Cooking Vegetarian Quick, Easy and Belly Warming

It is fall and to me fall means soup season. I love soup anytime of the year, but there is nothing better on a chilly day than a bowl of hearty soup. One that warms you up and fills your belly. Do you see where I am going with this? I am making soup into a meal.

Today is Wednesday. If you are new to reading my blog than you need to know Wednesday's are a busy day in our house. So I try to make something for dinner that is quick and simple. So today I am going back to cooking vegetarian.

To me it is very important when you are cooking vegetarian as a meal that it is filling and balanced. Now when I say balanced I mean it has your veggies, protein and carbohydrates. I find that when people are cooking vegetarian it is easy to be low or non-existent on the protein part. The bottom line is if you don't include the protein, you are going to have a very hungry belly fast.

So what better way to get a protein than through lentils? These little legumes are very high in protein (26%). They are easy; they come in different sizes and colors. But they cook very fast from the dry stage. They are not like a regular legume, where they need to soak over night. So for this reason alone they make cooking vegetarian quick and easy.

Lentils are nice as well to ease the non-vegetarian into cooking vegetarian. I have made it clear in my previous blogs that I am not vegetarian, but I do eat a lot of vegetarian dishes. Because lentils are not like your regular larger legume, they blend into your dish. Instead of standing out. You can buy lentils that are green, brown, yellow, black and red in color. They can be split or whole. The red ones are usually split and one of the most popular. Because they are split they cook even faster. That is why I am going to be cooking vegetarian today with red lentils.

I am going to share a lentil soup recipe with you. My friend Norma shared this with me many years ago and it has been (no pun intended) a staple in our house. Now for you guys out there that are not vegetarian and want to beef up this soup even more. You can add some cut up sausage to this; I would use a Chorizo or spicy Italian.

Belly Warming Lentil Soup

5 cloves garlic minced

1 large onion chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp cumin

2 medium carrots sliced

2 leeks chopped (whites only)

1 cup dry lentils (I use red)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 28oz can diced plum tomatoes

4c vegetable stock (chicken stock is fine for non vegetarians)

In soup pot sauté onions in olive oil until they are soft. Add garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Lower heat and stir in cumin. Cook for another couple of minutes. Add carrots and leeks, toss for another 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook for about 30 minutes. Or until lentils are soft. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve this with nice hearty bread and your belly will be happy.

Carolin Hopkins operates Cooking With Carolin, a blog all about cooking and cooking tips. She loves giving away Free stuff and is now giving away Free memberships to her newsletter. Plus you'll want to come and check out the cooking tip of the day. Come and sign up, it is all free!! More information here:
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Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes - Seven Tips To Cook Beans And Peas

A large number of vegetarian slow cooker recipes contain beans or peas in their ingredients. This is because it favors the cooking of beans and peas like no other. Most of the beans, except chickpeas and soybeans, become tender in a slow cooker within 6 to 8 hours of cooking, provided they are presoaked. Black-eyed peas, lentils, and red lentils cook quickly. You need not presoak them either. Chickpeas are stubborn beans. They need about 12 hours to get tender in a slow cooker. Also, you need to presoak them the night before.

The time peas and beans take to cook depends on the working of your crock pot, the freshness of the beans or peas, and the hardness of the water. The type of recipe may also influence the cooking time. That's why vegetarian slow cooker recipes using beans have different cooking times.


Tips for Cooking Vegetarian Crock Pot Recipes With Beans or Peas

• Add spices, especially tomatoes and salt, only after the beans are tender.
• Slow cooking the beans and peas intensifies their flavor. You may need lesser amount of spices to enrich the dish than that required in regular cooking.
• You can cut 2 to 3 hours of the cooking time if you pour boiling water with beans.
• When cooking beans or peas, setting the time on a digital timer is not required. If there is sufficient cooking water in the crock pot, it's unlikely that the peas or beans will overcook. Start your slow cooker early in the morning, and forget it until dinner time!
• For cooking plain beans, it's best to cook them in the crock pot overnight. In the morning, you can have a healthy breakfast of freshly cooked beans or peas, combined with freshly cut salad or cheese. You can keep aside some cooked beans for preparing healthy slow cooker recipes for supper.
• If you're present at home while cooking, do this: Set the cooker at high in the first 2 to 3 hours of cooking beans or peas. Then, set at low for the remaining time.
• When preparing bean stews and soups, sauté the onions and spices in oil before putting them in the crock pot. This adds to the flavor of the vegetarian recipes.

Beans and peas make for such fantastic vegetarian slow cooker recipes that you may never feel the need to add meat or other such animal-based foods to the recipe. There are a variety of peas and beans to create savory and purely vegetarian dishes. Whether it's green peas, chick peas, split peas, or kidney beans, soybeans, and others, it helps in putting together a tantalizing dish at the end of a hard day.

