This is so good! I made it with GF Lasagna Noodles. It is from Allrecipes.com

Rated: Submitted By: Shaun Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Servings: 3

36 Years as a Vegetarian in the Midwest

In 1971, a friend of mine invited me to supper. He fixed brown rice with vegetables that were sauteed in a wok using soy sauce. All of this was pretty exotic to me because I had grown up in a working class family in Illinois. During the meal my friend mentioned there were people who ate like this all the time. In fact, there were people who did not eat any meat at all, they were vegetarians. That sounded pretty cool to me and I decided to live that way.

I really do not know why the idea of being a vegetarian resonated with me. I was certainly attracted to anything that, at the time, was labeled "counter-culture." But really changing something as basic as what and how you eat is pretty drastic. My mother was aghast and figured I would probably die of malnutrition. Looking back at how hard it was to purchase foods that were whole grain and sufficiently nourishing, it is a wonder I was not malnourished, perhaps I was.

To obtain something as simple as whole wheat flour or brown rice we had to drive into St. Louis. There were a couple of places that were then called "Health Food Stores" where you could buy these and other products. I do not recall seeing anything like Tofu, Tempeh, or the array of products that one can find in a Whole Foods Store or the small locally owned food store where we now purchase nearly all of our food. It was several years before a commercially produced whole wheat bread began to be sold in the regular supermarkets in the area.

I did some traveling during the early 1970's and spent some time in Colorado and California. In Colorado there was a store that sold all the stuff we wanted at the time plus a lot more. They even had a bakery and made the most wonderful little pies. We thought we were in heaven. You could just go in an buy what ever you wanted. Our wants were fairly simple at the time. Mostly we purchased brown rice, some beans, flour, maybe some nuts and seeds, yogurt, cold pressed oil, soy sauce to put on everything.

Whole wheat flour sold for 5 cents a pound. I think brown rice was around 10 or 11 cents a pound. Medium grain brown rice now costs us $1.29 per pound. Beans of various types are about $1.25 a pound. So we bought the raw materials and made meals out of it. For a while I made bread that was just whole wheat flour, water, and sea salt. You had to knead it for a long time, bake it, and slice it. It was substantial and very chewy.

Slowly, over the past 36 years, good simple food has become more readily available. I have spent the last 30 years in a rural area of Illinois. We have done most all of our grocery shopping at a food co-op and then, for the last 10 years or more, at a locally owned store that sells a wide array of products the I would have never dreamed of in 1971. Also, during that same time period, I have become a Vegan, thus no longer eating eggs or cheese or any type of animal products. But, now, if I wanted to, I could go into the local grocery store and purchase a package of Tofu, some organically grown whole wheat flour, and organically grown fruits and vegetables.

Today it is easy to find good food to eat. Lots of restaurants in large metro areas offer some type of vegetarian dishes. But, these dishes may often times not be vegan. I generally seek out ethnic restaurants. Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern fare always includes some type of vegetarian choices. The major metro areas have not just little health food stores but medium sized super markets offering products of all types. There are a lot of people who may not be vegetarians but see no need to consume meat at every meal.

Being a vegetarian was quite weird 30 years ago. There were lots of people who simply did not understand what the term even meant. Today the idea of a vegetarian diet is not so exotic or misunderstood and it is a lifestyle that is easy to practice.

Michael Dappert is a co-founder of Winco, Inc., a provider of wireless internet access to small communities in West Central Illinois. He also administers the web site Musicgig.us and discusses a wide range of topics at Flyoverfolks.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/36-years-as-a-vegetarian-in-the-midwest-138854.html

Eating Healthy Vegan Style

Regardless of your reasoning, choosing to be Vegan is a true lifestyle change; it requires commitment beyond words. People choose to be Vegan for a variety of reasons. Some people do it because they feel the inhumane treatment of animals in the manufacturing of meats and by-products, like eggs or dairy, is wrong.

Some people choose not to eat meat for religious reasons. And there are some people who believe it's a healthier lifestyle. They feel the conventional Western diets of the United States, usually filled with meat and dairy is unhealthy and can lead to obesity and other diseases.

No matter the reason, Vegans must adjust their bodies to habits that have been bred into the Western world for centuries. Vegans must learn what true nourishment is and how to go about living a truly healthy Vegan lifestyle.

Because animal meat has always been the main source for protein for many people, Vegans must learn to find their protein from other sources besides meat. One of the highest sources of protein is that found in soybeans and soy products.

In fact, protein found in soy can be as high as protein found in many meats. In general, soybeans have more protein than any other bean and lots of other edible plants. Protein from soy is also easily digested and can, in fact, help the digestive system in many ways. Research has been conducted and studies found that protein in soy foods can lower cholesterol by approximately 9%.

Fiber is important to Vegans because it is filling and it works the body's many systems. Fiber has been found to improve the circulatory system, the digestive system, and to fight off some cancers and chronic diseases. In fact, research has even been conducted regarding fibrous foods' positive affects on blood glucose levels and cholesterol.

