Hearty food for a vegetarian. Vegetarian menu

Most people who choose vegetarianism do so to improve their health and overall well-being. Therefore, when creating a vegetarian menu for every day, you should take into account such nuances as the balance of “alkaline” and “acidic” foods, the supply of complete proteins, as well as the individual characteristics of a person.

For people suffering from gastritis or pancreatitis, many vegetable dishes are unacceptable. In addition, food should delight with taste and appetizing aroma. After all, enjoying food is one of the great joys of our lives.

When getting acquainted with the menu selected by nutritionists, which we will talk about a little later, you should not be intimidated by it and immediately look for a simpler one. All products for a vegetarian table are quite accessible in any city. Many ingredients can be prepared once a week and then used without wasting time. For example, wash, steam and chop dried fruits, fry pumpkin seeds, peel nuts.

So, let's look at a sample menu for people who adhere to a vegetarian diet for every day.

Let's maintain a good mood on Monday with dried fruits

Breakfast:

• oatmeal porridge with raisins and dried apricots;
• toast with orange marmalade and roasted pumpkin seeds;
• coffee or tea.

Lunch:

• toast made from crispy rye bread (or just bread), grain mustard and apple slices;
• coffee.

Dinner:

• salad of seaweed, Korean carrots and fresh cucumber with sesame seeds;
• barley soup with cabbage, carrots and onions;
• green beans stewed in tomato sauce;
• banana;
• fruit tea (you can add pieces of candied orange peel and dried apples to regular tea).

Afternoon snack:

• fruit salad of pears with nuts and raisins;

Dinner:

• puree soup of broccoli, potatoes and onions;
• stewed carrots with prunes and vegetable oil (if the oil is aromatic, for example, sesame, it will be more interesting);
• fresh berry mousse;
• tea with oregano.

On Tuesday we will charge the body with slow carbohydrates and minerals. Porridge will help us.

Breakfast:

• Rice porridge with raisins and aromatic oil:
• toast with fresh cucumber;
• coffee.

Lunch:

• muesli with fruit juice or kefir.

Dinner:

• vegetarian borscht (traditional ingredients, but without meat);
• buckwheat porridge with mushroom sauce;
• fruits;

Afternoon snack:

• baked jacket potatoes with tomato sauce;
• coffee.

Dinner:

• light vegetable soup made from cabbage, sweet peppers, carrots and onions;
• puff porridge from three types of cereals with vegetables;
• baked apples with caramel;
• Herb tea.

On Wednesday we use products with the maximum amount of water.

Breakfast:

• liquid semolina porridge on water;
• toast with mustard, apple and celery stalks;
• fruit tea.

Lunch:

• cucumber salad with pumpkin seeds;

Dinner:

• vegetarian cabbage soup;
• green salad with sesame seeds and aromatic oil;
• stewed pumpkin or zucchini with carrots and tomatoes;
• fruits;
• tea with ginger.

Afternoon snack:

• bananas;
• nuts;

Dinner:

• salad of green radish and herbs with the juice of one orange and aromatic vegetable oil;
• oven-baked potatoes and carrots;
• mousse of bananas and fresh berries.

On Thursday we will focus on protein foods

Breakfast:

• oatmeal jelly with honey and aromatic oil;
• toast with apple slices and roasted pumpkin seeds;
• coffee or tea.

Lunch:

• brewed buckwheat flakes.

Dinner:

• green salad (fresh cucumber, herbs, grated carrots, sesame seeds);
• light vegetable soup;
• red bean lobio;
• orange.

Afternoon snack:

• coffee;
• roasted chickpeas

Dinner:

• stewed sauerkraut;
• salad of raw grated beets with garlic and vegetable oil;
• oat cookies;
• tea from medicinal herbs.

Breakfast:

• oatmeal with raisins;
• boiled carrots;
• toast with pickled cucumber and mustard;
• coffee or tea.

Lunch:

• coffee;
• nuts;
• apple.

Dinner:

• pea soup with onions;
• Korean carrots with fresh cucumber;
• breaded cauliflower;
• fruit tea.

Afternoon snack:

• brewed oatmeal with fresh banana and sunflower seeds.

