The healthy alternative - becoming a vegetarian

VEGETARIAN COOKING FOR EVERYONE

As a student of the meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy I have been a vegetarian for last fourteen years. In the beginning I felt that I would need to take a daily multi- vitamin tablet to help me balance any imbalance in the period of transition away meat, chicken and seafood. That lasted only 2 weeks, since then I have run thousands of kilometres in preparation for 12 marathons, four 12 hour walks and four 47 mile runs. So if you are one who feels that vegetarians are sickly looking, pale and weak I can assure you that this not the case, if you follow some basic and sound advice.

There are many different ways to plan a healthy vegetarian diet. The most important rule is to include a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits in different meals. Nuts and seeds may be included also. Vegetarians may also choose to include eggs and low-fat dairy products in their diet.

Vegetarian diets may include familiar foods—such as cereals, bean soup, potatoes, peanut butter sandwiches and spaghetti—as well as the less familiar—such as bulgur, adzuki beans, TVP (textured vegetable protein, derived from soy), Indian herbs, chutneys and curry mixes and soy /rice milk, or coconut milk. Experimentation with new foods can provide nutritional benefits as well as enhance your eating enjoyment. There are many wonderful cook books available, it helps to follow some recipes in the beginning if you are not very creative, or unfamiliar with ingredient combinations.

Some people decide to trade in their usual diet for a vegetarian plan all at once. Others prefer a more gradual approach. This allows a comfortable transition and allows time to find plenty of new ways to meet nutrient needs. The goal is to make changes that you can live with and which are nutritionally sound...
Sahayak Plowman