Need some help getting started on a mostly vegetarian diet :-)

cheeser

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We need to cut back on our iron intake for health reasons. So we thought we'd try to start transitioning to a mostly vegetarian diet, since plant-based sources of iron aren't as easily absorbed by the body. But we do need to include dairy products, as they help to inhibit the absorption of iron.

What are some good resources to learn about how to cook (mostly) vegetarian meals? And does anyone have any favorite recipes you'd like to share? :)

For what it's worth, we live in a little town off the beaten path. So the only groceries that are available to us are from the nearest Walmart (which also includes lots of Mexican produce and spices), as well as whatever we can order from Amazon.
 

rubysmama

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There's some recipes in this thread: Recipes - Main Dishes And Entrees - Vegetarian/vegan

As for vegetarian meal ideas, I guess it depends on what types of food you like to eat. Although I wouldn't suggest simply replacing all meat with meat substitutes, some of the products are good for when you are in a hurry, or want a faux-meat. I really enjoy the Gardein products. The Amys products are well liked by a lot of both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

One of the main vegetarian meals is rice and beans, as it provides a complete protein, and there are tons of ways to mix it up from simple black beans and rice, to more elaborate combinations.

You mention wanting to still use dairy products, so vegetarian lasagnas are an option. As is mac and cheese. Smoothies can use milk or yogurt. Greek yogurt has a lot of protein, if that's a concern. And pizza, of course.

When I first became vegetarian, I bought the book Becoming Vegetarian. It is written by 2 registered dietitians, who cover everything you need to know about being healthy on a vegetarian diet from childhood to senior years. There's tables that show how much protein / iron, etc. are in certain foods. There are recipes, as well. Well worth the money, imo.

Good luck. Let us know if you have any other, or specific, questions.
 

LTS3

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Plant based diets seem to be popular these days. It's just eating more plants and less meat but not 100% vegetarian or vegan. Try this web site's section on vegetarian meals for recipes, weekly menu suggestions, etc: Vegetarian In Plan Prep

Here's more:

 
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cheeser

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There's some recipes in this thread: Recipes - Main Dishes And Entrees - Vegetarian/vegan

As for vegetarian meal ideas, I guess it depends on what types of food you like to eat. Although I wouldn't suggest simply replacing all meat with meat substitutes, some of the products are good for when you are in a hurry, or want a faux-meat. I really enjoy the Gardein products. The Amys products are well liked by a lot of both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

One of the main vegetarian meals is rice and beans, as it provides a complete protein, and there are tons of ways to mix it up from simple black beans and rice, to more elaborate combinations.

You mention wanting to still use dairy products, so vegetarian lasagnas are an option. As is mac and cheese. Smoothies can use milk or yogurt. Greek yogurt has a lot of protein, if that's a concern. And pizza, of course.

When I first became vegetarian, I bought the book Becoming Vegetarian. It is written by 2 registered dietitians, who cover everything you need to know about being healthy on a vegetarian diet from childhood to senior years. There's tables that show how much protein / iron, etc. are in certain foods. There are recipes, as well. Well worth the money, imo.

Good luck. Let us know if you have any other, or specific, questions.
Thanks oodles for all of the links! I need to order some stuff from Amazon anyway, so I'll just slip that book into the cart. :wink:

Thankfully, beans and rice are already a staple of our diet since I'm Hispanic. I just need to figure out alternative ways to season them. I'm ashamed to admit how much lard and pork are in some traditional recipes. :paperbag:

The funny thing is, that while I have been using some unhealthy ingredients when preparing meals, I do try to make everything from scratch, as I just don't like the idea of all of the additives and whatnot in processed foods. Meat substitute products such as MorningStar veggie burgers and "chicken" nuggets have certainly come in handy at times, but I'd much rather learn how to make meat substitutes from scratch, and if possible, freeze them for later use. I don't mind doing a little extra work up front, if it helps me resist the temptation to indulge in processed foods later in the name of convenience. :)
 
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cheeser

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Plant based diets seem to be popular these days. It's just eating more plants and less meat but not 100% vegetarian or vegan. Try this web site's section on vegetarian meals for recipes, weekly menu suggestions, etc: Vegetarian In Plan Prep

Here's more:

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Way cool! Thanks for all of the info. :worship:

I think my biggest challenge at this point is a lack of imagination. I've been cooking more or less the same things for so many years based on family preferences, I had completely forgotten there were lots of other vegetables available! I never thought I'd be this excited about buying fresh beets, and trying to figure out what to do with them. :biggrin:
 

rubysmama

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Meat substitute products such as MorningStar veggie burgers and "chicken" nuggets have certainly come in handy at times, but I'd much rather learn how to make meat substitutes from scratch, and if possible, freeze them for later use.
I've tried making "chicken" nuggets using chickpeas, but it didn't turn out anything like the processed ones, and were barely edible.

Homemade veggie burgers, though, can be good. Some better than others. The hardest part is getting them not to fall apart. The black bean veggie burger recipe I posted in the veg recipe thread, though not the healthiest one out there, is easy to make, and doesn't tend to fall apart.

I don't mind doing a little extra work up front, if it helps me resist the temptation to indulge in processed foods later in the name of convenience. :)
Depending on how many mouths you have to feed each meal, a lot of recipes will make enough that there'll be leftovers, and I've found most rice and bean recipes freeze well.