Dinner:

• lagman with vegetables. Recipe from the site: Place layers of noodles in “nests” and chopped vegetables in a saucepan: onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms. There should be a third more vegetables than noodles. Add 2 cups of boiling water and simmer over low heat. Season with tomato paste with oriental spices, garlic and herbs.
• Korean spicy cabbage;
• tea with candied fruits.

On Saturday we will have a “celebration of life”

Breakfast:

• breaded fried tofu cheese;
• crispy toast with jam;
• coffee.

Lunch:

• dessert made with muesli, dates, fresh bananas and honey;
• tea or coffee.

Dinner:

• creamy soup of porcini (or any) mushrooms with carrots and onions;
• stewed green beans with tomato;
• baked apples.

Afternoon snack:

• pancakes with raisins (to make the dough successful without eggs and kefir, the women's portal website recommends beating it thoroughly with a mixer);
• tea or coffee.

Dinner:

• oven-baked vegetables. Our recipe: Pre-cut eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers into large slices (you can simply cut them into halves) and mix with a marinade of vegetable oil, chopped garlic (a lot), spices and sesame seeds (a lot). Bake in the oven until golden brown.
• salad of grated root celery with apples;
• fried pears. Recipe: Cut each pear into six pieces, core and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fry until golden brown in odorless vegetable oil. Cool. Serve with whipped “vegetable” cream, or sprinkle with a “drop” of rum (cognac).

Breakfast:

• buckwheat pancakes with honey (just add buckwheat crushed in a coffee grinder to regular flour and beat well with a mixer);
• coffee or tea.

Lunch:

• dried fruits compote;
• toast with cold lobio.

Dinner:

• ceremonial borscht (in addition to the usual products, you can add mushrooms, olives, broccoli, green beans);
• pilaf with carrots or pumpkin (for a traditional taste you need to use a lot of garlic with whole cloves and Khmeli-Suneli seasoning);
• fruit salad.

Afternoon snack:

• coffee;
• lavash rolls with vegetable filling and spicy sauce.

Dinner:

• onion soup with croutons;
• champignons stuffed with pumpkin seeds, baked in the oven;
• berry jelly on agar-agar;
• Herb tea.

As you can see, the vegetarian menu can be quite varied. Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Be healthy and beautiful! Bon appetit!

You have probably repeatedly thought about the benefits and validity of choosing a vegetarian diet. After all, there are ongoing debates around these issues in completely different socio-cultural circles. A person who has a completely standard worldview can become a vegetarian. But often this path to healing the body and spirit is chosen by people who practice yoga or have a special relationship with sports. What do people find for themselves in this principle of nutrition? Why do they make this choice? What do they have to give up for the benefit of their own body? Let's try to give detailed answers to the questions posed.

Proper and balanced vegetarian nutrition

If you think that a proper, balanced vegetarian diet involves simply avoiding certain foods, then this is not entirely true. By removing a piece of meat from your plate and replacing it with tofu, you do not become a vegetarian. You've simply given up on a piece of meat for now. To switch to a completely vegetarian diet, it is important to understand why you are doing it, what in fact you will have to give up forever. After all, only proper, balanced vegetarian nutrition will benefit the body, cleanse the spirit, create a radiant aura, and will not harm karma.

Let's look at what bases vegetarian nutrition is based on.

Principles of vegetarian nutrition

So why don't vegetarians eat meat and animal products? It turns out that this choice is based on a number of reasons:

1. Ethical considerations. Not all people consider animals to be food items. Many people do not like this perception. After all, every living creature has the right to life. Likewise, a sane, highly organized being has no right to deprive someone of life for the sake of his own saturation.
2. Maintaining or restoring the health of the body. The fact is that there are not many benefits to eating meat. Especially if we take modern principles of raising animals and subsequent processing of meat. Eating foods treated with antibiotics and flavored with genetically modified elements is not only harmful, but also dangerous. And even clean, self-raised meat has no health benefits. Harmful cholesterol and excess fatty acids lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system and other ailments.
3. Taking care of the health of the spirit. People who choose the path of yoga and other eastern practices believe that eating meat literally “clogs” funnels for exchange with energy flows. It is believed that food affects the health of the spirit, destiny, and life after death. Meat is a product that harms not only the physical, but also the spiritual body.
4. The issue of environmental conservation. Many people care not only about their own health, but also do not forget about the world around them. Would anyone argue that livestock farming causes enormous damage to the ecosystem? For environmental reasons, many people give up animal products and switch to a vegetarian diet.
5. Law of karma. A person who is at least somewhat familiar with the definition of karma and its laws knows that by involving himself in a vicious cycle of violence and pain, he will inevitably pay for these actions.

