Growing scientific evidence suggests vegetarianism can reap health benefits.
The Acansa Dining Hall serves non-meat food options, soy milk, and tofu. The Edge coffeehouse near campus offers vegetarian soups and sandwiches and vegan desserts.
Everywhere, vegetarians are being catered to. Who are these people and what is their beef with meat, and why all this special attention?
Most everyone knows someone who is a vegetarian, but vegetarians in America only represent 3.2 percent of the population, according to a 2008 study published by Vegetarian Times.
However, according to a poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, 1 percent or less of the American population was vegetarian in 1994.
The growth of vegetarianism cannot be attributed to any one cause.
The study "The American Vegetarian: Coming of Age in the 90s" showed 15 percent chose a vegetarian diet to promote animal rights.
Four percent are vegetarian to benefit the environment.
About 46 percent of vegetarians claimed health as the main reason for a meatless diet.
On average, vegetarians consume one-third less saturated fat and about half as much cholesterol, reports the American Dietetic Association.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Vegetarian Beauty Nutrient
Experts have long known that protein is an essential beauty nutrient, helping to replenish skin cells and keep hair and nails growing and healthy. Now there are more ways than ever to get the essential proteins your body needs.
"It's cheaper and healthier to eat vegetarian proteins, because they don't contain saturated animal fat and the contaminants of production-fed meat," says Paulette Lambert, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute, who advocates quasi-vegetarian diets to help the environment. "Eating one vegetarian meal a week as a family saves 21,000 gallons of water a year."
Grocery stores and online specialty shops offer a stunning range of beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains that are high in protein and satiating fiber, low in cost and absolutely luscious. With benefits that go way beyond the cosmetic, these proteins may cut your risk for heart disease and cancer, and they help the planet as well.
Heirloom Beans
Bored with black beans and kidney beans? Expand your legume repertoire. Top chefs, like Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame, are turning to heirloom beans that have been cultivated for centuries without genetic modification and are now being rediscovered and replanted. There are about 10,000 varieties of legumes, carrying exotic names such as Tongues of Fire, so you'll never have trouble finding something novel to try.
Healthy Whole Grains
Most people think of them merely as carbohydrates, but grains can also pack a powerful protein punch. The ancient grain quinoa, considered sacred by the Incas in the Andes of South America, contains more protein than any other grain. What's more, quinoa is a complete protein, which means it has all the essential amino acids for building muscle, skin and bone. With a wonderful nutty flavor, quinoa can be used as a substitute for rice or couscous.
"It's cheaper and healthier to eat vegetarian proteins, because they don't contain saturated animal fat and the contaminants of production-fed meat," says Paulette Lambert, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute, who advocates quasi-vegetarian diets to help the environment. "Eating one vegetarian meal a week as a family saves 21,000 gallons of water a year."
Grocery stores and online specialty shops offer a stunning range of beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains that are high in protein and satiating fiber, low in cost and absolutely luscious. With benefits that go way beyond the cosmetic, these proteins may cut your risk for heart disease and cancer, and they help the planet as well.
Heirloom Beans
Bored with black beans and kidney beans? Expand your legume repertoire. Top chefs, like Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame, are turning to heirloom beans that have been cultivated for centuries without genetic modification and are now being rediscovered and replanted. There are about 10,000 varieties of legumes, carrying exotic names such as Tongues of Fire, so you'll never have trouble finding something novel to try.
Healthy Whole Grains
Most people think of them merely as carbohydrates, but grains can also pack a powerful protein punch. The ancient grain quinoa, considered sacred by the Incas in the Andes of South America, contains more protein than any other grain. What's more, quinoa is a complete protein, which means it has all the essential amino acids for building muscle, skin and bone. With a wonderful nutty flavor, quinoa can be used as a substitute for rice or couscous.
Vegetarian recipes
Purchase a small eggplant and cut off the bottom and compost. Then continue slicing into thin rounds about a quarter of an inch thick.
Give a Pyrex baking dish a coating of cooking spray. My dish is 8 by 10 inches but has rounded, rather than square, corners. It’s also almost 3 inches deep. Adjust cooking time if you are using a larger, shallower dish.
Line the bottom and sides of the dish with the eggplant slices. I had enough slices to make two layers on the bottom. Lightly salt the eggplant. Put the dish into a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, slice up two or three zucchinis, yellow squash or a mixture of the two. Chop up a large onion and slice a cup or so of mushrooms. If you want to go vegan, add Earth Balance or oil to a large sauté pan. Nonvegans can use butter if you prefer. Sauté the onions and mushrooms at low heat until they are transparent. Season with salt and pepper or a nonsalt product such as Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasonings Salute.
