Tips for turning Vegetarian

Here are some tips that can help you and your family members turn vegetarian.

1. Order your next Pizza without cheese but with loads of vegetable toppings.

2. Find Vegetarian cookbooks at your local library or bookstore and churn out interesting recipes.

3. International restaurants offer amazing vegetarian cuisine- Italian, Mexican, Lebanese, Indian, Chinese. Do experiment.

4. Look in natural food stores for textured vegetable protein. It is fat free and has a texture like ground beef. It tastes good in tacos etc.

5. Summer barbecues are healthy and fun with vegetables. Marinate thick cubes of zucchini, bell peppers, corn, mushrooms, carrots. These will be colorful, crunchy, tasty and lot more healthy.

6. Add lot of variety in your diet. Vegetarian food does not have to be boring. Try cooking rice with water and apple juice. Add peanuts and cranberries to cous cous salad.

7. When traveling, pack a variety of vegetarian snacks like instant soups, fresh fruits, granola bars, homemade oatmeal cookies. Fill a cooler with sandwiches, juice, soy milk.

8. Try organic vegetables and fruits. They taste good, are very juicy and crunchy.

9. The simplest dishes are often most satisfying. Brown rice, gently seasoned with herbs and lemon. Pulses, which are simply cooked with few Indian spices are very healthy. Sprinkle few seeds and nuts on top of sprouts to make healthy salad.

10. Try ethnic groceries for speciality vegetarian foods. Italian markets sell wonderful sun dried tomatoes, fresh pastas and homemade breads. Indian and Asian markets also have a wide array to offer to satisfy your palate. Same is true of Middle- Eastern delis that offer grape leaves, falafel, eggplant spread.

11. Don't be shy to ask for vegetarian entrees in a restaurant. Most of the restaurants would be happy to accommodate you. They would whip a meatless pasta or vegetable plate or fresh cut fruits if you ask. Similarly in airlines, if you ask in advance while booking your ticket, you would surely be served pure vegetarian meal. You can even ask for low calorie meal.

12. Convenience foods even cut cooking time . There are instant soups available. Vegetables which are precut are also an option available.

So next time you should not have an excuse for not choosing a healthier vegetarian option.