Loss of health, mental suffering, failures and misfortunes - all this can be the result of payment due to karma. And even if you personally have never had a hand in killing animals in your life, by eating the meat of a killed animal, you still incur a karmic response for the suffering suffered by a pig, lamb, cow, or chicken.

For these or some other reasons, many refuse meat and other animal products, choosing the path of vegetarianism.

But before switching to this principle of nutrition, it is worth studying the literature and reading the descriptions of the experiences of other people who have gone down this path. The choice must be conscious.

Books on vegetarian nutrition

To better understand the principles on which vegetarian nutrition is based, you should pay attention to the following list of useful literature.

Books about vegetarian nutrition that are worth reading:

• V. Belkov “I don’t eat anyone. Complete vegetarian cuisine";
• E. Sushko “No fish, no meat”;
• A. Samokhina “Go to green”;
• D. Oliver “Jamie's Choice. Without meat".

These works will help you understand the basic principles of a meat-free diet. In these books you can find the answer to the question of where to get the necessary protein for a vegetarian diet. Some books provide simple recipes for preparing vegetarian dishes.

Vegetarian nutrition for athletes

It was already mentioned in the text above that many athletes choose vegetarianism. But there are also those who doubt whether vegetarian nutrition is acceptable for athletes. After all, during serious physical activity and to build muscle mass, animal protein seems to be necessary. Where can athletes get protein on a vegetarian diet? So, scientists have long proven that with large expenditures of energy and building muscle mass, the role of proteins is not as important as carbohydrates. There is no need to give up the carbohydrate-containing component of the menu when practicing vegetarianism. Again, a special diet has been developed for vegetarian athletes, which allows them to practice the chosen principle of nutrition without compromising their own health.

• nuts;
• beans;
• mushrooms;
• vegetables;
• cereals

For lacto-vegetarians, dairy products are acceptable. With strict vegetarian views, the missing proteins can be consumed in the form of special vitamin supplements.

Basics of vegetarian nutrition for athletes and more

People who have chosen the path of giving up meat and animal products should remember that the basis of a healthy diet is the balance of substances necessary for the body. Whether you play sports or just live a busy life, giving up meat is not everything! It is important to take care of a varied diet so that the body receives all the necessary vitamins and microelements. If you still thought that vegetarians eat only plants, you were wrong. The vegetarian menu is varied, nutritious, satisfying, and healthy.

History and development of vegetarian food and restaurants

The first vegetarian community was founded in Manchester in 1847. Then the first “swallows” of the development and popularization of vegetarian culture appeared in European countries. In America and European countries, a “vegetarianism boom” gradually began to develop, and this food culture became so popular that it went beyond home kitchens. It was necessary to open catering establishments that would satisfy the needs and tastes of people practicing vegetarianism. The first vegetarian restaurant in America opened in 1895. This establishment existed and developed with money from the American vegetarian community. This restaurant was just the start of the development of vegetarian food culture in the United States. After this establishment, a whole chain of restaurants was opened with a corresponding menu throughout the United States. By 1935, the public had become so familiar with the taste and cheapness of vegetarian dishes that restaurant business organizations established a rule to include a vegetarian section in the menu of any establishment. The fashion for opening such restaurants quickly spread not only in America, but throughout the world. In the Czech Republic, a vegetarian restaurant was opened in 1900, in Holland - in 1894, in Germany - in 1867. In Russia, the peak of development of a culture of eating without meat products occurred in the 20th century.

A similar principle of nutrition was practiced by such a classic as Leo Tolstoy. Ordinary people also showed interest in giving up animal products. Today, the popularity of this food culture is still at its best. Indeed, in modern times, many people practice a healthy lifestyle and think about what is really good for the soul and body.

