Guide To Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

In the past decade, vegetarianism has become more popular and prevalent but it is still a concern of most of the parents if by following a vegetarian diet, their kids get all the nutrients that are necessary for growing up strong and healthy. Not consuming meat sound like a bad idea but most experts now believe that a well planned vegetarian diet can be absolutely healthy providing all the essential nutrients to the body. It is important to just understand the nutrient needs and include all the food groups in your daily diet in right proportions.

Some people are or become vegetarian due to health reasons but there are others who make this change because of concern for environment and animals. It is important to choose healthy vegetarian recipes so that your family gets adequate amount of vitamins and minerals.

Sources of Nutrition

Different nutrients come from different food sources and healthy vegetarian recipes ensure that these food sources are included in the daily menu. Vitamin B12 comes from eggs, dairy products cereals, soy and bread. Dairy products, orange juice and vitamin-fortified products are good source of vitamin D. Calcium is contained in dark leafy vegetables, dairy products, chickpeas, soy, cereals, broccoli and calcium-fortified products. Dairy products, tofu, eggs, nuts and dried beans are good source of protein. Dried fruits, whole grains, dairy products and green leafy vegetables supply the iron to the body and zinc is contained in nuts, legumes, wheat germ and fortified cereal.

Some Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Some of the easy and healthy vegetarian recipes include baked potatoes with vegetable topping, broccoli cauliflower with cheese, golden rice, eggplant parmigiana, pasta primavera, ratatouille, tofu quiche, steamed vegetables with ginger, shepherd's rice, sautéed greens, rice peas pilaf and vegetarian sauce with whole-wheat pasta.

Healthy vegetarian recipes don't have to be boring and tasteless as you can add the taste without adding the calories and do wonders for your health. Low fat vegetarian recipes make you feel fit, energetic and your body is better equipped to deal with diseases and illnesses. To make healthy vegetarian recipes easier, it is a good idea to stock ahead on sauces and ingredients so that you just have to open the cans or packs to whip up something really fast. But, remember to read labels before you stock up so that you are aware of the shelf life of the product and make sure that there is no gelatin or animal oil in them.

To maximise the greatest source of healthy nutrients from healthy vegetarian recipes, you can try a raw night serving simple salads with delicious dips and sauces. In between the meals, you can also serve healthy snacks such as crackers, fruit mixes, nuts, dried fruits and cheese.