How to Learn Vegetarian Cooking

Vegetarian chili is quick and healthy.

Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." With the general public's growing concern for personal health and the environment, many people are making the transition to a vegetarian diet. The idea of making such a drastic change to your eating habits may be intimidating, but vegetarian cuisine is not as challenging as you might expect. Whether deciding to change your diet completely, or just to include more plant based foods in your diet, a few changes to the contents of your pantry can set you on your way to creating a wide variety of delicious vegetarian dishes.

Instructions

1. Replace meat with vegetarian substitutes in some of your favorite recipes. For example, veggie crumbles can be used to replace ground beef or turkey in dishes such as tacos, chili and sloppy joes. Vegetarian meat substitutes are diverse and readily available at most local supermarkets. Beans and mushrooms are great meat substitutes when converting your favorite meat based recipes to vegetarian ones.

2. Make note of the vegetarian foods that you already know how to make. For example pizza, pasta dishes and soups are often vegetarian or easily converted by omitting animal products.

3. Try new things. There are many varieties of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are both healthy and delicious. Stock up your pantry and refrigerator with vegetarian basics including, tofu, veggie burgers, vegetable broth, beans, whole grains and fruits and vegetables.

4. Reference vegetarian cookbooks for inspiration. Search the web for vegetarian recipes. Many sites feature recipes that have been rated by other cooks, which can help you find recipes that suit your tastes, and avoid common mistakes. Write down your favorite recipes on note cards for quick reference.

Tips & Warnings

• Explore ethnic cuisine such as Indian, Mediterranean, Latin and Asian. Plant based dishes are common fare in many cultures of the world.

• Use lots of spices. Garlic and onions are great for flavoring plant based dishes. Other spices common in vegetarian cooking include cumin, curry powder and chili pepper.

• Find vegetarian meet-ups in your area. They can be a great opportunity to swap recipes and try new things.

• Be sure to eat a wide variety of foods when transitioning to a vegetarian diet to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need.

References

• Savvy Vegetarian: Vegetarian Cooking Tips and Techniques
• Peta.org: Vegetarian 101 Making the Transition
• "Vegetarian Times": Vegetarian Starter Kit

Resources

• Post Punk Kitchen: Vegan Baking & Vegan Cooking
• Allrecipes.com: Vegetarian Recipes
• PETA: Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes
• "Vegetarian Times": Ingredient Substitution Guide