Where Do You Get Your Protein: The #1 Question People Ask About Going Vegetarian

I can`t count how many times, people have asked me that over the course of the past 30 years as a vegetarian. And so, I thought I would adress the issue right now on my blog.

First of all, people don`t need half as much protein as they think they do...that is unless they are doing weight training to build muscle. In which case, they still need about half of what they believe to be true. Let me clear that up by giving you exact numbers. To find out how much protein you actually need, just multiply your body weight by .36. And if you are bodybuilding, multiply your weight by .50. Getting the protein you need...40-100 grams grams per day is very easy to get on a vegetarian diet and much friendlier on your body. "In fact, medical research shows that getting more than 30 percent of your calories from protein can actually harm you and put major stress on your kidneys, the organs that rid your bod of toxins."

So, here`s my Top 10 Sources of Vegetarian Protein to give you an idea of how easy it is to get your protein from plant based sources.

Number 1: Tempeh is the winner for top vegan protein, topping the chart at 41 grams. What exactly is tempeh you ask? Tempeh is made from soya beans just like tofu, but the beans are fermented much like cheese to create a totally different, chewier texture than tofu. Many people who are not big tofu fans love tempeh. You can use it for burgers, chilli, fajitas, barbecued shish kabobs, soups, sloppy joes, to name a few and it makes a mean vegetarian bacon. (Check out Isa Chandra`s Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook for the bacon recipe)

Number 2: Seitan: also known as wheat meat or wheat gluten. Even though it comes from wheat, it is not a carb, it`s a protein. It contains 31 grams per 3 oz! It resembles meat in look and can be made to taste like all kinds of meats, fish and seafood. The texture varies if it is baked, boiled or reheated in the microwave. The Seitan you can buy in airtight bags in the fridge section of health food stores is awesome however not available in small communities. To make your own is very easy, simply follow the instructions from teacher Sarah Kramer: http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-cooking-tips/seitan.htm

Number 3: Soya Beans are next up for most protein in a vegan food source. They have 29 grams in one cup. You can buy them dry if you don`t mind soaking and cooking them for many hours but it`s so much easier to buy them pre-cooked in a can or as frozen baby soya beans AKA. Edamame They are good as a snack or can be used in recipes in place of peas; you can make a delicious Edamame hummus. See Sarah Kramer`s Vegetarian a Go Go for that hummus recipe.

Number 4: Lentils are the most practical, quick cooking and versatile bean. It helps that they are also delicious and contain lots of protein 18 grams per cup. Tons and tons of recipes are out there for lentils. Indian food features many meals based around lentils such as Dal, in soups as well as combined with vegetables in an aromatic sauce. You can buy the red lentils for quickest cooking, green ones for a meatier taste such as in Sheppard`s Pie. There are also the types of lentils you can buy in cans which are the green ones already cooked for you. Mash them up to make burgers or “meat loaves“ See The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen for amazing meat-like healthy recipes.

To Get the last Top 6 Vegetarian Protein Sources, go here: Vegetarian Protein Diet

Portabello Chycken Rice Noodle Recipe

I have so many precious recipes that I am crafting into a cookbook at the moment. My husband has been asking me for a number of years now to put all my recipes in a cookbook that he can refer to if I were ever to die. I`m sure many other aspiring vegetarians will also benefit from this cookbook and see that it`s not that strange to cook vegetarian. Many long hours of typing till 1 oclock in the morning but it will soon be done....and then comes the editing and imaging...but that`s another story.

For now,
Here`s one of my recipes that I made for the extended family last night. Everyone loved it and I`m hoping you will too!
Give me some feedback in the comments if you like it... or not...

Portabello Chycken Rice Noodles

Olive oil

2 large Portobello mushrooms

2-3 Chyckenless breasts (Gardein or President`s Choice)

1 medium red onion, chopped

½ cup tomato sauce

1/3 cup apple juice or water

¼ cup mandarin orange salad dressing (or other fruit based salad dressing)

2 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic, puréed in a jar

½ tsp pepper

½ cup carrot or butternut squash purée (optional)

½ cup peas

Rice stick noodles

Combine all liquid and spice ingredients in a blender. Reserve.

Clean mushrooms and cut into strips. Also, cut the chycken into bite sized pieces.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in oil until softened. Add the chycken and mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Pour sauce into pan with the mushroom mixture and add peas. Cover and cook over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes.

During this time, cook the rice stick noodles. To do this, you can either do it in a saucepan according to directions in the package or you can simply boil some water and pour it over top of the noodles in a bowl or Tupperware with a lid. Cover and let the noodles soak for 5 minutes then turn them with a fork and let sit for another 5 minutes in the covered container.

