Will you celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month?

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month so if you have been considering adding meatless entrees to your diet then this is a great time to do it. As an incentive the North American Vegetarian Society has offered Non-vegetarians who pledge to abstain from all meat, fish and fowl a chance to win cash prizes. October 1^st was World Vegetarian Day which was created in 1977 to honor the lifestyle and educate others about the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

A Vegetarian diet encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, grains, etc..), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red and white animal flesh, poultry, and seafood).  Many vegetarians also abstain from using or consuming by-products of animal slaughter, such as animal-derived clothing, rennet and gelatin

There are a many variations of vegetarianism that may include or exclude various foods such as:

·         Ovo- vegetarianism includes eggs but not dairy products.

·         Lacto vegetarianism includes dairy products but not eggs.

·         Ovo-lacto vegetarianism (or lacto-ovo vegetarianism) includes animal/dairy products such as eggs, milk, and honey.

·         Veganism excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, and eggs, and may also exclude any products tested on animals, or any clothing from animals.

·          Raw veganism includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables can only be cooked up to a certain temperature^.

·         Fruitarianism permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.

·         Buddhist vegetarianism (also known as su vegetarianism) excludes all animal products as well as vegetables in the allium family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, or shallots.

·         Jain vegetarianism includes dairy but excludes eggs and honey, as well as root vegetables.

·         Macrobiotic diets consist mostly of whole grains and beans.

Quinoa Pilaf  Stuffed Peppers

To be or not to be a vegetarian is a personal decision one has to make for themselves. We all have basic nutritional needs that are mainly derived from fruits, vegetables, grains, beans and dairy. So why not include more of these things in our diets.  Therefore, making the decision to be an active participate with Meatless Mondays is a good place to start.

Check in with our blog to get Meatless recipes every week!

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Portobello                  Spicy Rice Balls