Are you a vegetarian? Here are some ideas for vegetarian food

More than one and a half billion humans are vegetarians. Some are vegetarian due to health conditions and others because of their beliefs, culture or as an orientation to protect the environment or animal rights. Eating vegan food has become a global trend and more people daily want to experience vegetarian eating as a healthy lifestyle or even less expensive.

This diet includes eating fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. Many researches have supported that a vegetarian diet reduces many diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. A vegetarian diet contains more fiber and less saturated fat and promotes immunity and digestive health as it is rich in minerals and vitamins.

A vegetarian diet may be optimal for some, but it often offers somewhat limited choices. In the lines of this article, we tried to provide some ideas and recipes that may make it easier for you to try new vegetarian choices.

1-Vegetarian breakfast

Oats with plant-based milk such as almond milk or coconut milk are a good option to make the meal satiating and nutritious better You can add dried fruits, chia seeds or nuts. Vegetable and fruit smoothie is another vegetarian and healthy choice that helps to detoxify the body and provides it with vitamins and minerals as well. Avocado smoothie, coconut milk and honey with walnuts or almonds is a very rich and satisfying meal and there are many other recipes that include vegetables, especially leafy with green apples and others. You can choose a different combination daily.

To ensure a vegetarian and healthy breakfast at the same time provides you with energy and focus throughout the day, it must include the following elements:

- A source of vegetable protein such as: legumes, nuts, potatoes or mushrooms and some vegetables such as cabbage, avocado, corn, spinach, peas, guava, kiwi, berries, bananas, oranges and raisins.

- Complex carbohydrates such as: whole grains, rice, oats, potatoes, apples, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, legumes and nuts.

- Minerals such as: beans, nuts, mushrooms, whole grains, sesame seeds, dried apricots, rice, soybeans, cauliflower, figs, dates, bananas, apples, avocados, white beans, lettuce and tomatoes.

Here are some examples to choose from and there's more you can add to your daily breakfast menu.

2-Vegetarian lunch

Quinoa salad is a famous and nutritious vegetarian salad as well as vegetable curry, brown rice, lentil soup and other recipes

Quinoa salad with pomegranate molasses:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup quinoa

1/2 cup water

One tomato, one cucumber and one medium green pepper

Half a grain of iceberg lettuce "Capucci"

1 1/2 tbsp parsley

A tablespoon of dried mint

A tablespoon of pomegranate molasses

3 tablespoons olive oil

A tablespoon of lemon juice

salt

Cooking:

Chop the vegetables into small pieces and chop the parsley and lettuce. Cook quinoa in a saucepan with water "take 15 to 20 minutes to cook completely" and remove from heat. After cooling, mix all the ingredients together, serve cold and refrigerate.

Quinoa salad promotes a feeling of satiety for a long time and improves the digestion of food as it is rich in fiber that helps digestion and treats constipation. Quinoa is rich in amino acids, so it boosts immunity and muscle growth.

Vegetable curry:

Ingredients:

1 onion "sliced"

2 garlic cloves, minced

Ginger "chopped or fresh equivalent to two tablespoons"

teaspoon chopped coriander

2 spoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper "dispensable"

4 cardamom

2 tomatoes, chopped and a tablespoon tomato paste

Half a cup of vegetable yogurt or vegetable cream

2 cups of water

1 diced potato

250 grams of carrots, cut into small pieces

2 zucchini, chopped

2 eggplants, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 cups cauliflower flowers

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Note: Any of the vegetables can be dispensed with or replaced

Cooking:

In a bowl, add the oil and sauté the onion until it reaches the golden color, then we add garlic, cardamom, curry, ginger and chili pepper, stirring. After two minutes you can add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well. Then add the yogurt or vegetable cream, stir well and simmer for 5 minutes to combine. Remove and after it cools slightly, mix it in an electric blender to turn into a smooth consistency. Then return the mixture to the pot and add the potatoes and carrots and simmer until the vegetables are cooked for about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant, cauliflower and zucchini, stir well, then simmer for ten minutes until fully cooked. Serve hot and garnish with chopped mint and brown or white rice.

3-Vegetarian dessert

Chia sweets: Several types can be prepared in different amounts, but in the same way

Ingredients:

Type I:

1/2 cup almonds

4 tablespoons chia seeds

cup water

Add sweetener "such as honey or sugar"

Note: Can dispense with sweetener

Type II:

cup water

tablespoon raw cocoa

Strawberries or any other fruit as desired such as berries or bananas

2 spoons chia seeds

Sweetened like honey and can be dispensed with, especially if we replace strawberries with ripe bananas

Cooking:

Mix the ingredients with an electric blender, pour into glasses and leave in the refrigerator to cool.