To plate: Start with the noodles at the bottom and add mixture of mushrooms with sauce. Garnish with a sprig of parsley for added fancinessJ

My Favorite Soup Recipe...Ever!

Back in my University years, I never used to like soups much. I figured that I would rather eat solid food than be slurping away on liquified meals. Now, soup is my favorite lunch and I regularly enjoy a variety of healthy soups and stews for lunch. What changed my mind?

I realized that there is no better way to eat a cartful of veggies in a hurry than by consuming soups! Although salads are also a great way to eat your veggies, I find it tiresome to eat a whole salad compared to soup. It`s a much more efficient way to give my body the nutrients it needs. Have I just gotten lazy? Or have I just found a better way to eat my veggies? 

 What was the turning point in my soup conversion? I believe the following recipe had to do with it! The combination of flavors in each bowl of this Indian Lentil Soup truly ignited my passion for soups. The medicinal properties of the soup also helped fuel my love of this soup. 

Turmeric alone is one of nature`s most powerful healers treating a myriad of diseases such as cancer, psoriasis and obesity. I`m not going to list all the other medicinal properties of this soup for fear of boring you to tears. Plus, I`d rather you head to the kitchen, cook up a batch and enjoy the yumminess of the soup and relish in the fact that you are doing your body good without dwelling on the exact details. Go on, head to the kitchen...you probably have all the ingredients you need, it will only take you less than half an hour to make and you can enjoy it for at least a few days...that is unless everyone else in the family finds out about this delish dish!

Indian Lentil soup

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine

1 celery stem chopped fine

1 medium carrot, chopped fine

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1 cup red lentils

3 ½ cups vegetable stock

1tbsp of chili sauce or 1 tsp hot pepper purée

1 medium tomato

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 2 frozen cubes

1 tbsp lemon juice

Roast vegetables in oil in soup pot until softened, approx. 5 minutes. Add spices and roast for a few more minutes. Add stock & lentils. Bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes.  Shut off heat. Carefully blend hot soup in soup pot with hand blender. Add last 4 ingredients, combine, then shut off lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Types of Vegetarians and Where You Fit In

So, you`re playing around with the idea of becoming a vegetarian are you? If so, you must be wondering if you have to give up all your favorites in order to be vegetarian. Luckily, there are many steps and many ways to be more and more vegetarian as you get comfortable with the new diet.

Many people start off by being flexitarian which means that they forgo meat a few times a week without commiting to a full fledged vegetarian diet right away. Then you can progress to being pescetarian, meaning that you don`t eat birds or animals except for fish and seafood. Being Lacto Ovo vegetarian is the next natural progression where you eat no animals, birds or fish but do eat dairy products and eggs.

Finally, being vegan is the ultimate in being vegetarian where you eat nothing that used to have a face, plus, no product of an animal. Vegans protect animals from any abuse through their eating choices and in so doing also protect the environment and their health. So, you see, you can take this going vegetarian as gradually or as quickly as you are comfortable with. There is no pressure to being fully vegan straight away. Any efforts on your part will make a difference in your health, the well being of animals and the health of the environment.

Here are some resources for all these types of vegetarians so you can decide where you fit in:

Flexitarian Resource: Meatless Mondays, one day a week, cut out meat. Get the weekly recipes and your meatless monday kit by going here: www.meatlessmonday.com

Flexitarian Blog: You might relate to this adventure into flexitarianism written by Lindsay, a flexitarian foodie. She is a food enthusiast that follows a flexitarian diet and lifestyle. Check out her blog here: theflexitarianfoodie.wordpress.com

Pescetarian Resource: This website offers many articles about the advantages and disadvantages of those who choose to eat no animals except for fish and seafood. Go here for recipes, meal plans and loads of information: livestrong.com 

Pescetarian Blogs: Hard to choose just one since many people write about their pescetarian lifestyle. Here are some good ones featuring recipes, restaurant reviews and meal ideas: http://www.pescetarianjournal.com/
http://pescetimes.blogspot.com/
http://www.prana.com/blog/tag/pescetarian/

Lacto Ovo Vegetarian Resource: At this point, vegetarian resources blend into one other with sites discussing recipes, mind sets and health benefits of lacto, ovo and vegan vegetarians. This one is a brilliant website with tons of information: The Vegetarian Resource Group

Lacto Ovo Blogs: A wealth of information on this website: http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/tag/lacto-ovo-vegetarian
This one is an entertaining one especially for those wanting to go vegetarian without giving up dairy and eggs right away and for those who enjoy fine wines. http://chucky-thefatvegetarian.blogspot.com/

Vegan Resource:  Great tool on how to go vegetarian:  vegetarian.about.com

Another vegan must read is at the Peta Website. If you go here, you can get a Free Go Vegetarian/ Vegan Starter Kit: http://features.peta.org/VegetarianStarterKit/

