Tips on Adding Variety To Your Vegetarian Lifestyle


by Len Richardson - Date: 2006-12-11 - Word Count: 304 Share This!

You are only limited by your imagination when planning a healthy vegetarian diet. Variety is the spice of life. It's important to incorporate a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts in different meals. Your vegetarian diet needs to be nutrient-dense, interesting, and fun! When you serve your favorite entrees, aim for variety by serving different side dishes, snacks and desserts.

Try new 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.

If you're unsure how to include a new food into your vegetarian diet, ask the produce manager at your local grocer or health food store for ideas on how to prepare it. The internet can be a great resource for new recipe and preparation ideas. Be creative in planning meals.

Plan a meal around a vegetable. A baked potato can be a hearty entree; 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.

Don't stress about getting enough protein. As long as calories are sufficient and the diet is varied, vegetarians 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.

There are many mouth watering, delicious meals that make the transition to a heart healthy lifestyle really easy. By adding variety to your vegetarian lifestyle you'll find it much easier and enjoyable to stick with it. So try something new today. See you in the produce section.


Related Tags: cooking, recipes, cooking tips, vegetarian, vegetarian lifestyle, vegitarian, vegitarian lifestyle

Author Bio:

Len Richardson has years of experience in diet, nutrition and food preparation. Get more valuable information on the vegetarian lifestyle including a free monthly newsletter and much more by going to www.askfirstmarketing.com/ea/veg.html

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