Vegetarian diet rules

If you decide to become a vegetarian, you need to do it wisely, adhering to a number of rules:

1. You will have to give up meat, fish, and other animal products forever. If you choose the lacto-vegetarian diet, you can leave dairy products in your diet.
2. The diet should be complete and varied. Don't limit yourself to vegetables and fruits. To saturate your body with the necessary proteins, eat nuts and beans. Be sure to consume enough carbohydrates.
3. Don't eat canned vegetables and fruits. Everything on your table should be fresh and natural.
4. Eat only when you are in a good mood. Let go of all negative thoughts while eating. We consume energy through food. You should not let negative thoughts pass through yourself and allow them to influence your condition, destiny, and health.
5. The last meal should be no later than 1.5 hours before going to bed.
6. Eat vegetables, fruits, and berries grown without the addition of chemicals. If possible, grow your own food or buy it from trusted sources.
7. Vegetarianism is not fasting. Don't let yourself go hungry, but don't overeat either. Eat when your body really needs it. You will feel it.
8. When choosing this healthy eating path, if possible, reduce the amount of salt and sugar you consume, as well as harmful processed foods. Give preference to natural sugar substitutes (honey).
9. It is easier to practice a vegetarian diet if your loved ones support you. However, do not impose your views on family members if they are not yet ready for this.

Separate vegetarian meals

It is worth saying a few words about separate vegetarian meals. The fact is that many people who practice this culture believe that there are incompatible products. You can eat everything (except animal products), but you need to consume certain types of food in the right combinations. It is also believed that you should not wash down your meal with water or juices. Liquid foods should be consumed separately from the main meal.

Vegetarian food for children

Healthy vegetarian food is also acceptable for children. From an early age it is useful to introduce a child to the correct principles of nutrition. Many people mistakenly believe that a child’s body cannot develop without meat. This is wrong. Vegetarian nutrition for children can be beneficial, but only if the menu is clearly balanced taking into account age standards and needs. It is best to find a pediatrician who practices a similar food culture, or a pediatric nutritionist who can give the right recommendations for creating a children's vegetarian diet.

It is important to remember that a child’s growing body especially needs vitamins and microelements. The menu for a vegetarian baby should include a wide variety of products that can provide all the body’s needs in accordance with age.

Vegetarian pyramid

If you decide to choose this path for yourself, then you will probably be interested in the vegetarian pyramid. Today, there are several versions of the vegetarian nutrition pyramid. But we will present you one - a classic variation.

It looks like this:

• 1st tier - water;
• 2nd tier - vegetables;
• 3rd tier - fruits;
• 4th tier - grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes;
• 5th tier - beans, mushrooms, soybeans;
• 6th tier - pumpkin and sunflower seeds, nuts;
• 7th tier - vegetable oils;
• 8th tier - dairy products (relevant for lacto-vegetarians).

This pyramid is a kind of template according to which you can create your own menu. Each tier shows the importance of a particular type of food for the human body. To all the listed food groups it is worth adding walks in the fresh air and sunshine. The fact is that a healthy diet will be incomplete without proper physical activity and vitamin D, which is so necessary for us, obtained from sunlight. When composing your diet and scheduling your daily routine, it is important to remember each tier of the pyramid and that healthy nutrition will be incomplete without the correct attitude to the physical culture of the body.

Recently, more and more people are turning to vegetarianism. The modern poor environment, many incurable diseases and widespread obesity make people think about the harmfulness of the lifestyle they lead. It is no secret that vegetarians do not have problems with excess weight, and are also much healthier and more active than those who eat meat.

British scientists have found that the average weight of vegetarians is 1/5 less than the weight of the average meat eater. Agree, this is a significant difference. And oncologists have long argued that among adherents of a vegetarian diet, cancer, especially colon cancer, is several times less common.

But not all people can completely rebuild their body to become a vegetarian and forever give up eating meat, fish and seafood. Many women resort to a vegetarian diet, which lasts 1-2 weeks, to achieve effective weight loss and cleanse the body. Without a doubt, the effect of such a diet is simply amazing, however, it is important to exit it correctly so as not to gain weight later.

Many people mistakenly believe that the vegetarian menu is very meager and uninteresting, and plant-based foods cannot be tasty. In this article we will dispel this myth by giving you examples of a varied, healthy and tasty menu for the week, and also share recipes for some popular vegetarian dishes.

A vegetarian diet can be quite balanced and healthy, provided that it is lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, that is, in addition to plant foods, you can eat eggs, milk and dairy products, as well as honey. Only meat, poultry, fish and seafood are prohibited. Such food may well be very tasty and healthy, because many important substances of animal origin can be obtained from eggs and milk.

