Vegetarians are all around us! Lots of us know at least one person who has chosen a lifestyle that does not include eating meat. So, what exactly is vegetarianism, and what does a vegetarian eat? Well, at its most basic, a vegetarian diet consists of fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, nuts, and seeds. The main sources of vegetarian protein are beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, chick peas, and peas, although many other types of grains and vegetables also have small amounts of protein in them. A vegetarian who follows a vegan lifestyle will limit her food choices to these plant-based foods. Many, if not most vegetarians also enjoy eggs and dairy products along with the plant-based choices, which increases the vegetarian's variety of food choices, particularly their sources of protein, as milk and eggs are both good protein foods.
If your lifestyle includes what most people consider a healthy diet, you are probably already eating many vegetarian foods, since most salads, vegetable side dishes, fruits, and even desserts, do not contain meat. It would be difficult to combine vegetarianism with a low-carb or even Paleo lifestyle, since the primary sources of vegetarian protein - beans, lentils, chick peas, and other legumes - are high in carbohydrates. Still, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a vegetarian meal once in a while. It can be liberating and even delicious!!! Snack on fruits and trail mixes, have a smoothie and some hummus, order a vegetarian omelet... the options really are endless if you use your imagination. And besides, we probably could all use more fruits and vegetables in our lives!
POPCORN TOFU:
Tofu is so misunderstood! You really can make it yummy, delicious, and fun to eat. Here is a way that you can eat crispy nuggets of yummy goodness that will also give you some valuable protein.
Tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Holy Trinity of spices: salt, pepper, granulated garlic, chili powder (mild)
Corn starch
Oil for frying
Coat the cubes of tofu with the Holy Trinity of spices. Get the oil ready by putting about 1/8 inch of oil in the bottom of a frying pan or "skillet", and heating it to medium heat. You can also use a deep fryer. When the oil is ready, coat the tofu with corn starch. Use enough corn starch so the pieces don't stick together, several tablespoons. Put the tofu cubes in the oil carefully, one at a time so they don't stick together in clumps. You want individual popcorn tofu's. Fry on all sides until they are crispy, and then remove them from the oil onto a rack or paper towels to drain off the excess oil. Serve with wing sauce for dipping!
WING SAUCE:
The original recipe is one stick of margarine and one bottle of Red Devil hot sauce. If you only need a small amount, you can break this down to a couple tablespoons of butter/margarine and 3 - 4 tablespoons of hot sauce. Heat it in a pan so the margarine is melted, and mix in the hot sauce.
making this tonight!
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