Trying to be more "veggie"-tarian

[Paplo]

I don't think I could honestly ever give up meat, I enjoy it way too much. Still I have taken great efforts to limit the amount of it that I eat per week and I'm looking for new ways to have meatless meals and add more veggies to my diet. What are some ways that I can eat more vegetable-based meals that are great alternatives to meat.

[lia]

One of the ways I do this is I make meatless burgers, either by using beans or using a portobello mushroom. These meat-alternative burgers are really tasty and you can load them down with veggies and they go great with sweet potato fries!

[bruceH]

tofu, eggs, beans and mushrooms are all great non-meat alternatives that can provide you with a bit of meaty goodness without there being any meat involved. As for eating more veggie meals, I'd recommend getting into the habit of adding more vegetarian dinners to your week. Start with one, like "meatless Monday" and then increase it from there. Essentially, your goal is to make most of your meals meat free. On days that aren't all veggie, focus on fish and lean white meat. Keep your pork, beef and other red meats to only a couple of times a week or ideally once (on a regular basis whenever possible) if you can swing it. The more you get yourself into this habit, the easier it'll be.

[Penny]

Essentially, make sure your meatless meals are full of flavors and also contain adequate protein and fiber. This will help to fill you up and be yummy. If you think about it, it's not really meat that you love but the flavor and the texture and how it fills you up. You just need to find food that replaces this feeling. This is why tofu, mushroom and bean are great substitutes.

[Paplo]

Thanks for the all the suggestions guys. I can admit that I'm not quite sure how appealing I"m going to find a mushroom or bean burger compared to a burger with real meat, but it's good to know that there to do seem to be easy alternatives out there. Do you know if there are any flavorings that can mimic the flavor of meat to help improve the taste. You know, something that can simulate the flavor?

[jenny25]

I think there are things that can do that, In fact, I think a really popular flavoring that a lot of people are adding to their food is this vegan-friendly yeast (at least I think it's yeast) but I can't remember what it's called....but everyone raves about it, including both vegans and non-vegans.

[Maggie]

I would recommend that you cook your favorite meat dishes and simply substitute the meat for more vegetables or even throw an egg or beans in there, if you need some protein. You don't really need to create all-new recipes. It's actually quiet easy to enjoy many of your favorite meat meals by simply eliminating the meat.

[antoniojones1968]

I think you honestly answered your own question when you asked it Paplo. You simply need to eat less meat and eat more vegetables, whole grains and other sources of filling fiber and proteins (e.g. eggs). Essentially cut back on the meat and substitute it with other good-for-you-foods. It's easy enough to do, it's all a matter of making the choice, exercising self-control and following through with it.