Surely everyone knows that plant foods contain a small amount of protein and it is much less digestible than animal foods. It is impossible to do without it completely, because protein is a “building material” for our body. There are some plant foods that contain large amounts of protein, such as all legumes, soy, nuts, and buckwheat. Their quantity in food should be maximum, because they are the basis of a vegetarian diet.

However, the protein contained in eggs and milk is much better absorbed, so they should not be excluded from your diet if you do not want to harm the body. They also contain healthy unsaturated fats, essential amino acids, iron, calcium and phosphorus. All these substances are almost impossible to obtain in sufficient quantities from plant foods.

In addition, plant foods practically do not contain B vitamins, which are responsible for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Their content can also be fully replenished from eggs and dairy products. In addition, fermented milk products effectively improve the functioning of the intestines, seeding it with beneficial microflora. Cereals, vegetables and fruits contain a large amount of fiber and dietary fiber, which remove waste, toxins, stagnant digestive waste from the body, and also lower cholesterol levels. With a vegetarian diet or eating pattern, the intestines work like clockwork. Thanks to these properties, vegetarians are much less likely to suffer from cancer and cardiovascular diseases, which rank first in mortality.

A vegetarian diet has another important advantage for losing weight: it requires frequent and small meals, which completely eliminates the feeling of hunger. As a result, metabolism improves and sudden weight gain does not occur after stopping the diet. However, despite all its benefits, it should not be used by children and pregnant women, since a lack of certain substances can lead to serious illnesses.

It is very important to drink a lot of clean water during vegetarianism, at least 2 liters per day. It helps digest and absorb food, improves intestinal function and removes heavy metal salts and toxins from the body. Since a vegetarian diet does not prohibit the consumption of sugar and sweet foods, in order to lose weight it is better to reduce it to a minimum and eat only in the first half of the day. Even if you are a vegetarian, it is important to remember about fast carbohydrates, which can cause weight gain. For example, if you eat fried potatoes and wash it down with sweet soda, then in a week you will not only not lose weight, but also gain extra pounds. Try to eat foods rich in slow (complex) carbohydrates. These are durum wheat pasta, cereals, whole grain bread, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, dried fruits, nuts, etc.

Sample vegetarian menu for a week for weight loss

If it seems to you that it is impossible to diversify your diet and make it balanced with a vegetarian diet, we bring to your attention a sample menu for 7 days for healthy weight loss, which is based on the principles of vegetarianism. When creating your menu, remember that you need to eat at least 5 times a day, and the most high-calorie meals should be breakfast and lunch.

First day:

1. Breakfast: oatmeal with milk or water with a little sugar, a slice of wholemeal bread with cheese, black or green tea.
2. Lunch: nuts, dried fruits.
3. Lunch: buckwheat porridge with vegetable sauce, a slice of bran bread, a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage, dressed with flaxseed oil, a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.
4. Afternoon snack: fruit salad with a handful of pine nuts.
5. Dinner: green apple or a glass of low-fat kefir.

Second day:

1. Breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese with fruit, a slice of whole grain bread with homemade jam, black or green tea.
2. Lunch: Whole grain and nut cookies.
3. Lunch: vegetarian borscht with low-fat sour cream or kefir, lentils with stewed vegetables, a glass of juice.
4. Afternoon snack: dried fruits or banana.
5. Dinner: salad of fresh cabbage, onions and cucumbers, dressed with olive oil, a glass of kefir.

The third day:

1. Breakfast: 2 egg omelet with green onions and tomatoes, a slice of whole grain bread with cheese, green or black tea with lemon and 1 teaspoon of honey.
2. Lunch: nuts and dried fruits.
3. Lunch: vegetable soup with rice, boiled beans with tomato sauce, a slice of bran bread, a glass of juice.
4. Afternoon snack: several different fruits.
5. Dinner: smoothie made from low-fat kefir and banana (or any other fruit or berries).

Fourth day:

1. Breakfast: muesli with milk, honey, nuts, raisins and fruits, a piece of rye bread with low-fat cheese, black or green tea.
2. Lunch: diet bread with vegetable caviar, such as eggplant or squash.
3. Lunch: soup with vegetables and seaweed, a slice of whole grain bread, soy meat, a glass of juice.
4. Afternoon snack: apple or banana.
5. Dinner: salad of carrots, celery and apple, dressed with low-fat and unsweetened yogurt.

