Nutritious Vegetarian Foods?!
Nutritious Vegetarian Foods?
I've been vegetarian since January of this month, but I still have the feeling I'm not getting the nutrients that I need. I've been eating a lot of frozen foods with the vegatarian check symbol on them.. but that's not good enough, is it?
I find that a lot of dark, leafy greens are more expensive. What can I buy on a low budget? Any other ideas would be helpful, thanks!
Answers: Beans, tofu, lentils and if you’re not vegan, eggs are all part of a well-rounded diet. They’re all really cheap as well!
There are plenty of fairly easy recipe ideas.
Lentil soup with a spinach salad – buy canned soup and a bag of spinach and lettuce then mix the two greens.
Home made refried beans – mix a cup of pinto beans with 1/2 cup of veggie broth, bring to a boil and then mash and season however you like (better than the canned stuff and 100% vegan).
Tofu stir-fry – by a bag of frozen vegetable stir-fry and a block of firm/extra firm tofu. Cook the stir-fry and about 1/2 the tofu together in a pan/skillet/wok then season and serve.
Switch from bleached pasta to whole grain pasta.
Switch from white bread to multi-grain breads and other baked goods.
Learn to cook some dishes from scratch and make them in bulk. Freeze the leftovers and reheat for the next day. It might take a couple extra hours the one day but could save you $20 in frozen meals.
If you spend a few extra dollars on some of the groceries, then sacrifice something else that would cost that amount. try local farmer markets. we have a huge one in boston where i can get enough food for the week for $10. i am sure they have them in other cities as well When you fix yourself something to eat make sure you don't just eat one vegetable at the time. To get more nutrients, mix some of your vegetables together. Go on line , or watch some of them cooking channels. You will be surprised how much you learn. Eggs and bread are also very good. Get the bread with all of these different seeds. Yogurts and cheeses are great also. Don't just look for stuff to cook. You find healthy stuff everywhere, just be open minded. Polenta and Pinto Bean Pie
INGREDIENTS
1 x 16 Ounce package cooked polenta
1 x 16 Ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 16 Ounce jar salsa or picante sauce (mild, medium, or hot)
1 x 4 Ounce can mild green chiles, drained
1 Tablespoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup crushed tortilla chips
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the polenta into 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange in the bottom of a lightly oiled 9- or 10-inch square baking dish. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the pinto beans, salsa, chiles, and chili powder, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and spread over the polenta.
Top with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer to lightly brown the top. Beans are so cheap and really nutritious. They have lots of iron and protein, plus fiber to keep you full. There are tons of vegetarian recipies involving beans online, you should check them out! For a quick meal, I really like Luna bars. They come in bulk and are usually about 99 cents a piece. They have lots of protein and vitamins and you usually feel full for a long time after eating it. Paired with yogurt, you've got a very filling breakfast.
If you feel weak, you should take a supplement, because sometimes that makes me feel a little more stable.
Peanut butter is also fairly cheap and very filling.
Make sure to eat lots of fruits and veggies too! Spinach is not so expensive depending on where you buy it from, and it has a lot of iron.
The main nutrients vegetarians miss out on are iron, protein, and sometimes zinc and B12.