In this article, I want to share some of my favorite plant-based complete proteins. There are many other great sources of protein for vegetarians/vegans, but this article will only outline the specific ones that contain all the essential amino-acids.

First off, why be vegetarian/vegan? For me, there were a few specific reasons which motivated me to stop eating meat some time ago. The first one, is how meat and animal products affect your health and digestive system. Animal products are the main reason why people have such high levels of cholesterol. Why take an artificial man-made pill, with a slew of side-effects, to lower your cholesterol when you can just stop eating foods that contain it?

Meat is also very difficult to digest for humans. Our intestinal tract is a lot longer than meat eating predators such as lions, which allows them to digest the rapidly decaying meat quickly.

If you’ve ever seen someone whose body isn’t seriously over-weight, but their belly sticks out abnormally far; this is usually because their colon is very backed up with hard to digest foods such as meat, cheese, and white-bread. This causes serious health problems, one of course being colon cancer (the number one killer in the U.S.), but also the easiest disease to prevent.

Another, is just being aware of how animals are raised and treated in order for mass consumption by humans. These poor animals, are forced into very small areas, live in their feces, fed abnormal GMO laced diets, given growth hormones and antibiotics, which you’re now taking into your own body. These animals are brutally tortured, and killed inhumanely by the handlers.

This torture and fear, gets injected into the animals blood from the chemicals, and adrenaline that the animal produces when it’s experiencing high-levels of trauma. This fear and trauma, transfers directly into that.99¢ quarter-pounder with cheese. Along with the ammonia the meat is soaked in during processing, in order to kill e-coli bacteria (yummy!).

After I stopped consuming meat, I noticed a shift in my level of awareness and consciousness. My body felt a lot lighter and energized. I didn’t get angry as easily, and could think faster and more clearly. Meat stopped looking appetizing, and I lost taste for it completely. Vegetables, fruits, and grains started to taste a lot differently than before, I started to crave them instead of a hamburger. My relationship with animals, and my pets changed as well. It’s a pretty amazing shift once experienced.

Here’s the vegetarian complete protein guide. This is all of the plant-based complete proteins that I try to include into my diet as much as possible:

• Quinoa – By far my favorite, quinoa is very easy to make, and goes great with any dish. You can get quinoa usually in the bulk section at grocery stores, and health food stores for a decent price. To prepare this, you can soak it in water in the refrigerator overnight, and then mix it with soup, pasta, salads or taco’s just to name a few. You can also cook it like rice, just put one cup into a pot, with one cup water or mushroom broth and spices, boil quinoa until soft, and all liquid is absorbed.

• Chia Seeds – Another good one, these are best sprouted in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, rinsed, then blended into smoothies, oatmeal, salads, or dressings.

• Hemp Seeds – A very delicious and nutritionally dense seed. Can be eaten in many different ways such as raw, cooked, hemp milk, added to smoothies, salads, cookies, and bread. They also contain a very high amount of essential fatty-acids, which are crucial to the human diet.

• Spirulina – A plant which is found in the sea and fresh water. You can purchase this in either tablet, or powder form, and add it into your smoothies. The absolute best form I’ve found is at Healthforce Nutrition. Their Vita-Mineral Green has a very high amount.

• Amaranth – This grain contains no gluten, and is often referred to as “the crop of the future”. This seed along with quinoa, make a very good Tabouli salad.

• Buckwheat – This grain is cheap, hearty, and makes wonderful pancakes. Last year, Madison and I made buckwheat pancakes at a local farmer’s market, and everyone loved them! The recipe we used is in the Healthy Recipes page.

• Soybean – A complete protein, however, I try my best to limit this from my diet as much as possible. After doing some research, I’ve decided Soy may do more harm than good.

For other sources, there’s a brand named Ezekiel that sells complete protein bread, English muffins, and cereal found in most health food stores that we love.

I’d love to hear some of your own recipes that include any of these complete proteins. If you’d like to share, I have a place in my healthy recipes page where you can tell everyone all about it!

By: Sean N Burrows

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Many people are making the move to a healthy vegetarian diet because they want to improve their health. But, is this style of eating really better for your health? Critics everywhere are claiming that not eating meat can be detrimental to your health… but the truth is coming out in the research studies that have been conducted.