Fifth day:

1. Breakfast: rice porridge on water with raisins, dried apricots and honey, a slice of whole grain bread with jam, black or green tea.
2. Lunch: low-fat cottage cheese and fruit.
3. Lunch: vegetable stew with beans or lentils, whole grain bread with low-fat cheese, a glass of fruit juice.
4. Afternoon snack: nuts and dried fruits.
5. Dinner: a glass of low-fat yogurt.

Sixth day:

1. Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with raisins, a slice of bran bread with cheese, black or green tea.
2. Lunch: salad of young radishes, wild garlic and boiled eggs, seasoned with low-fat sour cream.
3. Lunch: buckwheat porridge with mushroom sauce, salad of boiled beets and garlic, dressed with flaxseed oil, a glass of juice.
4. Afternoon snack: nuts and dried fruits.
5. Dinner: a cocktail of low-fat kefir, cinnamon, ginger and hot pepper.

Seventh day:

1. Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, fresh tomatoes with low-fat cheese and olive oil, a slice of whole grain bread, black or green tea with honey.
2. Lunch: vinaigrette salad dressed with vegetable oil.
3. Lunch: green borscht with low-fat sour cream, salad of young cabbage, radish, herbs and cucumber, seasoned with lemon juice and butter, a slice of bran bread.
4. Afternoon snack: bread with vegetable or mushroom caviar.
5. Dinner: fruit salad of apple, banana and orange.

As you can see, vegetarian food can be very varied and tasty. The main thing is that you will not feel hungry all day, and your body will be full of strength and energy. In 1 week of such a diet, you can easily lose up to 5 kg of body fat. If you want to achieve more noticeable results, as well as maintain them for many years, we recommend that you make this kind of nutrition a lifestyle.

Recipes for preparing simple and healthy vegetarian dishes

Vegetarian dishes are very simple to prepare and do not require any special culinary skills from you. The main thing is to cook with soul and not use harmful products, such as mayonnaise, flavor enhancers and artificial flavors. We bring to your attention several recipes for vegetarian dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that even a novice cook can prepare.

Vegetable stew

Preparation

1. To prepare it, fry the onions and carrots in a small amount of vegetable oil until golden brown, add bell peppers, zucchini and cauliflower to them and simmer for another 15 minutes.
2. Add boiled red beans, a little salt and spices to taste to the stewed vegetables. At the very end of cooking, sprinkle the stew with chopped dill and parsley. The result will be the most healthy and very tasty vegetarian stew, rich in fiber, vitamins and microelements.

Oatmeal

Preparation

1. To prepare vegetarian oatmeal, pour two glasses of water over a glass of oatmeal and simmer over low heat.
2. After boiling, add 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey, a handful of raisins and any nuts. Cook the porridge for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. This porridge is ideal as a healthy and satisfying breakfast. If you are a lacto-vegetarian, you can cook it with low-fat milk, so it will acquire greater nutritional value and fill the body with calcium.

Buckwheat porridge with mushroom sauce

For a hearty and tasty vegetarian lunch, you can prepare buckwheat with mushroom sauce.

Preparation

1. Boil the buckwheat porridge separately by pouring clean cold water over the buckwheat kernels and simmering over low heat.
2. To prepare the gravy, fry the chopped mushrooms and onions in a small amount of vegetable oil until golden brown. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of flour into the pan with the mushrooms and continue frying for another 2 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
3. Add hot water to the mushrooms, onions and flour so that it covers the mushrooms and onions. Don't forget to add salt and spices to taste. Stirring thoroughly, cook the gravy for 10 minutes. It should acquire the consistency of thin sour cream.
4. Place boiled buckwheat on a plate and pour mushroom sauce on top. This dish is ideal as a hearty vegetarian lunch; even a very hungry person can get enough of it.

A fresh vegetable salad

The favorite delicacy of many vegetarians is a salad made from a variety of fresh vegetables. It is best to use seasonal vegetables that contain maximum benefits and vitamins. For example, you can prepare a spring salad from young cabbage, herbs, cucumbers, radishes and tomatoes.

