It’s finally October, and while the month is known for being a lot of things, like Halloween, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, October is also National Vegetarian Month, making it the perfect opportunity to finally see how the vegetarians do it.
When I first started being a vegetarian it was hard, and not because I loved meat oh, so much. Really, it was just because I didn’t know how to cook vegetables into a meal. Like most carnivorous families, mine only had vegetables as a side. Steamed carrots and broccoli seasoned solely with salt and pepper were a staple on my dinner table. My very first meal as a vegetarian was actually just steamed broccoli with hummus and potatoes. It took me a few weeks of veggie burgers and fried eggs before I learned of any healthy, delicious alternatives. And now that it’s been a year and a half I would never go back. Here are some tips so you don’t survive on pasta during your vegetarian journey.
There are plenty of ways to get protein
A lot of people will tell you of the dangers of not getting enough protein. But don’t fret, getting protein for vegetarians is not as difficult as it seems. If you are still eat eggs and dairy, those are great sources of protein. If you are considering veganism, or cutting off either one, there are still options!
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This helpful chart from Whole Foods gives you twelve options for mixing and matching your protein. Mixing different sources of proteins is important to get complete protein. Meat is a complete protein, so carnivores don’t often know what that is. When transitioning into your new herbivore lifestyle, it’s important that you understand what complete proteins are. Basically, there are nine essential amino acids; a complete protein will have all nine. By mixing different plant based protein sources you can create complete proteins. Examples include brown rice and beans, peanut butter on whole wheat bread, or a spinach salad with walnuts. All these suggestions aren’t your only options, which is why the next point is really important.
Read up
A vegetarian diet will seem very intimidating if you don’t read up on nutrition in general. You don’t have to be an expert but learning the basics is important. This can be confusing since there may seem like there are a lot of contradictory arguments as to what is best for your body. I recommend reading this article from the Mayo Clinic; it is in depth and complete and should alleviate any fear. And if you are still concerned, my favorite rule of thumb is this: the more colorful a meal is, the better it will be for you. (Natural colors only of course)
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Experiment!
Nobody likes to eat the same things every day, it gets boring. Don’t be afraid to try new things, the worst that will happen is you won’t like it. Experiment with different ways of cooking, different seasoning, and different recipes. The possibilities are endless. When I first became a vegetarian, I started cooking more for my family. Even my Dad, who is very hesitant to try something new, said on multiple occasions that the new vegetarian recipes I was trying were some of best dishes he’s ever had. Trying new foods is one of life’s greatest pleasures, so put on a brave face and bite the bullet. You just might like it.
The best place to branch out in my opinion is Pinterest. It’s filled with hundreds of delicious recipes making it quite the gold mine. Here are some of my favorite recipes which I found using Pinterest:
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Now go forth, try new things, experiment and most importantly, have fun with it!