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Articles and Information
Being Vegetarian in a Meat-Eaters World
by Carrie Rosati
Being the only vegetarian in my household, I am almost always responsible for creating my own meals. Many nights I will get home from work and my mother will say, "Dinner is ready-- do you have a veggie burger to heat up?" She just doesn't realize that being a vegetarian is more than just heating up a pre-made vegetarian alternative, which is not healthy to eat on a daily basis.
My mother is one of my biggest critics about my vegetarian lifestyle. I was only 16 years old when I made my own decision to stop eating meat, and my mother did not like it one bit. At that age it wasn't the fact that I didn't know how to be a "proper" vegetarian as much as the fact that it was difficult to find the resources to prepare proper meals.
My family did not cater to my needs, and I didn't have a car to drive myself to the store and buy my own meal ingredients. My meals simply consisted of eliminating the meat portion and filling it with extra carbs, cheese, fruits and vegetables.
Now I cannot only go shopping myself, but there are more vegetarian options available. Local grocery stores have natural food sections and, for a quick meal, there are more veggie burger options.
However, heating up fake chicken, burgers, sausage or hot dogs is not a healthy way to eat every day. So I began preparing my own meals. At least once a month I go on a mini shopping trip to buy what I need so that I can make my own meals.
On the weekend I try to make a big batch of a dish and save it in smaller containers to store in the fridge or freeze. This way I have healthy, homemade alternatives ready to go when my mother asks me if I have something to heat up.
Trying new foods like tofu and tempeh was trial and error for me, but now that I am familiar with vegetarian ways of cooking I can even create my own recipes, based on ideas from various sources. I have discovered that vegetarian cooking is not only healthy, but fun to learn too!
Here's my recipe for vegetarian chili with tempeh, a great meal that can be made in bulk and frozen in small containers.
Vegetarian Chili
- Olive oil
- 1 onion
- Minced or fresh garlic
- 2 green peppers
- 2 carrots
- 2-3 stalks celery
- 1 medium zucchini
- 2 cans beans (kidney, pinto, black, cannelini…)
- 2 fresh tomatoes
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 package tempeh
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Black pepper
- Hot sauce (optional)
Chop all the vegetables and the tempeh.
Coat bottom of pan with olive oil, and begin to heat. Add garlic, chopped onions and parsley. Sauté for a few minutes and add the peppers. Add 1 tbsp. chili powder (or more to taste) and 1 tsp. paprika. Stir.
In a small bowl, combine carrots and celery with 1 cup of water. Microwave for 2 minutes to soften.
Add carrots, celery and all remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with your choice of bread or rolls, and melt your favorite cheese or cheese substitute on top if desired.
Carrie Rosati is a technical writer living in Lockport, New York. 23 years old and vegetarian for over 6 years, she made the decision when in high school, and is the only vegetarian out of her whole family and almost all her friends.
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