Drain a small jar (7-8 ounces) of red roasted peppers. Cut into strips.
When the wild rice is done, drain it as well. Now you are ready for assembly.
Arrange the squash slices on top of the eggplant slices. Cover with a layer of wild rice and then the onion/mushroom mixture. Arrange the red roasted pepper strips on top of the onions and mushrooms. Finally, generously sprinkle with cheese. Vegans will choose a soy cheese and others can use whatever you like. The pre-shredded Mexican or Italian blends would both be good choices.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. If it is in a shallow dish, it will probably be just right after 20 minutes. It needs to be in the oven only long enough to heat through and for the vegetables to soften and the cheese to melt.
If you are a vegan, you may want to add a half cup or so of nutritional yeast flakes and use Bragg’s Amino Acids for seasoning the dish.
Honestly, whether you are a vegan or vegetarian or even a devout carnivore, this is a truly splendid dish. It’s hearty enough for anyone, light on calories and full of colorful vegetables we all need. You can also make it to your tastes and add other vegetable choices. This makes about four servings.
Give a Pyrex baking dish a coating of cooking spray. My dish is 8 by 10 inches but has rounded, rather than square, corners. It’s also almost 3 inches deep. Adjust cooking time if you are using a larger, shallower dish.
Line the bottom and sides of the dish with the eggplant slices. I had enough slices to make two layers on the bottom. Lightly salt the eggplant. Put the dish into a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, slice up two or three zucchinis, yellow squash or a mixture of the two. Chop up a large onion and slice a cup or so of mushrooms. If you want to go vegan, add Earth Balance or oil to a large sauté pan. Nonvegans can use butter if you prefer. Sauté the onions and mushrooms at low heat until they are transparent. Season with salt and pepper or a nonsalt product such as Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasonings Salute.
Drain a small jar (7-8 ounces) of red roasted peppers. Cut into strips.
When the wild rice is done, drain it as well. Now you are ready for assembly.
Arrange the squash slices on top of the eggplant slices. Cover with a layer of wild rice and then the onion/mushroom mixture. Arrange the red roasted pepper strips on top of the onions and mushrooms. Finally, generously sprinkle with cheese. Vegans will choose a soy cheese and others can use whatever you like. The pre-shredded Mexican or Italian blends would both be good choices.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. If it is in a shallow dish, it will probably be just right after 20 minutes. It needs to be in the oven only long enough to heat through and for the vegetables to soften and the cheese to melt.
If you are a vegan, you may want to add a half cup or so of nutritional yeast flakes and use Bragg’s Amino Acids for seasoning the dish.
Honestly, whether you are a vegan or vegetarian or even a devout carnivore, this is a truly splendid dish. It’s hearty enough for anyone, light on calories and full of colorful vegetables we all need. You can also make it to your tastes and add other vegetable choices. This makes about four servings.
Vegetarian Cooking Info
There are some great resources on the Internet that provide lists of widely available vegetarian- and vegan-friendly items. One of my favorites is on PETA’s Web site, a list called “Accidentally Vegan.”
That list has dozens of items in various categories that are not marketed as vegetarian friendly, but happen to contain no animal products. Among the surprising finds are things like Bac-O’s brand bacon bits and Manwich sauce.
PETA is a great resource for vegan dining tips, but the “Accidentally Vegan” list has proved the most useful for quick and easy solutions for a busy vegetarian.
Several recipes and cooking methods call for ingredients that people often don’t realize are not vegetarian-friendly. Most vegetarians know the standards, but some meat-eaters don’t realize that simple things like gelatin are made of animal bones, which are not conducive to a vegetarian lifestyle.
That list has dozens of items in various categories that are not marketed as vegetarian friendly, but happen to contain no animal products. Among the surprising finds are things like Bac-O’s brand bacon bits and Manwich sauce.
PETA is a great resource for vegan dining tips, but the “Accidentally Vegan” list has proved the most useful for quick and easy solutions for a busy vegetarian.
Several recipes and cooking methods call for ingredients that people often don’t realize are not vegetarian-friendly. Most vegetarians know the standards, but some meat-eaters don’t realize that simple things like gelatin are made of animal bones, which are not conducive to a vegetarian lifestyle.
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