And finally, for my favorite Vegan blogs:
http://govegan.net/
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/
http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/

Are You Ready to Go Veg....or Almost Ready? Videos to Give You That Extra Push

Different live events, different thought streams influence all kinds of people to go vegetarian. Sometimes it`s a book or a movie that convinces someone to go vegetarian. Sometimes it`s a provocative ad from Peta such as the one on this page. From movies featuring adorable farm animals like Babe to movies discussing the state of our food systems such as Fast Food Nation and Food Inc., there is a movie out there that can potentially convince you to go vegetarian. Forks Over Knives and Vegucated are two of the most popular recent movies that will make you want to go vegetarian.

Here`s are two of my recommendations for movies to go vegetarian over:
The first one is Meat.org.....the website the meat industry does not want you to see. If you go here: www.meat.org, you can watch the 13 minute movie that will open your eyes to what is really going on in the raising of food animals. If you are so inclined, you can even sign up to try a vegetarian diet for 30 days on the spot.

The second one is Forks Over Knives. This is a movie that examines the claim that most diseases can be controlled, prevented or reversed by rejecting animal based and processed foods.
Here is the trailer for that movie:

If you want to see the whole movie, you can buy it or rent it . There is also a cookbook of Forks over Knives in paper format or Kindle format. Click on the ad on the right to find out more...

Motivation To Go Vegetarian

Why should you choose to go vegetarian?
What`s in it for you?

Well, there are many reasons that people choose to stop eating meat. You know mine...Animal Love. I have never unserstood how people can love dogs, cats and horse but eat other animals like cows, chicken and sheep. Who decided which ones are OK to eat?

• 46% of people turn to a vegetarian diet for health reasons. 
• 15% of people change their diet out of concern for animal welfare and 
• 7% do it out of concern for the environment. 
• Moral reasons account for 27% and 
• 5% for religious reasons.

What`s in it for you...

1. Ward off disease.
2. Lower your weight.
3. Live longer and healthier.
4. Reduce risk of food borne illnesses.
5. Have more energy.
6. Be more "regular"
7. Reduce pollution
8. Save money
9. Save 95 animals per year.
10. Since you are what you eat, by eating a plant based diet you are vibrant, colorful and full of energy and life.

Get even more motivation on the Vegetarian Times website here: Becoming a Vegetarian

Bringing Vegetarianism to the People (That`s You!)

I have been a vegetarian for 30 years now! To celebrate this event, I`m starting this blog to help anyone make the transition to vegetarianism. I`m not one of these preachy vegetarians...at least I don`t think I am! 

However, people ask me all the time how they can integrate vegetarian food into their life. To me, it`s so normal to eat this way since I have never really cooked meat.

My Mom tells me that in the shopping cart as she was pushing me along at the grocery store I used to question everything she put in the basket, especially if it looked like dead animal parts. I asked: Mom, is that a dead pig? She would say: Don`t worry Sophie, it`s just Pork, you like pork.

Well, that worked on and off until the age of 10 although she says she had to do some quick thinking on numerous occasions to change my focus off the dead cow my Dad would cook up on the BBQ as steak and the chicken`s wings we ate on Friday nights. But there is no way she could get me to cook up the flesh foods. I preferred baking at that age.

At the age of 10, we went on a family vacation that would be a turning point in my life and change my way of eating forever..and my sister`s too. One night while we were in Prince Edward Island in the maritime provinces of Canada, my parents bought lobster to cook up at our campground site. When my Dad threw  the live lobster in the boiling water to prepare supper, the lobster of course began his mournful wail. At that moment, it hit me! We were eating a live being that had donated his life to feed us. From that moment on, my sister and I refused to eat animals, ever again.

There are SO Many things to eat besides dead animals! The plant world is filled with hundreds of thousands of possible meal ideas and I intend to share my favorites with you through this blog. I want to show you that it`s not that hard to eat vegetarian. As a matter of fact, you probably already eat some vegetarian meals every day without even realizing it!

Let me make something clear before we get started... You don`t have to become vegetarian all at once if you think that is too much for you. You can become a flexitarian at first if that appeals to you. So eat vegetarian once or twice a week for one or two whole days and progress from there... The less meat you eat, the more animals you will save.

Did you know that by quitting the meat habit, you can save 95 animals a year. That`s right! You heard me... 95 animals will be allowed to live a peaceful life because of your change in diet.
I don`t know about you, but that gives me shivers!

And so, my goal is to help 10,527 people become vegetarian and save 1,000,000 animals. Call it my New Year`s Resolution for 2012.
Please sign up on top at right to start receiving my updates and help get you started in this healthy new way of eating. Thanks from me and the animals!!