Countless research studies are finding that eating high amounts of meat can cause serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, kidney problems, and osteoporosis. Meats are high in saturated fats and they are higher in calories.

But, if meat isn’t as good as we originally thought, why do we eat so much of it? The food pyramid shows that eating meat is a good way to get protein, and we should have several servings per day. We learn in schools that meat is good for you, and advertising pushes us to eat more and more meat.

The reason there are so many misconceptions about the health factors relating to meat is because the meat industry is so heavily involved in government lobbying. The food industry is a huge business, which means that there is a lot of money to be made by selling those products. So, you need to remember that the meat companies are trying to earn more money-they are not necessarily interested in your health.

If you choose to follow a healthy vegetarian diet, be sure that you are eating a variety of whole foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats and you will get plenty of nutrients that are necessary for living.

Following a healthy vegetarian diet can be a great way to improve your health. Of course, this is a very personal decision that each individual needs to make. But, once you do the research you will see the facts and understand that a plant based eating plan is a great way to improve your health.

By: Becki Andrus

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If you are looking for the best vegetarian lasagna recipe available on the internet then you have come to the right place!

I made this vegetarian lasagna for my family and they loved it so much that it is now in the permanent family recipe book!

This vegetarian lasagna is not only delicious but highly nutritional. What other vegetarian lasagna recipe can claim to be enriched with potassium and folate?

Many people are under the impression that by not eating meat you would be lacking in protein and essential vitamins and minerals. They could not be further from the truth.

The high spinach content in this vegetarian lasagna recipe is believed to reduce the risk of cancer, help to avoid and relieve anemia and is said to protect against eye degeneration and heart disease!

Who ever said lasagna had to be unhealthy? This vegetarian lasagna is also high in protein and low in carbohydrates, courtesy of the cottage cheese content.

Vegetarian lasagna is widely believed to bland and unsubstantial in comparison to regular lasagna. This is not the case, choosing your favorite sauce or a sauce that the family (or whoever you are preparing the vegetarian lasagna for) usually have with pasta dishes will help to familiarize them to the idea and it is certain to be highly rated! We all know how scary it is to try new recipes out on the family, especially with fussy children.

If you are new or are introducing your family to the vegetarian lifestyle then starting off with dishes such as vegetarian lasagna or anything similar is wise. It is not advised to go straight to recipes and ingredients that your family members are not used to. This usually results in negative feedback and will only make it harder for you to be a successful vegetarian.

This delicious vegetarian lasagna recipe is highly nutritional, popular with the family (yes even the kids!) And easy to make! Best of all, it’s free!

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS:

1 Package lasagna noodles

1 Jar favorite meatless pasta sauce

1 Small package lite mozzarella cheese
1 Fresh medium eggplant

3 Tomatoes

Parsley Flakes

1 Package frozen spinach

Salt and pepper

1 Small package of cottage cheese

METHOD:

Thinly slice eggplant into rounds and lay on a paper towel, salt lightly. Lay another paper towel on top and layer with eggplant slices and salt lightly. Continue this layering method until all eggplant is used.

Place a heavy pan on a cookie sheet on top of stack and leave to sit for half an hour to two hours.
Defrost spinach and drain as much water out as possible. (Using a colander)

Cook lasagna noodles in oven at 180˚C until soft and tender

Mix cottage cheese and defrosted spinach together in a large bowl and add salt and pepper

Using a casserole pan, spread a layer of sauce and then place a tender lasagna noodle on top

Place a layer of spinach/cottage cheese mix, sauce, eggplant slices and then a noodle. Repeat this process until pan is full then place in the oven.

Place sauce and thinly sliced tomatoes on the last layer and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese heavily on top.

Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees. (Eggplant should be soft and a brown color)

SERVES-4

By: Melissa Lastelle

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Marketing Strategies

Many people each year decide to become vegetarians. While this decision at times can be beneficial, many times new vegetarians make all sorts of mistakes. It’s easy to just load up on junk food while avoiding meat leading to a diet that is not healthy at all. Find out what you can do to become a better vegetarian.

