your food with running water and use a brush for fruits and vegetables with dimpled, corrugated or hard skins.








Reap the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Learn how to become a vegetarian with some of the tastiest easy vegetarian recipe for you.


Tips for Easy Healthy Vegetarian Recipes


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!


Traditional French Vegetarian Recipes


When you think of French cooking, you probably think of steak frites, frog legs, or broiled chickens. You also probably think of a cuisine that does not typically offer many choices when it comes to vegetarian-friendly fare. However, with these French vegetarian recipes, you'll be dreaming of traveling to Paris and enjoying a gourmet meal at a local French bistro.

One type of food that has dozens of variations of French vegetarian recipes is the crepe. While you might think of a crepe as being served only for dessert, you can actually make delicious savory crepes as your main course. Crepes are easy to make, especially if you have a crepe pan or an omelet pan. Otherwise, a small skillet will work, too. All crepes start out with similar recipes. Mix together some flour, baking powder, and salt, and then beat in some eggs, milk, and water. Add a small amount to a hot skillet that you have sprayed with a little bit of cooking spray, and quickly swirl the pan around so the batter spreads out thinly across the whole pan. After the bottom turns brown-less than a minute-flip the crepe and cook the other side. You can make a bunch of these at one time and just stack them on a plate until you are ready to build your dinner crepes.

When it comes to filling your crepes, the sky is the limit. There are a huge number of great vegetables that you can steam or roast and place inside of your crepe. Try green beans, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, cauliflower, and asparagus in your crepe. You can even scramble some eggs or sprinkle with cheddar or Swiss cheese before you roll up the crepe. After you've rolled up your crepes, you shouldn't be afraid to try out a variety of toppings that go with your crepe fillings. Try a fresh pesto and walnut sauce, some melted cheese, or even a sauce made of roasted red peppers. If you want to warm up your crepe, place in a baking pan and bake for just a few minutes.

Another kind of French vegetarian recipes that you can try is French onion soup. Traditionally, French onion soup is made with a beef broth that vegetarians are unable to enjoy. However, you can create your own vegetarian French onion soup that is just as good as the original. Sauté some thinly-sliced onions and salt in some butter at the bottom of a Dutch oven until the onions are soft. Then, add some mustard and thyme, cover, and simmer for at least half an hour. Remove the lid and add some vegetable stock, soy sauce, white wine, and pepper. Let this simmer for another ten minutes to allow the flavors a chance to combine.

Finally, spoon the soup into oven-proof individual serving bowls. Top with a slice of stale or toasted French bread and grated gruyere cheese. Place the bowls of soup on a baking tray, and then place this in the oven under the broiler. Broil the bowls of soup for a few minutes or until the cheese starts to turn brown. If you are serving this dish to guests, they won't even know that the French onion soup is vegetarian unless you tell them because this dish is just as rich and savory as the real thing.








by

Werner Wichmann from http://www.easyrecipesvegetarian.com who looks for recipes that removes all the frustration out of Vegetarian and animal-free cooking.


Two Simple Vegetarian Recipes - Oriental Spring Rolls and Warm Avocado Salad


These simple vegetarian recipes make delicious starters or snacks. Crispy oriental spring rolls are great for a first course, served with your favourite dipping sauce. The warm avocado salad can also be served as a starter, or as a light lunch with crusty bread.

Oriental Spring Rolls

Ingredients:


4oz/100g button mushrooms
2 carrots
4 spring onions
1 clove garlic
4oz/100g beansprouts
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
6 sheets filo pastry (cut into quarters)
1/4 pint/150ml vegetable oil

Method:


Peel and thinly slice the onion, Slice the mushrooms. Peel and julienne (cut into matchstick sized pieces) the carrots. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan or wok until very hot and almost smoking. Add the mushrooms and carrots and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until softened and golden.
Add  onions, garlic, beansprouts and soy sauce. Stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes until tender. Remove the pan from the heat.
Lay the filo pastry sheets out on your work surface, divide the filling between them - towards one end of the pastry sheets. Brush the edges with water (this will effect sealing the pastry so that no oil can get in and no filling can get out), fold the sides in and roll them up.
Heat the remaining oil in your pan. Cook in batches for 3 minutes, turn frequently to get them golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.

Warm  Avocado Salad

Ingredients:


8oz/225g cherry tomatoes
4 ripe avocados
bunch of spring onions
2 cloves  garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra to drizzle over finished salad)
salad leaves of your choice

Method:


Halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel and crush the garlic. Trim and chop the spring onions. Cut the avocados in half lengthways and take out the stones. Peel the skin off, chop the flesh roughly and toss in the lemon juice.
Heat the oil in a pan or wok. Add garlic and spring onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the white wine vinegar, mustard, and the tomatoes. Stir-fry over a high heat  for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the avocados and parsley.
Arrange the salad leaves onto 4 serving plates and top with the avocado mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm.