Here's a few links:
How the World Does Beans and Rice...in 16 Recipes
11 Rice and Beans Recipes That Aren’t Boring
30 Creative Rice and Bean Dishes From Around the World
 
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cheeser

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My oldest daughter's background is in nutrition and two of her favorite sites for recipes are:
Recipe Index | Happy Herbivore
McDougall Recipes | Dr. McDougall’s Health and Medical Center

Good luck with your search and please let us know if you would like anymore info or suggestions. :rbheart:
Oh, bless you! Those sites look very promising. *hugs you tight*

To be honest, I've never really cared that much for meat since I was a little kid, and used to drive my mother to despair when I'd prefer to eat peanut butter sandwiches instead. So I think I could easily become a vegetarian. The guys aren't as enthusiastic, but it's amazing how amenable one can become after a health scare. ;)
 
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cheeser

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I've tried making "chicken" nuggets using chickpeas, but it didn't turn out anything like the processed ones, and were barely edible.

Homemade veggie burgers, though, can be good. Some better than others. The hardest part is getting them not to fall apart. The black bean veggie burger recipe I posted in the veg recipe thread, though not the healthiest one out there, is easy to make, and doesn't tend to fall apart.



Depending on how many mouths you have to feed each meal, a lot of recipes will make enough that there'll be leftovers, and I've found most rice and bean recipes freeze well.

Here's a few links:
How the World Does Beans and Rice...in 16 Recipes
11 Rice and Beans Recipes That Aren’t Boring
30 Creative Rice and Bean Dishes From Around the World
Thanks for the additional links. I'm especially fond of rice and beans, so those recipes are right up my alley. :)

Many years ago, I used to go to a vegetarian restaurant that used tofu, soybeans, and other stuff as meat substitutes. They were so good at it, you honestly couldn't tell the difference between their version and the real thing for dishes such as meat loaf, spaghetti and meatballs, etc. If I could learn to cook vegetarian meals that well, it would make my family very happy!

Just curious, what can you use as a binder if you don't use eggs to get the nuggets or patties to stick together? I'm so clueless at this point!
 

neely

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Just curious, what can you use as a binder if you don't use eggs to get the nuggets or patties to stick together? I'm so clueless at this point!
You can use 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons of water and mix them together. Then let it sit in the fridge for approx. 15 - 30 minutes in order to set up and thicken. Very simple! I really like the Bob's Red Mill brand of flaxseed.

Here's a great website to help you regarding egg substitutes: Guide to Egg Substitutes | Minimalist Baker
 

fionasmom

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Some popular vegan writers currently are by Dr. Michael Greger
https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-die-cookbook/
and the Forks Over Knives doctors.
Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year: Sroufe, Del, Moskowitz, Isa Chandra, Hever MS RD CPT, Julieanna, Thacker, Darshana, Micklewright, Judy: 8601404420009: Amazon.com: Books
I am a vegan and am not saying that you should be at all. You might find some appealing recipes here though because vegan food has to work a little harder to be tasty.
 
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cheeser

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You can use 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons of water and mix them together. Then let it sit in the fridge for approx. 15 - 30 minutes in order to set up and thicken. Very simple! I really like the Bob's Red Mill brand of flaxseed.

Here's a great website to help you regarding egg substitutes: Guide to Egg Substitutes | Minimalist Baker
Ah, okay. That sounds simple enough. And I love Bob's Red Mill products. :)

We are allowed to have eggs, as they can also help to inhibit the absorption of iron. But I figure the fewer eggs we eat, the better from a cardiovascular standpoint. ;)
 
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cheeser

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Some popular vegan writers currently are by Dr. Michael Greger
https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-die-cookbook/
and the Forks Over Knives doctors.
Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year: Sroufe, Del, Moskowitz, Isa Chandra, Hever MS RD CPT, Julieanna, Thacker, Darshana, Micklewright, Judy: 8601404420009: Amazon.com: Books
I am a vegan and am not saying that you should be at all. You might find some appealing recipes here though because vegan food has to work a little harder to be tasty.
Ooh, those look interesting! Thanks bunches for the recommendations.

I truly admire people who are dedicated to a vegan lifestyle. I'm not sure where we'll eventually wind up on the spectrum, but I figure we gotta start somewhere! The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, or something like that. :wink:

So I greatly appreciate your help in getting us started on this journey. :grouphug:
 
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cheeser

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cheeser cheeser : Make sure you follow the What's For Dinner? - 2021 thread, as some of us vegetarians post what we had for dinner each day. Tonight I made a white beans and rice recipe, and posted about it.
Wow! Thanks ever so much!

This morning I felt a little overwhelmed at not being sure where to start. Now y'all have provided so many options, I almost feel a little overwhelmed by all of the possibilities! :lol:
 

fionasmom

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One dish which is very adaptable and versatile is chili. If you google vegetarian chili you will find a ton of various recipes and that is a good start. You probably have a recipe of your own that could be modified.
 
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cheeser

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One dish which is very adaptable and versatile is chili. If you google vegetarian chili you will find a ton of various recipes and that is a good start. You probably have a recipe of your own that could be modified.
Chili is very serious business here in Texas, so there's no way I could get away with making a meatless version. We're funny that way. But if I call it soup instead, that would probably work. :biggrin:

I did accidentally stumble across a recipe that my family liked a lot. I had some leftover lentils in the freezer that I was trying to use up. So I just warmed them up, added barbecue sauce and caramelized onions, served it on hamburger buns, and told everyone they were Sloppy Joes. No one seemed to notice anything amiss. :)
 

fionasmom

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Actually, the "pretend" Sloppy Joe is a very popular vegetarian and vegan recipe! Dr. Greger has one with jackfruit which he calls Sloppy Jacks.
 
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