Gone are the days when vegetarianism was a strict philosophy or uncompromising religion. Vegetarianism is easy to incorporate into your everyday routine. It can help prevent or treat heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure and even reduce the risk of cancer, no matter how old you are. The plant world provides us with a huge variety of foods, each more tasty than the last. These include leafy greens, fresh fruit, whole grains, and various nuts, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, etc.) and soy products, not to mention the ultimate culinary chameleon, tofu. Vegetarianism has come to be synonymous with variety, colour and flavour. If you’re looking to ditch meat or poultry a few times a week, avoid making sudden changes. It’s better to do it gradually! Here are a few tips:
- Reduce the amount of meat in your spaghetti sauce and meatloaf by swapping it out for the same amount of crumbled firm tofu or legumes.
- Add lentils to your vegetable soup.
- On pizzas, substitute pepperoni with soy-based sliced sausage.
- Replace chicken with strips of firm tofu marinated in a bit of tamari sauce and orange juice.
- Use plenty of spices and herbs to add flavour and depth to your meals (cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, curry powder, ginger, thyme, tarragon, basil, cilantro, chives, etc.).
- Try new ready-to-serve vegetarian foods: Commensal, Fontaine Santé and Yves Veggie Cuisine all offer a range of appetizing options.
- Pick up some cookbooks and set yourself a goal of trying one new vegetarian recipe each week.
Remember these rules:
- Make fresh vegetables and fruit a bigger part of your diet.
- Make sure to eat protein with every meal (legumes, tofu, soy products, etc.).
- Choose whole grain products.
- If you decide to eliminate dairy products from your diet, replace them with other calcium-rich foods: calcium-enriched soy drinks, broccoli, kale, bok choy, tahini, almonds and legumes.
- Make sure to include a food that is high in vitamin C with every meal: citrus fruit, kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, cabbage, peppers, snow peas, tomatoes and juice.
To find out even more and discover delicious vegetarian recipes:
- Lambert-Lagacé L., Desaulniers L., The Part-Time Vegetarian, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2003.
The Rachelle Béry Nutritionist Team
