Healthy Meals for Vegetarians

It is essential to get enough dietary protein in your vegetarian meals. While it is easy to load up on carbohydrates, you must incorporate a lot of soy, plant-based proteins, fiber and meat alternatives into your diet. Fortunately, the last decade has seen a host of great foods, specifically for vegetarian and vegan diets. Rice cheese, tofu and soy milk have made their way into grocery stores. With a little research, you will find recipes that satisfy your taste buds.

Breakfast

• Donuts, bagels and pastries--it's easy to pick up something on your way to work or school. The downfall is the midmorning sugar crash that is likely to follow, and cause you to overeat at lunch. Start your morning with a good dose of protein. Crumble one block of extra firm tofu with a fork. Heat 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, onions, spinach, garlic and tofu in a pan. Fry for 15 minutes, or until each side is crispy. Serve with avocados and salsa.

  Make a meal to go by blending two frozen bananas, 1 cup of yogurt, 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1/4 cup of granola and 2 tbsp. of honey.

  Morningstar Farms has an entire line of soy items, such as bacon sausage and breakfast patties. They cook up quickly and taste great.

Protein

• Sometimes it's hard to get all your servings of protein in one day. The average vegetarian adult woman needs 45 g, while a man needs at least 55 g. You get protein from dairy, nuts, soy products, vegetables and legumes. Try a protein-rich meal such as Tempeh (a soybean cake) and mushrooms. In a pan add 1 tbsp. of virgin olive oil and a 7 oz. package of tempeh, and cook until golden brown. Add 1 tbsp. of soy sauce and cook for an additional five minutes, and remove from heat. In a separate pan cook 3 cups of assorted mushrooms, whichever ones you prefer. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of your favorite lager (or Sherry) and 2 tbsp. of Dijon mustard. Add 2 tbsp. of flour and cook for 20 minutes. Add your cooked tempeh and some fresh tarragon. Serve over brown rice.

  Additional high protein ideas include Caribbean tofu with brown rice and beans, Reuben sandwiches made with soy meat on rye bread, "Shepard's Pie" made with Morningstar Farms soy crumbles and soy chorizo sausage tacos.

Veggie Side Dishes

• If you're tired of the same starchy sides, there are many veggie options available. Make salads such as a moroccan carrot salad, braised brussel sprouts, grilled eggplant, portobella mushroom sliders and spaghetti squash. Purchase a wide variety of spices to change around the flavors in your ordinary dishes. Substitute ingredients in one dish and turn it into a Mexican meal and the next night making it an Italian meal. Experiment with different soy products. You may prefer some products over others, so find the ones you like best. Amy's makes a great line of soy products that are simple to make when you are pressed for time.