A Simple Guide To Healthy Eating
This is a quick-reference guide for anyone new to vegetarianism. If you want to know what you should be eating instead of animal-based ingredients, or you just need some ideas for tasty meals, then read on. For more information, read our leaflet on nutrition, our meatless recipes sheet, and of course, our book, Simply Vegetarian, which is packed full of everything you want to know about vegetarianism along with over 100 delicious recipes. The book includes many of the recipes listed below.
Many people are not quite sure exactly what vegetarians do and do not eat, for instance a common misconception is that vegetarians eat fish - they do not! Put simply, a vegetarian diet is one which excludes products that involve the killing of an animal, i.e. all meat, poultry and fish, and all derivatives of these, such as gelatine and lard. Vegetarians do eat dairy products and eggs. However only free-range eggs are considered within the vegetarian ethic, given the huge amount of cruelty and suffering involved in battery egg farming. Cheese must be rennet free, or contain a non-animal derived rennet - such cheese is easily available from supermarkets and healthfood shops. Vegans take vegetarianism a step further, and do not eat any animal produce - adding eggs, animal milks, honey and any animal derivatives to the list above.
Now that you know exactly what vegetarians do not eat, it is time to tell you what they do eat. But to make a list of everything a vegetarian can eat we would need to publish a book! Instead, we are going to give you some ideas for menus, just to show you a hint of the amount of choice there is available to you. Suffice to say, a well-balanced diet of grains, beans, fresh vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruits, and a small amount of dairy produce provides us with all the nutritional essentials we need.
Ideas for Breakfast:
- Porridge with either fresh shopped apple, banana and raisins, or with cooked or soaked dried prunes, apricots, figs, peaches, plums, etc.
- Wholegrain cereals such as Shredded Wheat or Weetabix
- Muesli with grated apple and nuts
- Welsh rarebit with mushrooms
- Peanut butter with tomatoes on wholemeal toast
- Savoury or fruit pancakes
- Baked beans on wholemeal toast
- Wholemeal toast with marmalade or honey, and fruit juice or fresh fruit
Ideas for Lunch:
- Waldorf and Grape Salad
- Ratatouille with wholemeal bread
- Mushroom and Avocado Salad
- Stir-fried Vegetables with Tofu and a green salad
- Quick Bread Pizza with a jacket potato and salad
- Garlic Mushroom Toast
- Sweetcorn Chowder followed by Butter Bean Salad
- A Slice of Mushroom and Nut Roast with Runner Beans in
- Tomato Sauce
- Chick-Pea and Potato Croquettes with baked beans
Ideas for Packed Lunch:
Wholemeal sandwiches, e.g.
- Cashew and Date Spread
- Hummous with lettuce and tomato
- Lentil Spread with tomato and chives
- Red Pepper Pâté with cucumber and lettuce
- Cottage cheese or Cheddar cheese with cucumber or cress
- Peanut butter and cucumber
- Tartex or Granose spread with lettuce and tomato
- Chopped white cabbage, celery, spring onion and sultanas
If you wish, you can also pack a salad, and a selection of vegetable sticks, such as carrot and cauliflower. Include fresh fruit and water or fruit juice, and a small dessert, for instance, a slice of Walnut Loaf, Carrot Cake or some Carob Brownies.
Ideas for Evening Meal:
- Cauliflower and Potato Curry with either nan bread or brown rice
- Courgette Pie with a green salad and some slices of crusty bread
- Lentil Curry with either nan bread or brown rice
- Mexican Bean Bake with sweetcorn and peas cooked together
- Mushroom and Nut Roast with new potatoes, vegetarian gravy and glazed carrots
- Pasta with Walnuts with a garlicky green salad
- Red Peppers Stuffed with Almonds with broccoli, and new or roast potatoes
- Pine and Cashew Nut Roast with Chestnut Stuffing, boiled new potatoes, Brussels sprouts and a light vegetarian gravy
- Potato and Mushroom Bake with steamed broccoli
- Raised Mushroom and Leek Pie with roast potatoes and spicy red cabbage
- Soya Sausage Mix in Wine or Cider with mashed potato and garden peas
- Spaghetti with Pesto with a green salad and some crusty bread
- Spinach Roulade with Red Pepper Sauce, a salad and sweetcorn
- Vegetable and Kidney Bean Stew Serve with wholemeal bread and a mixed salad
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