Limit the processed foods that you are eating. You can eat a diet entirely of packaged and processed foods. This isn’t the best type of choice that you can be making. Instead of packaged foods, eat fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.

Be sure that you focus on foods that have protein in them. You are going to be missing a significant source of protein since you aren’t eating meat anymore. Find foods that are loaded with protein and try to eat these each day.

Eat your vegetables and fruits as much as possible. For a better diet, try to eat as many colors of these as possible. A full range of colors means that you are getting more types of nutrients and minerals into your body.

Learn how to cook. There are thousands of vegetarian meals that you can cook. Find replacements for your favorite meals that used to have meat in them. This will make your eating better as you will have variety.

Watch your sodium. It’s very easy to eat too much sodium when you are eating like this because processed and packaged foods typically have too much in them.

Fill in the missing nutrients as best as you can. There are things like iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, B-12, and others that you need to make sure you are getting plenty of. Try to get these from food as naturally as possible. Sometimes there are enriched foods like breads to help vegetarians. There are also supplements that you can take.

By: Herb Leibacher

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marketing excellence

As it turns out, some of your favorite celebrities may also be vegetarians. Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney, Alicia Silverstone, Moby and Andre 3000 of Outkast are among the many vegetarian celebrities who decided to stop eating meat because of the harm that factory farming does to animals, our health and the planet.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney said he was first turned on to animal rights as a child. Disney movies like Bambi and Dumbo instilled in him a belief that animal cruelty is a bad idea. He once said, “If you think of Bambi, its mum gets killed by a hunter and I think that made me grow up thinking hunting isn’t cool”.

McCartney decided to finally make the move to vegetarianism when he and his wife Linda were eating a meal of lamb and happened to see lambs frolicking in a field. This experience helped him make the connection between the food on his plate and living, sentient animals.

Supermodel and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has been a vegetarian since the age of 16. In high school, she used to donate rolls of quarters to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the popular nonprofit animal rights organization. Since then this vegetarian celebrity has become an outspoken activist for PETA, participating in many of their campaigns including ones against fur, seal hunting and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Alicia Silverstone, the young actress who made her debut in the movie Clueless, went vegan in 1998 for moral and political reasons. She once said to talk show host Rosie O’Donnell that she went vegan because she “was not going to contribute to the violence in the world anymore”. She said that going vegan meant putting food back into the mouths of starving children, since crops grown to feed cows could otherwise be used to feed villages.

Silverstone also has her own vegetable garden, where she grows vegetables like lettuce, kale and pumpkins. “To make your salad from your own garden is just amazing”, she once said to talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Singer Moby first exposed his veganism in an angsty punk rock album titled Animal Rights, arguably the most controversial album of his career. Since then, he has taken a more utilitarian approach in order to make his message more accessible to the masses.

Moby encourages vegetarians and vegans to become salesmen for what they believe. He himself does this by aggressively championing vegetarianism in the public eye. Moby also promotes vegetarianism in his vegetarian tea shop, Teany.

Outkast star Andre 3000 is also a vegetarian celebrity. In 2004, he won PETA’s award for Sexiest Male Vegetarian. When Andre was asked what he would do on his last day on Earth, he said, “I’d probably go for a great meal-some broccoli probably, because I’m a vegetarian”.

Other notable vegetarian celebrities include Coldplay’s Steve Martin, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy’s Andy Hurley, Natalie Portman, Good Charlotte’s Benji and Joel Madden, Alec Baldwin, Anne Hathaway, Joaquin Phoenix, Tobey Maguire, Shania Twain and Weird Al Yankovic.

By: Michael Russell

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Marketing Strategy

For the newly reformed individuals who are trying to have a healthier lifestyle through vegetarian diet, here are some tips for you to follow in looking for simple vegetarian recipes.

1.Vegetarian recipes are easy to find. As a matter of fact, you can have no recipes at all. The main rule on vegan diet is to eliminate meat products in the ingredients. How hard can that be? If you haven’t adapted the total vegetarian diet or at least the vegetarian with dairy products diet, then you can first try the vegetarian diet with chicken or fish. Just make sure not to include the skin of the chicken in your recipe. And stick with the ****** part only.