If your kids hate beans or refuse to eat peas, introduce a crock pot in your kitchen. Watch the eating habits of your kid change! The tasty vegetarian slow cooker recipes will teach your kid to savor plant-based ingredients with delight.

The yeahtips.com offers a collection of yummy vegetarian slow cooker recipes that are easy to prepare. To get a variety of healthy slow cooker recipes, log on to the site.

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Cooking Vegetarian Family Meals

Every family can benefit from increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in their diet. Even if you are not vegetarians, consider cooking a couple of "meat free" meals each week. People who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have lower cholesterol, stronger immune systems and are more likely to maintain a healthy body weight.

Here are some tips to help you make the switch:

• Start with a "family favourite" recipe, such as lasagna or bolognese, and modify the recipe for a meat free version. Remember, you don´t have to make the meal solely from vegetables. Use one of the many soya-based meat equivalents.
• If you find the thought of cooking a vegetarian meal from scratch a little daunting, buy a couple of supermarket ready meals first. Most stores offer a great choice of dishes and it should be easy to find one that appeals to the family´s taste.
• Buy a cheap vegetarian cookbook or download recipe ideas from the internet. There is a wealth of information out there, so there are no excuses for serving limp salads!
• When eating out, try to switch to a vegetarian option. Even the fast food chains offer vegeburgers and bean burritos, so making the switch is easy. Just make sure that you go easy on the side orders. French Fries might be made of potato but they are still loaded with fat!
• If you find the taste of some vegetarian meals a little bland, use herbs, spices and seasoning to add taste and flavor.
• Think of all the recipes that your family enjoys and eats anyway. Chances are that there are quite a few vegetarian meals in the list! Tomato soup, bean salad, coleslaw, macaroni cheese..it should be easy to put together a vegetarian menu a couple of times a week.
• Go easy on the higher fat foods such as cheese. It is still possible to gain weight on a vegetarian diet if you eat the wrong foods in large portion sizes. Remember to check that any cheese you buy is vegetarian, as some cheeses are made from animal rennet. Increase your consumption of beans and pulses in tasty stews and casseroles. Legumes are a good source of protein.
• If you don´t think you can miss meat out of your recipes altogether, try giving up red meat instead. Switch to chicken or turkey mince in pasta sauces and burgers, as the fat content is considerable lower.
• Most cooking styles will have a wealth of vegetarian options available, meaning you can have an extensive and varied repertoire of family meals. Italian pasta sauces, stir fry recipes, mexican food, curries.. the choice is endless.
• Many vegetarian dishes can be easily cooked in your slow cooker. Vegetable stew, Winter Vegetable Casseroles, soups and curries. Save time, effort AND calories with these healthy choices.

Try making the switch and see if your family can tell the difference. The first time I made lasagna to the usual recipe, but with soya mince, no-one around the table even noticed. And if your family enjoys the meals so much that you decide to make a lifestyle change, remember that you will have to start checking the ingredients on every food item that you buy. Read the nutritional labels of every product carefully, as animal products do turn up in the strangest places!

You can even adapt your favourite crock pot recipes to be vegetarian. Lisa has with these vegetarian crock pot recipes

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Vegetarian Cooking

For the western world there has been a gradual evolution towards vegetarian cooking. Vegetables were considered a poor staple which provided lack of strength nutrients. They were mainly served as boiled/steamed greens or as a side dish more often. However with societies expanding and widespread cultural exchange, the culinary world also grew.

Today the importance of vegetarianism is understood manifold. There are several reasons for opting it.

* Vegetarian for health and nutrition
* Vegetarian for ecological reasons
* A fight against animal cruelty as defined by (PETA)
* Spiritual and religious beliefs

To get started with vegetarian cooking is really simple. All you need to do is know which foods blend well to turn out more delicious and hearty recipes. A vegetarian entree is similar to that of a meat based one. For instance meals open with appetizers followed with soups, breads and salads. Next the main course further includes pastas, casseroles, stews with rice etc.

The easiest way to begin is choosing seasonal vegetables/fruits and combining them with a zesty sauce or dressing is one easy way to begin with.

Then you can gradually proceed to try more recipe varieties. A cook book or free internet sources is a great aid to learn more about vegetarianism especially for a new learner.

An easy recipe to cook vegetables

1 tbsp - Oil
1 cup - Vegetables diced
1/4 tsp - Garlic minced
1 No - Spring white minced
1/2 tsp - Cilantro minced
1/2 tsp - Lemon juice
1 tbsp - Soy sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Take a set of fresh vegetables of your choice. Prepare a simple sauce. Stir fry the vegetables in it and serve with rice or noodles. Alternatively prepare a marinade using all the ingredients. Toss the vegetables in it roast and serve.

