Vegetarian

We are bombarded daily by the happening hot diet. Sometimes they are a gimmick, sometimes they are expensive, many times they are far far from healthy! The best diet is the balanced diet; eating everything in moderation. I know that seems like a duh, but how many times do you see across the front of a magazine, "Lose 15 lbs and 4 inches in just 3 weeks eating this amazing food." Now the balanced diet/moderation concept doesn't seem so silly, huh!

This is titled Vegetarian. I'm sure you are expecting the normal meat is bad lecture. I'm not going to tell you about the evils of steak. Granted if meat is consumed in large quantities (not in moderation) it is bad for your health, the environment and the budget, but in moderation is a tasty treat. This is titled Vegetarian because I think that many of the benefits are overlooked when it comes to eating Vegetarian meals.

My primary driving forces behind a weekly vegetarian meal is: cost, taste, health, environmental concern. Yes, I said it, it can be a cheap, tasty, healthy and green way to eat. I'm not saying that every meal should be meat free and we should protest and raise in arms for a vegetarian utopia on earth. I'm just saying give your budget a break, give your mouth a treat and don't be scared to eat a meal that doesn't have meat.

What is less expensive than veggies? When you combine beans and rice or beans and corn you create a complete protein that rivals meat. No I lied, it doesn't rival meat, it trumps meat. Why you ask. Well, it is low fat and high fiber. Meat can't tote those qualities! Price a bag of rice and beans to a nice steak, ya, I told you so. C-h-e-a-p! And when you are feeding a family of six on a limited budget, cheap is important. Heck, it's important for everybody, look at rocketing food costs, save a few bucks and eat some veggies.

Tasty? We aren't talking about the overcooked flavorless slop that used to be served on your plate during school lunch. We are talking about fresh flavorful food. Something that nourishes the whole body, spirit and mind. Mexican and Italian cuisine lends itself well to Vegetarian cooking. Try making mini pizza's on corn (or flour) tortillas, using veggies for toppings. Nice and quick!

Of course, it's easy on the environment and healthier. Low fat, high fiber, high nutrient. Animals take large amounts of land and meat must be refrigerated etc. etc. etc. You've all heard it before, I'm not going to go over it again.

So, I encourage you to try the occasional veggie only meal once in a while. It is the best way to balance, green, inexpensive, healthy living without depriving yourself!