2.If you want to follow the total vegetarian diet immediately, then you must visit a dietician to help you out. This is not an option anymore, consulting a doctor here is mandatory. A body that has been eating meat for the longest time cannot immediately switch into a total vegetarian diet without risking health problems. Meat products have their own benefits in the human body. You just can’t take vitamins and minerals with vegetables and disregard your protein need. The dietician will help you outline the veggies that will supply protein in your body as substitutes to meat products.

3.Majority of veggie cuisines are just simple vegetarian recipes. The instructions for vegetarian recipes are easy to follow and not complicated at all. In no time, you’ll be an expert on preparing simple vegetarian recipes.

By: Sandy Griffin

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By: nothing.

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business and marketing

Raising vegetarian children can be really challenging. You’re constantly finding substitutes for the dairy and protein groups. If you’re up to the challenge, and you think it’s best for your child, then do so. If you’re a mom who just wants to get your child eating more vegetables, then try any of these vegetarian kids recipes. They’re yummy, easy, and really healthy!

Vegetable Curry
Use eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, and squash. Chop these up into bite sized pieces and cook in some curry paste and coconut milk. It’s healthy, nutritious, and will get your kids used to spices. Start with a mild curry, and you can make it spicier as they get older. This is also a good chance to introduce them to Indian and Thai cuisine.

Spinach Ravioli
You can buy pre-made spinach ravioli or make the little pasta squares yourself. These are really fun to eat, and you can negotiate with younger picky children about how many squares should be eaten. You can also fill the ravioli with cheese or mushrooms. Top it off with a thick tomato sauce and some Parmesan cheese. This is a great way to sneak spinach into your child’s diet. Most children don’t appreciate spinach till their much older. Use these little squares to get them used to the taste!

White Bean Soup with Potatoes
This is an easy soup to make. Just chop some onions, tomatoes, potatoes, throw in some spices, some white beans and cover everything with water. You can use a large pot or a slow cooker. This dish is going to take a while to cook! Give it about two or three hours for ready to cook beans, and up to five hours for beans that you had to soak overnight. Beans are filled with protein, and this is a great substitute for children who are fussy about eating meat. The beans are soft and are much easier to chew that poultry or meats.

Vegetable Quesadillas
A really quick and easy recipe to make. Use two pieces of whole wheat tortilla and fill it with cheese and red and green bell peppers. You can toast this in the toaster till the cheese melts and glues it all together. Serve it with a home made salsa of chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. Drizzle some sour cream on top and it’s ready to serve! This dish is great for kids because it’s colorful and tasty. It makes a great snack or a great side dish to a main course.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
Marinate some eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Grill these on a gas grill, coal grill, or grill pan. Once the vegetables are soft, put it on some toasted whole wheat bread or some toasted herb bread. It’s tasty, healthy, and your kids will love it! This makes for a great lunch. You can serve it with some home made French fries or oven baked potato chips.

By: Maggie Rahn

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Marketing Strategy

These are mock meats. They are made to look as if they are made from meat products but in the real sense they are not. This is to help a new vegetarian to adapt to the life of not eating meat products. As we know, meat products are very addictive. It is harder trying to quit taking these products than plant products. To be able to take care of that craving, you can play a psychological game on your senses.

As we know, senses are triggered by seeing, touch or taste. When you see a meat ball, you suddenly crave for it. You can trick your mind that you are taking this product but you are not in the real sense. How do you do this? By taking vegetarian meat. These are meals that look like they have been made from the meat products but they haven’t. Take a look at a sausage roll, you can take the roll and fill it with vegetables. From the outside, it still looks like a sausage roll but what you are actually eating is a vegetable roll.

Vegetarian meats can also be created by adding meat flavors into foods. The meals will taste like it has these products but they are not there. Vegetarian meats are for those people who have a problem with doing away with the meat products. These are people who all of a sudden have to do away with not eating meat. This can be because of sudden change of religion or health complications. Just take one day at a time and soon you will be able to stop eating the products for good. The good thing is our bodies are made in such a way that what you do not give it, it does not desire.

By: Angela Mwema

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Marketing Strategy

By: sabadhedi

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Business Marketing