To view more articles on vegetarianism visit my website

Been a vegetarian through out my life and since I have had a keen interest in cooking I have come up with several recipes across cuisines.

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Vegetarian Cooking Schools

Vegetarian cooking schools are becoming more and more popular. Whilst this kind of cooking was traditionally more limited than traditional cookery schools, there is now a huge demand for vegetarian cooking that is both tasty and sophisticated. Vegetarian cookery classes can help beginners or more experienced cooks learn how to make nutritious and tasty vegetarian meals, possibly on the way to becoming a vegetarian chef.

Vegetarian food is now one of the most popular alternative cuisines. You will be required to learn about the nutritional value (and deficiency) of the diet and how to compensate for the lack of animal protein and vitamins. You will also be required to demonstrate proficiency in preparing popular vegetarian dishes. In the most advanced classes you will be required to invent recipes where you turn popular dishes like lasagna into a vegetarian meal.

If you are looking for a vegetarian cooking class then take some time to compare what is available. Start by comparing the content of each class by looking at the skills you'll learn, and whether they are at a level to suit you. Fitting cooking school into your life can sometimes be difficult. This is why many classes offer flexible options, but be sure to find this out before signing up. Whatever you choose, you have to be comfortable with it if you want to make the best from your new cooking class.

Once you've found some vegetarian cooking schools to suit you then you will need to start the application process. This may require you to demonstrate your current skills, depending on the level of the course you've applied for. At the end of it you may receive a diploma or higher qualifications, to take your further towards a career as a vegetarian chef.

Find the BEST vegetarian cooking schools at the authors cooking schools website by clicking here.

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Useful Tips in Cooking Vegetarian Meals For Kids

Vegetarian meals entails are meatless. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers. Find ways to incorporate vegetarian meals in your children's diet to make them grow healthier and stronger.

Kids are generally picky and refuse to eat vegetables. Prepare meals with vegetables subtly included to make kids enjoy eating vegetables.

Vegetables can be cooked through stir frying, steaming, and sautéing, without losing the key nutrients. They are good sources of Vitamin A, B and C. Some minerals found in vegetables are iron, iodine, zinc, calcium and selenium. Children who regularly eat dark green vegetables and beans develop more red blood cells in their bodies.

Here are some tips when preparing vegetarian meals for kids:
o Modify the kid's favorite recipe. Use soya-based meat equivalents for a meat-free meal.
o Let your kids pick vegetables in your backyard and let them wash it. Getting them involved in cooking is positive reinforcement.
o Have fun making designs of boiled veggies on a plate with your child.
o Add vegetables to burgers. This is similar to one of the fastfood joints which provide "vegeburgers" and bean burritos. Also try making patties out of vegetables.
o Cook oven-baked fries instead of fried.

Sample recipe- Veggie Burgers:

Mix the following:
- 1 grated carrot
- ½ cup collards
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1 beaten egg
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 ½ cups of cooked rice or millet
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Shape it into small sized patties. Fry this until it becomes golden brown. Bake at 400 °F on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes per side.
o Use herbs, spices and seasonings to add flavor to the veggies, especially when the taste is bland
o Incorporate vegetables subtly. Mince them in a food processor or blender and add to soups, sauces, or pasta.
o Melt butter or olive oil into breadcrumbs and sprinkle it over steamed veggies.
o Add minced vegetables in baking breads, cakes, muffins, and pizzas, along with honey and maple syrup.
o Make a refreshing drink using pureed vegetables. Kids would not even know that it has veggies.
o Prepare pasta salads along with diced vegetables and veggie mayo or dressing.
o Grill some veggies such as mushrooms, carrots, and cucumbers.

Meal Samples:

Breakfasts
- Banana soy milk smoothie with almond and tahinis
- Granola-type cereal with dried or fresh fruit and soy milk
- Pancakes with maple syrup, walnuts and slices of fruits
- Muffins made from whole grains having honey spread, tahini and fruit juice

Lunch
- Tabouli salad with hummus in pita pocket
- Tofu burger with vegan mayo and whole wheat bun
- Lasagna with veggies (cauliflower, carrots, olives and mushrooms)

Salads
- Potato salad
- Avocado salad
- Bean salad
- Marinated tofu salad

Dinner
- Stir fried vegetables with canola or olive oil & nuts
- Pasta dish of pesto sauces (made of basil leaves)

Children's repulsion to vegetables is often seen as just psychological. Find ways for children to enjoy eating vegetables. Cook meals that children normally like, and incorporate veggies without losing the meaty taste. After all, children who eat veggies are healthier and develop stronger immune systems.

For more information on Vegetarian Dinners Recipes and Casserole Dishes please visit our website.

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