Bon Appetit








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Variety Adds Vitality to Your Vegetarian Recipes


Cooking vegetarian recipes will open you to a whole world of delicious, healthy, and easy to make dishes. These vegetarian recipes are high in nutritional value, and low on fat. Cooking can cause the loss of up to 97% of water-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Since uncooked foods such as juices contain more vitamins and other nutrients, they are more satisfying to the body, so it does not feel starved for nutrients.

Probably one of the most perplexing thoughts a person has when they transition to vegetarianism is keeping their diet filled with a variety of fun, diverse, and nutrient-dense foods. It can sometimes feel like you're cutting many options out since you're no longer consuming meat, and it may seem you're losing even more options if you've also decided to cut dairy and eggs from your diet as well. With a little creativity, planning, and forethought, you might be surprised how much variety you can achieve with your new vegetarian diet - perhaps even more than your meat-eating days!

Vegetarian recipes are tasty, and easy to make. You can turn any recipe into a purely vegetarian one by replacing the meats with any vegetarian alternative. Vegetarian dishes are also easier to digest and absorb, and those who eat a steady diet of vegetarian dishes tend to have less health problems than those who have all of their meals based around meat. Vegetarian recipes provide the most efficient nutriment for the human system, because plants form the basis of the food chain, closest to the source of life itself, which is solar energy. Green vegetables contain essential vitamins & minerals and are thus very beneficial for health.

Vegetarianism can be very confusing to those who are not familiar with it. But I have discovered that I feel better when I eat vegetarian meals. Vegetarian dishes are also easier to digest and absorb, and those who eat a steady diet of vegetarian dishes tend to have less health problems than those who have all of their meals based around meat. Vegetarian recipes provide the most efficient nutriment for the human system, because plants form the basis of the food chain, closest to the source of life itself, which is solar energy. Green vegetables contain essential vitamins & minerals and are thus very beneficial for health. And contrary to popular belief, vegetarian recipes are full of the taste and enjoyment of many other foods you eat..

Vegetarian recipes provide the most efficient nutriment for the human system, because plants form the basis of the food chain, closest to the source of life itself, which is solar energy. Green vegetables contain essential vitamins & minerals and are thus very beneficial for health. Vegetable curries and usals. Salads, koshimbir and bhurta. Contrary to popular belief, preparing a quick easy vegetarian meal may be a convenient task after all.

Vegetarian recipes are included, as well as information on adapting some recipes to a vegetarian diet. Each recipe contains nutrition information per serving and even cost per serving, which many cooks find helpful. Vegetarian dishes are also easier to digest and absorb, and those who eat a steady diet of vegetarian dishes tend to have less health problems than those who have all of their meals based around meat. Vegetarian recipes provide the most efficient nutriment for the human system, because plants form the basis of the food chain, closest to the source of life itself, which is solar energy. Green vegetables contain essential vitamins & minerals and are thus very beneficial for health. And contrary to popular belief, vegetarian recipes are full of the taste and enjoyment of many other foods you eat.

Vegetarianism isn't just about food or health or what we put in our body we should remember that it is a lifestyle and a lifelong commitment that extends beyond the table. It extends to our own fashion to wardrobe to interior pieces and other things. The information, recipes and website links on this page are provided to help anyone begin or to increase their ability to be a vegetarian. Vegetarians have their own favorite dishes and desserts. Vegetarian diets call for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and soybeans as a replacement for meat (which is much higher in saturated fats and much lower in fiber, antioxidants). This contributes to a healthy heart.

Indian food is different from the food of any other country. India has a great variety of foods compared to any other country. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse subcontinent . Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, from regions as diverse as West Asia , Central Asia and Europe. Gujarati cuisine of India is predominantly vegetarian among other Indian cuisines. For pure vegetarians India is a heaven.

Indian vegetarian dishes are loaded with antioxidants. Many spices protect against cancer, heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. Indian vegetarian food proves all of this wrong. Indian culinary, or the art of cooking, has evolved with the times imbibing its share of various ingredients by different froeign invasions of rulers and travelers but without affecting its original identity. Therefore, whether it is North India, South India, East India, West India, the central part and the north-eastern part - each place has its own flavor of food and style of cooking.

Meatless meals are great for stretching the family food budget. In general, vegetarian cooking provides essential protein nutrients from plant sources plus dairy products, eggs and whole grains. Meat can be considered as being a vital part of the main daily meal. While meat lovers will not have a problem with this inclusion into their meal, others may.








ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vernon De Flanders - Is the Webmaster Of " Vegetarian Lives" and the author of: "Vegetarian Recipes Book [http://www.vegetarianlives.com/vegetarianrecipes/index.htm]" - Healthful Vegetarian Recipes For The Most Discriminating Tastes. This Recipe Book Contains over 1,000 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes!