Vegetarian Cooking Lesson

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"Vegetarian"... the very term used to conjure up images of salad munching, hippies in sandals, back-to-the-land........a radical movement type of people. However, times have changed in the past thirty years. Now being a vegetarian is not only accepted, but being promoted as a very healthy lifestyle.

"Vegetarianism" encompasses members of every age group, occupation, religion... all walks of life. Gone are the days when eating a vegetarian diet meant living on salad and greens. Also gone are the days when doctors, scientists, and well-meaning family & friends would immediately try to talk you out of this choice.

So what is a vegetarian anyway?...

Many people who call themselves vegetarians are really not. They eat some chicken and fish but no red meat. While this is a healthier way to eat, it is certainly not vegetarian.

I once heard it said that being vegetarian means "not having to wonder how your dinner died." While this is pretty self-explanatory, there are basically three types of vegetarian:

» Ovo-Lacto - No meat or fish but eats eggs and dairy......the most common kind. Food choices are wide-ranging, nearly limitless, basically anything not meat-related.
» Lacto - No meat, fish or eggs, but eats dairy products. While this type is more limiting, it is better for a lower cholesterol count.
» Vegan - No meat, fish, dairy or eggs. Only 4% of all vegetarians are of this type. It is more of a moral decision than merely a dietary one. Being "vegan" (pronounced VEE-gun) means using no animal products in any shape or form, from leather to shampoos. It is the hardest vegetarian diet to be on considering the trace amounts of animal products found in food and everyday products (e.g. plastics, gelatin, glues, etc.)

More and more people are choosing vegetarian meals as an option. Some only eat this way once a week or so, others more often than that, some even conforming their whole lifestyle to a vegetable based diet. Regardless of how often you choose to eat meatless meals, however, the benefits are far-reaching.

It's time to get on my soap box for a bit...

Benefits of Being Vegetarian

A little known fact is, most of the world lives on a mainly vegetarian diet to start with. India, China, Africa and the peasant sections of Europe have been living a traditional vegetable-based lifestyle long before North Americans started to refer to it as "being vegetarian". The only meat eaten in these regions is reserved for very special occasions and rituals. It is considered to be a delicacy and only used sparingly for enhancing certain dishes.

Studies have proven that living the vegetarian lifestyle is not only healthy for you as a person, but healthy for the world as a whole. Lets look at some examples:

» It takes far less acreage to grow the plant-based protein needed to properly provide for humans as it does to feed livestock to do the same purpose.
» Raising animals for food is the principal cause of topsoil loss. In America alone, 85% of topsoil erosion is due to raising livestock, nearly 4 million acres per year.
» Runoff from animal waste is contributing to massive pollution of watershed areas. Evaporation of these waste products also increases acid rain.
» Water is starting to become a premium item. It takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef, only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat.

and the list goes on...

As North Americans, we have grown up in a meat-eating society. Most of us look at other kinds of cuisines and cultures as strange and foreign. Consider, however, what they must think of us. For instance, while 500,000,000 pounds of beef are exported to the U.S. from Central America every year, 75% of the region's children suffer from malnutrition. Rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate, taking 1000's of species with them as they go. Even the slightest changes in our dietary patterns can make a huge difference in these statistics.

I think you get the picture. However it is not just going to help the environment to eat vegetarian at least once in a while. Your overall health will also improve. A vegetarian diet has many benefits:

» lower medical treatment costs due to proper nutritional balance
» high fiber/low fat diet
» plant proteins are easier to process by the body than meat proteins
» lower cholesterol intake
» soy products lower the instances of chronic diseases and menopause
» obesity... a non-issue when it comes to a vegetable-based diet

and so on...

So, benefits of eating vegetarian, even occasionally, are obvious... let's look at the diet...

