A friend of mine asked me to provide her with some information about healthy vegetarian eating. I compiled the following to serve as a starting point for someone who desires to eat healthy and avoid meat. These bits of information form the basis of my diet. I found that whenever I omitted meat from my diet, I became a more resourceful and creative cook. Natural, whole ingredients and foods as well as ancient common sense (now backed by science) form the basis and majority of our meals. When I used specific sources, I either cited them or provided the links to the direct source.
Principle components of a healthy vegetarian diet:
- Whole Grain foods:
- Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat couscous, all other grains (e.g. bulgar, quinoa, barley, oats)
- Legumes:
- Beans of all types (the best are lentils and black beans), peas, peanut
- Nuts/ Seeds:
- All whole nuts and butters (tahini, peanut, almond, sunflower seed, etc.), Almond milk.
- Dairy:
- milk, cheese, yogurt (greek yogurt has 2x the protein but the same no. of calories)
- Eggs (the most complete and perfect protein source that exists)
- Vegetables:
- Particular emphasis on leafy greens and orange (e.g. pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, carrots); broccoli, tomatoes
- Fruits:
- Apples, berries of all types, melons.
- Healthy Fats:
- olive oil, avocado, nuts/seeds, eggs, flax seeds
- Supplements/Additions:
- Flax seed meal (good source of Omega 3, which most diets are lacking in), brewers yeast (protein addition, adds completeness)
*Soy is optional but not necessary in a healthy vegetarian diet. Exercise caution.
Recipes and Sources:
Five different ways to prepare a complete protein meal centered around beans and rice:
http://www.nomeatathlete.com/rice-and-beans/
10 different easy-to-make vegetarian lunches with good protein content:
http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-lunches/
Websites where meal plans can be generated based on individual calorie needs (and goals) and food preferences:
http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/planner/launchPage.aspx
Excellent source of healthy vegan recipes; features a handy recipe search engine:
Solid list of vegan, vegetarian, and healthy blogs with search engine:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2005/12/blogs-i-like-veg-blog-search.html
A blog written by a Registered Dietician; lots of good recipes (some vegetarian):
A search through Yahoo! Groups for Vegetarian Recipes:
-Must sign up to get a daily digest of recipes emailed.
http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=vegetarian
USDA Dietary Guidelines:
On page 16 of this study is an outline for the daily and weekly recommended intakes of all the different food groups in a healthy lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (page 17 outlines the diet for vegans). The chart is split into different calorie levels. Print it out and use it as a reference when planning meals for the day/week.
Individual Protein Requirements/ Protein Complimentarity:
To determine the amount of protein needed for an adult each day, multiply weight x .28. For example, A 170lb person needs 47.6g of protein per day (170 x .28 = 47.6). Note: protein is only useable if it has been complimented by other sources. Complementary proteins may be eaten over the course of a day. The book, Recipes for a Small Planet (1973) by Ellen Buchman Ewald is a good source of specific information on this topic, as well as many protein and nutrient-rich vegetarian recipes. The key difference is that since this book as been published, it is now understood that complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal, but over the course of a day. Eating a daily diet of all sources of protein (nuts/seeds, legumes, wheat, and dairy) ensures this.
Examples of healthy and high-protein foods/ meal ideas:
Breakfast:
- Oatmeal with peanut butter, milk (or almond), and brewers yeast. Cinnamon and/or honey optional.
- Veggie omelet
- Whole wheat pancakes made with yogurt, cottage cheese and/or peanut butter
- Bulgar wheat cereal with milk and additions
- Yogurt with fruit and flax seed meal
- Whole grain muffin or breakfast bars (like pumpkin)
- Whole grain cereal and milk (or almond milk)
Snacks:
- Hummus and veggie
- Fruit and yogurt or add: plain oats, cereal, sunflower seeds
- Toast/whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and cinnamon
- Nuts and fresh or dried fruit
- Trail mix of nuts, cereal, raisins
Meals:
- Beans and rice (many varieties)
- Hummus and veggies and brown rice, pita, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, or whole wheat tortilla
- Soup made from beans, vegetable broth, and cut up vegetables (e.g. carrot and spinach). Add cooked barley or rice to increase available protein.
- Pasta with white beans, marinara (or diced tomatoes), and spinach
- Ethnic dishes (Indian food is very vegetarian friendly and uses grains and beans as base)
- Salad topped with veggies and cooked garbanzo beans
Many many other delicious recipes! See resources above, as well as cook books and millions of on-line recipes.
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