Fiber can add bulk to any food, leaving a person feeling full and satisfied. Because some fiber is soluble, meaning it will dissolve in water, many Vegans choose fiber foods that are a combination of soluble and insoluble, for example soybeans. Soybeans and soy products contain large amounts of fiber.

Research has shown that the amount of fiber you need is based upon age and gender. Women between the ages of 19 and 50 will need approximately 25 grams of fiber per day, while men in this same age group will need at least 30 grams of fiber per day. For Vegans, the amount of fiber needed daily is even higher. A Vegan needs to add another 5 grams of fiber to his or her diet daily.

It's important that Vegans also receive other vitamins and minerals in their food. Eating a healthy variety of foods that includes lots of vegetables and high protein and fiber meals will aid in nourishing the Vegan body. Eating healthy foods high in good protein and fiber and low in fats will also have affects on long-term health.

Dee Overly is a mother who discovered the health benefits of soy milk and now sells a Soymilk Maker at www.SoymilkCrossroads.com. Stop by and pick your free Vegan recipe book and check out the blog.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/eating-healthy-vegan-style-469523.html

Vegetarian Thanksgiving - No Turkeys?

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks to God for blessings received during the year. It is usually a family day, celebrated with joyous reunions, feastings and prayers. Families and friends come together to enjoy the Macey's Thanksgiving Parade and Football. Although it is a major celebration in the United States and Canada, other countries like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Laos, Liberia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, etc also celebrate this joyous holiday.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving is a term which has slowly become popular all over, not only with the vegetarians but also among the non vegetarians. Being veg. is a journey, not a destination – even with its back roads, detours and speed bumps. Thanksgiving used to be a vegetarian's worst nightmare, but no longer. More and more vegetarian groups are holding dinners and celebrations, and there are even caterers and food companies specializing in a wide selection of meatless alternatives.

There is a lot more to explore at a thanksgiving dinner table than just turkeys. Some food items that I can suggest, which I found from some great recipe sites, would be:

APPETIZERS/STARTERS

Guacamole, a Relish plate of sliced vegetables (Crudités) and White wine.

MAIN COURSE

Vegan Nut Roast à la PeTA
Ingredients:
‘The roast':
Two tablespoons oil or margarine
2 large onions, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups raw cashews
1 1/2 cups bread
1 cup soup stock (or water)
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons lemon juice

‘The stuffing':
3 cups bread cubes, toasted
Two tablespoons margarine, melted but not hot
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely-chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon sage
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Cook the onion and garlic in the oil or margarine until tender, and remove from the heat.
Chop the cashews by hand or in a food processor; cut up the bread as well. Add the cashews and bread to the onion, then add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Put half of this mixture into a small, non-stick loaf pan. Mix together all the ingredients from the second list. Put the mixture on top of the stuff in the loaf pan, and add the rest of the first mixture so that there are three layers of food in the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet or in a larger loaf pan, and bake at 400 degrees F for half an hour. The top should be browned. Let the roast cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over and serve the roast on a plate. Serve with gravy if desired, keeping in mind that it is a very rich dish.

Notes:
The roast will take about an hour to prepare. This recipe makes roughly six servings.

Other main courses items could be: Home-made bread, Salad, Steamed carrots and green beans, Mashed potatoes, rolls, Bread stuffing, Red wine, Vegan Bisquits, Vegan Nut Roast with Stuffing à la PeTA, Vegan Gravy and Simple Cranberry Sauce.

DESERT

Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
1 350-g box of silken firm tofu, drained
1 heaping cup of cooked or canned pumpkin
1 to 1 1/4 cups brown or golden sugar, not packed tight
dash salt
4 teaspoons blended "pumpkin pie spice" OR:
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoons nutmeg
1 pie crust

Method:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend the tofu in a food processor or with a blender until smooth and cream-like, for about four minutes. Stop the machine every once in a while to scrape large pieces of tofu down into the machine's blades. Add the cooked pumpkin and blend some more, again stopping the machine and scraping the mixture down. The result should be a light orange-colored paste with no lumps of tofu. Put the paste into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, salt, and spices. Mix well and spoon it into the pie crust; decorate with cheerful shapes of leftover crust, if desired. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the crusts are dark brown. Serve warm or chilled, plain or topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes:
This pie takes about two hours to prepare. A single good-sized sugar pie pumpkin will usually yield enough material for two pies: the recipe doubles easily. The pie refrigerates and freezes well.

Other Desert items could be: hot cocoa, Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Butter Tarts.

You can wish your friends and family a Vegetarian Thanksgiving with a simple Ecard from sites such as 123Greetings.com

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Thanksgiving and events around the world. He also writes on family, relationships, Christmas , inspiration, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry. He writes for 123greetings.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/vegetarian-thanksgiving-no-turkeys-52278.html