Going Meatless a Few Nights a Week

by Ann Martin

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a vegetarian, but don’t want to fully commit to a lifestyle change just yet? Why not try preparing a few meatless meals a week to see if it’s for you or for your family? Even if you are looking for ways to save on the weekly grocery bill, eating a few meatless meal a week will really save you money. More and more people, no matter their reasons are going meatless at least a few times a week.

There are health benefits for eating a few meatless meals throughout the week. By having the meals focused on vegetables, grains, beans, etc, you will be consuming more nutrients and vitamins. Since these food items are typically high in fiber, in turn you will feel full and eat less. For those people that include ample fruits and vegetables into their diet know that they are low in both calories and fats and help them maintain their ideal weight. Finally, by including more and more vegetarian elements into your diet, you will drastically reduce your risk of heart disease. Put out your dinnerware and get ready to try some delicious, yet healthy vegetarian dishes.

Here are some helpful suggestions on how to include some protein into your diet, without eating meat.

• Eggs – They are the perfect food for morning, noon, and night! Try a vegetable frittata for lunch or maybe a fris?e salad with poached eggs (of course, try and leave out the bacon!)
• Milk – It may seem silly, but you can incorporate milk into so many things, like: sauces, soups and desserts. See if you can squeeze in that extra cup where and when you can.
• Tofu – This can be substituted in almost any recipe that calls for meat. There are many varieties of tofu, so make sure you read up on which one would hold up best in the recipe that you’ll be using.

Now, there are some wonderful meatless recipes out there for you try. Here are some menu ideas to get you started to making a few meatless meal for you and family to enjoy during the week. Who knows, maybe you’ll make very Monday a “Meatless Monday”!

• Ravioli with Tomatoes, White Beans and Baby Spinach
• Shell Pasta with Chickpeas and Broccoli Rabe
• Eggplant Lasagna with Ricotta and Asiago Cheeses
• Stir-Fry with Tofu and Oriental Vegetables
• Homemade Pizza (think of all the yummy toppings you could add!)
• Cheesy Tomato Risotto (again, add in mushrooms, peppers, etc.)

As you can see, there are endless possibilities that you can create in the kitchen that do not require meat. So get online, talk to some friends and see who can come up with the most delicious meatless meal! After creating your recipe, set up a buffet using your Noritake colorwave platters and have your family and friends sample your meatless masterpieces.

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