New About This

[Q1217]

I've thought about vegetarianism before. There was the philosophical aspect driving me and also the claims that it's generally healthier (I can't quite remember the reasons). I sort of lost the ambition to start and fell back into habit, but today I had to carry a bag of live lobsters and I just felt sick.

I've given it a second thought for the first time in a few years, and I'd like to start as soon as possible. I've looked around for information on what's good to eat, but I'm not sure where to begin.

Fruits - I read fresh and dried are supposed to be good choices. I eat lots of bananas, apples, and prunes anyway.
Vegetables - I don't really get as many of these as I'd like, but there are a few I enjoy, like spinach and broccoli.
Beans - I've read about beans and legumes being the best substitute for meats. Aside from baked or refried beans in a can, I have no clue what types to buy or how to prepare them.
Grains - Cereal and pasta are the backbone of my diet.

I want to keep a fairly conventional diet, and on a modest budget. What kinds of foods should I add to this list?

EDIT: And if it makes a difference, I still plan on consuming dairy and eggs.

[dormouse]

There are tons of types of beans and ways to prepare them. One of my favorite ways is to add white beans to a pasta dish. You could also make vegetarian chili, or bean salad, or any number of Mexican creations that contain beans. There are some types of veggie burgers that are made from black beans.

Since you're still eating eggs, they are also a good way to get protein.

[Q1217]

I don't to eat too many eggs because of the cholesterol.
I'll have to try the beans-in-pasta sometime.

[rabid_child]

I don't to eat too many eggs because of the cholesterol.
I'll have to try the beans-in-pasta sometime.

Look up recipes for Pasta e Fagioli. It's a classic italian pasta-and-beans. Sometimes it's more of a pasta dish and sometimes it's more of a soup, it depends on who's making it.

Other good bean recipes include things like Minestrone Soup, Morrocan Chickpea Stews, Chilis, every culture has their version of Rice & Beans, there's all sorts of recipes for bean-and-grain salads (and just bean salads!). Falafals are chickpea balls/patties, and hummus is chickpea spread. Both good ways of encorporating legumes! Lentils are great in soups and make a good ground meat replacement in sloppy joes and pasta sauces.

You want to be sure to add dark leafy greens to your veggies. We tend to eat a lot of collards because they're easy to find here and cheap ($.69/lbs!), though I love Kale ($2.50/bunch) best. I also use frozen spinach in things because it's cheap and convenient. In general with produce you want to eat a lot of different colors to ensure a wide range of nutritients.

Look at a wider range of grains than pastas and cereals, and go for whole grain or multigrain pastas. Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur, quinoa, couscous (whole wheat), and barley are good to start!

Nuts and seeds are very nutritious, high protein, and add in some good fats. You want to make sure to eat good fats like olive oil, canola oil, avocado, and nuts. Ground flax seeds or flax oil is good for fatty acids, so are hemp seeds but they're more expensive and harder to find.

Veggie proteins like tofu, tempeh, and seitan are all good to add into your diet. It make take some playing with to learn how to prepare them, but it's worth learning.

Your average "conventional" diet tends to be pretty poor. You can avoid expensive ingredients and still eat a healthy diet.