The Vegetarian Pantry

A vegetarian diet may sound to some like a bland mix of sprouts, bran and lettuce. Those of us who know better, however, see it as an endless combination of healthy choices. Below are a list of various foods that will make up a fairly solid vegetarian pantry. These include, but are not limited to:

» Whole-grain breads (tortillas, pita breads, rye breads, etc.) and the flours needed to make these products if so desired. Whole grains are an excellent source of protein as well.
» Brown rice is normally used in the vegetarian kitchen, it's simply better for you. Refined white rice has much lower nutritional value.
» Grain products such as barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, couscous, etc. are used extensively. (Hint: toasting grains lightly will add a nutty flavor when cooked.)
» Pastas of the normal types such as spaghetti, linguini, rotini, etc. are used as well as rice pasta and other Asian varieties
» Beans and legumes are one of the biggest protein items eaten for vegetarians. 1 cup of beans provides 1/3 of the necessary required daily protein for adults.
» Soy products like tofu, soy milk, tempeh (cultured soy product) and textured vegetable protein (TVP) are common-place as well for protein. TVP is the product normally used in many of the burger replacements and usually takes care of the meat cravings for newly-conforming vegetarians.
» If you are ovo-lacto, then eggs and dairy products will be included in your diet as well.
» Natural sweeteners like honey, molasses and brown sugar are the most common.
» Condiments and seasonings used include chillies, miso, soy sauce, vinegars and citrus, ginger root and garlic along with hundreds of spice combinations.

So, as you see, there is a lot of room for flexibility in the vegetarian diet. It's possible to eat a different meal every day of the year ranging from classic home-made baked beans to exotic, ethnic, foreign cuisines. Experiment, be open to new products and combinations, and enjoy!

Here are some recipes that use the principals in this lesson...

Tofu Patties in Black Bean Sauce

Serves 6
Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely diced
1 red pepper (or ½ green and ½ red), finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP oil (peanut or olive)
1 lb firm tofu
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP Dijon or whole-grain mustard
8 dashes of liquid smoke, or 1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp rice wine vinegar
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup quick oatmeal
a few dashes hot sauce
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup black bean sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Method:

Over medium-low heat, saute onion, pepper and garlic until tender, season with salt and pepper.

In a mixer with paddle attachment, beat tofu until well blended. Add sauteed veggies, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Taste and season as desired.

Let stand for 1 hour in the fridge, then make into patties. Fry in a small amount of oil in a skillet.

Serve with black bean or hoisin sauce, or as a normal burger on a bun.

Note: With the addition of 1 egg, they hold up well on a grill. Adjust oatmeal for proper consistency.

Vegetarian Lasagne

Serves 6
Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 TBSP olive oil
28 oz can of tomatoes
1 tsp dry basil
½ tsp dry oregano
½ tsp crushed chillies
1 package lasagne noodles
2 cups cooked, drained spinach, chopped (optional)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese & 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, mixed together

Method:

Over medium heat, in a 2 quart saucepan, saute onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes and break up well, then stir in basil, oregano and chillies. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Taste, season and remove from heat.

In a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish, spread a thin layer of sauce. Place a layer of noodles, and cover with a thin layer of sauce, 1/3 of the chopped spinach (if using), and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture.

Repeat process ending with a generous layer of sauce, cheese and a sprinkle of oregano.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, wrapped tightly in foil. Uncover and brown lightly.

Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes to set up.

Serve with garlic bread and good, full bodied red wine.

Southwestern Bean and Squash Stew

Serves 6
Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
1 each medium red & green pepper, chopped
1 cup carrots, large dice
1 fresh jalapeno chili, minced with seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP olive oil
1 19 oz. can pinto or lima beans
1-19 oz. can kidney beans
1 ½ cups tomato juice
2 cups hard variety squash, large dice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Method:

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute onion, peppers, carrot, jalapeno and garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until onion is translucent and the mixture develops a moistened appearance.

Drain the bean juice into the pan and add the tomato juice, squash, salt and cumin. Simmer, un-covered, for 20-30 minutes or until squash is just tender.

Taste, re-season as desired, and serve over rice accompanied by warm corn bread.

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Vegetarian Cooking Lesson

Benefits of Being Vegetarian

The Vegetarian Pantry

Here are some recipes that use the principals in this lesson...

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