Vegetarian Options That Can Make Your Meals Healthier
Posted by LISA SITWELL
Good food is one of life's joys. Food can be comforting as well as nourishing, though sometimes it can be tricky to do both. Some of the favorite comfort foods have a reputation for not being especially healthy. Here are some vegetarian options you can use to make some of your meals healthier.
Tacos
Tacos are a favorite Mexican food. There are a lot of different foods you can use in place of meat to make it vegetarian. Tofu, vegan meats, or textured vegetable protein can be good substitutions for taco meat. Beans can be another good protein option for tacos. They're a typical component of Mexican fare, so including them in your tacos for some protein works well. To pull off a meat substitution successfully, make sure you season your ingredients well. You may find you don't miss the meat after all.
Pizza
Pizza might be one of the easier foods to make vegetarian. The crust, tomato sauce, and cheese make an excellent base for a wide variety of vegetable toppings. The variety of vegetables equates to a variety of flavors. For an extra depth of flavor, add different herbs and spices. As an added benefit, all the extra vegetables will make it more nutritious. If you’re new to vegetarianism, you might be looking for good meat substitutes. If you want a meat substitute for your pizza, give mushrooms a try. Mushrooms have a soft and chewy texture that makes them a great replacement for meat.
Lasagna
Another Italian favorite, a good lasagna is full of flavor. It typically includes pasta, cheese, vegetables, seasonings, and a ragu of some sort. Of course, ragu is a meat-based sauce, so to make lasagna vegetarian you'll need to change things up a bit. You can make a tasty vegetarian version of lasagna that is sure to amp up the healthiness of the dish by replacing the meat with more vegetables. Mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers are all great vegetables you can include in your lasagna.
Food that tastes good and is healthy for you is one of the ultimate wins. Tacos, pizza, and lasagna don't tend to be foods that we typically think of as being healthy, but they do taste good. Try altering them and including vegetarian adjustments to make them healthier. You may end up finding that you prefer them that way.
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