food ideas for a vegetarian

ginger · January 30, 2007

Help...I am 5 months post op and am also having problems with the right food choices. I am a vegetarian (no beef, pork, chicken, etc.). I do occasionally eat fish.

With that in mind, I need some healthy food choices. I eat alot of salads, but need a change of pace. I find that I am starting to make unhealthy choices, ie. macaroni & cheese, macaroni salad, etc.

I absolutely cannot eat eggs, grits, oatmeal or bread (makes me PB). Pasta goes down fine...but I am not losing as fast as I would like. Approx. 1lb per week.

Anyone else a vegetarian?? If so, what do you eat?

I also am not much of a cook...I'm a grab n go kinda gal :help:

DAA · January 30, 2007

In not a veg, but I do enjoy Boca burgers and Morning Star burgers. I eat them twice a week. They are low cal and low fat and are great when your in a hurry or want that fast food burger type of meal. I really love them and I make sure I have them at all times in my home. Also Beans are great and filling. I love bean Soup, pea soup, lentils etc. Vegtable stir frys are always a good choice also.

gentlespirit · January 30, 2007

One of my staples is refried Beans (fat free) and salsa...and even a little cheese sprinkled on top! Beans are a great source of Protein but also other nutrients, so I figure the carbs are worth it.

I also eat a lot of cottage cheese and Morningstar Farms products...I really like the chicken nuggets with fat free tartar sauce to help them go down easier. I use the MSF sausages in Soup, etc.

Ricotta cheese is very versatile and can be used for veggie lasagna or Desserts and is a great Protein source. Tofu is great and can be used a million ways...if you freeze it and then thaw and press to drain, it has a very different consistency that is more "meaty".

And I have to admit that I still sometimes rely on Protein shakes if I'm in a hurry or going to be away from home.

Hope this helps...good luck!

Emily

lisalee · January 31, 2007

Ginger, one of my favorite meals is a bean salad I make. Sometimes it varies but is still good anyway put together.

This week I made it with:

1 can drained black Beans

1 can drained kidney Beans

1 can drained garbanzo beans

1 can drained whole kernel corn

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2-3/4 cup lowfat italian dressing made with olive oil

Mix it all up and eat it right away or let it sit overnight. There is a small amount of fat in it but they are all heart healthy fats (helping to contribute to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.)

I can eat from that all week! Even better, there is a substantial amount of Protein and Fiber and it goes down gently!

lisalee · January 31, 2007

Oh, and by the way, those are COMPLEX carbs, so they are not likely to cause a spike in your blood sugar but take a long time to break down and will cause a longer feeling of fullness.

Beans, food of the gods

DAA · January 31, 2007

Lisa, I will be trying the bean salad. Sounds yummy and I really love Beans. Seems that you can add any veg to that also, maybe some tomatoes, fresh herbs, etc. Sounds great! My new fav is scrambled eggs with pepper jack cheese and salsa. Yum and filling.