Cookbook:Vegetarian cuisine

People may choose to become vegetarian for a variety of reasons, and meat-eaters may eat vegetarian meals.

In North America, one is considered a vegetarian if one does not eat animal meat. In some parts of the world, people who call themselves vegetarians do eat fish and/or seafood; in North America these people would be referred to as semi-vegetarians or pescetarians. If you are traveling abroad, or if you are entertaining foreign vegetarians, be sure to verify that you are communicating the correct meaning of 'vegetarian'.

Some vegetarians do eat eggs and/or dairy products, although it is important for vegetarians to note that many soft cheeses, especially French cheeses, may contain animal rennet which is obtained from calf stomachs (and is therefore not considered vegetarian). Those who do not eat any animal products are called vegans; see vegan cuisine. Vegan recipes are always vegetarian.

Non-vegetarians often eat vegetarian meals without labelling them as such (many pasta dishes, dahls, veggie burritos, and virtually all desserts).

Vegetarian nutrition

According to the American Dietetic Association, "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases." The main requirement for vegetarian nutrition is to ensure your diet contains a wide variety of grains, vegetables, and legumes, and to a lesser degree fruits, nuts, and seeds. It is a common misconception that vegetarian diets provide inadequate protein. While one person's protein requirements may be very different from another's, the ADA has found that a typical varied vegetarian diet that meets one's energy needs, also meets one's protein requirements. Even athletes, whose protein requirements are typically greater than non-athletes, can fare well on a vegetarian diet. The ADA found that "vegetarian diets (except possibly fruitarian and strict macrobiotic diets) can easily meet the nutritional requirements of all types of athletes provided they contain a variety of plant-foods." (see ADA article)

As a general rule, two or more different vegetarian protein sources should be eaten in a day to ensure that the body gets all the essential amino acids it needs. The only complete (containing all essential amino acids) plant protein is soy, found in products like tofu. Animal products, like eggs and cheese, are also complete proteins, but vegetable protein sources (e.g. beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts) other than soy are all incomplete proteins and must be eaten in combination.

The Vegetarian Society has a page on vegetarian nutrition.

Protein intake in vegetarian diets is only slightly lower than in meat diets and can meet daily requirements for any person, including athletes and bodybuilders.^[1] Studies at Harvard University as well as other studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and various European countries, confirmed vegetarian diets provide sufficient protein intake as long as a variety of plant sources are available and consumed.^[2] Proteins are composed of amino acids, and a common concern with protein acquired from vegetable sources is an adequate intake of the essential amino acids, which cannot be synthesised by the human body. While dairy and egg products provide complete sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians, the only vegetable sources with significant amounts of all eight types of essential amino acids are lupin, soy, chia seed, amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. However, the essential amino acids can also be obtained by eating a variety of complementary plant sources that, in combination, provide all eight essential amino acids (e.g. brown rice and beans, or hummus and whole wheat pita, though protein combining in the same meal is not necessary). A 1994 study found a varied intake of such sources can be adequate.^[3]

Vegetarian recipes

Below are recipes that are vegetarian, ie, they don't have any meat, poultry or seafood, but may include animal products such as dairy, eggs or honey. Dishes that contain no animal products at all are listed in the module on Vegan cuisine.

Note that some recipes listed may include variations or options which include meat, poultry, or fish. When preparing these dishes for vegetarians, either eliminate the meat, poultry, or fish, or replace these ingredients with a vegetarian substitute.

Appetizers and Sides

Salads

Main courses

Pasta

Sandwiches, Burgers, and Wraps

Breads

The majority of breads are vegetarian. See WikiBooks's bread page for recipes further to those listed below.

Common

Specialty

Soups

Be mindful of stocks used for soups. Beef, fish, or chicken stock is not suitable for vegetarians.

Sauces

Desserts

Most desserts are vegetarian, though some do contain gelatine which is often an animal-derived product. Vegetarian alternatives to gelatine are available, such as Agar. Note that gelatine is present in most marshmallows.

Cakes

Pies

Confectionary

Pastries

Other

Beverages

Fermented

Non-Fermented

Miscellaneous

External links

Wikipedia has related information at Vegetarianism

Vegetarian Cooking at Curlie
Rice of Life Creative vegetarian recipes
Vegetarian recipes on Eliza Domestica Vegetarian recipe resource

↑ Peter Emery, Tom Sanders (2002). Molecular Basis of Human Nutrition. Taylor & Francis Ltd. p. 32. ISBN 978-0748407538.
↑ Brenda Davis, Vesanto Melina (2003). The New Becoming Vegetarian. Book Publishing Company. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-1570671449.
↑ VR Young and PL Pellett (1994). "Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition". Am. J. Clinical Nutrition. 59 (59): 1203S–1212S. PMID 8172124.

[1] Peter Emery, Tom Sanders (2002). Molecular Basis of Human Nutrition. Taylor & Francis Ltd. p. 32. ISBN 978-0748407538.

[2] Brenda Davis, Vesanto Melina (2003). The New Becoming Vegetarian. Book Publishing Company. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-1570671449.

[young-3] VR Young and PL Pellett (1994). "Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition". Am. J. Clinical Nutrition. 59 (59): 1203S–1212S. PMID 8172124.

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