Preparation

1. To prepare it, young cabbage needs to be finely chopped and, adding salt to it, crushed a little with your hands.
2. When the cabbage releases its juice, add chopped dill and parsley, sliced ​​young radishes, cucumbers, tomato slices and season the salad with olive oil mixed with lemon juice.
3. For maximum benefit and greater saturation, you can sprinkle the salad with a handful of pine nuts before serving.

If you properly balance a vegetarian menu, you can eat a very varied, satisfying and nutritious diet without harming the body. Moreover, with such nutrition you can forever forget about excess weight and digestive problems. By eating plant foods, you will maintain your youth, slimness and beauty for a long time.

Vegetarian menu for the week with recipes

Vegetarianism is a very common food system throughout the world. It is based only on two main considerations, which we will discuss later.

Principle of non-violence, ethical principle

Essentially, it is a 100% belief that killing for food is unacceptable.

In addition, in recent years, more and more adherents of a vegetarian diet are refusing not only animal food, but also wardrobe items made from natural materials, cosmetics and other chemicals supplied by companies that test their products on animals.

The principle of non-violence is the absolute belief that killing for food is unacceptable

This principle helps people to be convinced that their daily activities do not cause any harm to the animal world.

The second principle is the so-called health principle

This refers to both the physical aspect of health and the spiritual. This principle can be illustrated by a famous aphorism which states: you should eat to live, not the other way around.

Adhering to the principle of health, adherents of the vegetarian food system follow certain rules regarding the choice, method of preparation and consumption of food products; and in addition, they pay attention to their psychological comfort.

How to switch to vegetarianism correctly

Note! Switching to a vegetarian diet should not cause harm to the body. Therefore, you should create a balanced menu, choosing a complete replacement for the products that you will have to give up when switching to vegetarianism. A new, unusual menu for every day should ensure a safe transition to a new nutrition system without causing damage to the body.

Vegetable Protein Sources

So, where should a person start if he has realized that vegetarianism is the optimal way of life for him? Such a beginner needs to remember that the body will not adjust to a new diet right away. The rebuild will take at least 3 weeks.

Therefore, the transition to a complete abstinence from meat products during these 3 weeks should be smooth, since a sharp transition “from tomorrow” can cause significant harm to the pancreas. To begin with, you should simply make fewer days with meat food during the week; and the missing one replace part of the meat with fish.

In the future, gradually giving up meat and fish, you should not just exclude them, but replace them with other products containing a sufficient amount of protein - for example, soy products, cottage cheese, cereals, nuts, mushrooms, legumes.

You should add foods rich in iodine and phosphorus to your diet, because these elements will no longer be supplied with fish.

Products containing iodine

It is advisable to replace butter with peanut butter. You should not completely exclude bread and pastries. So, there are recipes that do not involve the use of eggs.

What to exclude from your diet

So, the decision to switch to a vegetarian diet has been made. What diet should I follow now?

Vegetarianism means eliminating the following products:

• meat;
• bird;
• fish;
• seafood of animal origin.

Some vegetarians also do not consume:

• dairy products;
• eggs.

You should create a balanced menu, choosing a complete replacement for the products that you have to give up.

It is necessary to distinguish between:

• veganism– adherents consume only products of plant origin;
• lacto-vegetarianism involves the consumption of dairy products, which are products of animal origin;
• ovo-vegetarianism– this menu provides for the consumption of eggs every day;
• lacto-ovo vegetarianism allows consumption of both dairy products and eggs.

Advantages over diets

Vegetarian diet for weight loss

Why does a vegetarian diet help you lose weight?

The reasons are as follows:

1. Regular intake of a sufficient amount of plant fiber into the body, which improves the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Low calorie content in plant foods.
3. Substances contained in plant foods remove toxins from the body.
4. A large amount of vitamins and minerals.

Delicious recipes (sample menu for 5-7 days)

Vegetarianism is also an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen. The menu for every day can be diversified through modifications of both previously familiar dishes and new ones, which can be gleaned from numerous cooking manuals, or invented by yourself.

Zucchini soup

This is a very easy to prepare dish that contains very few calories.

Zucchini soup

The zucchini should be cut into cubes and placed in boiling water. After boiling, cook for 5 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of flour and vegetable oil. And after another 5 minutes - fresh herbs. The finished zucchini soup should sit a little, so it will be more flavorful.

Stuffed bell peppers

Vegetables should be freed from seeds and stuffed with minced meat. As a filling, add a finely chopped mixture of green beans, cabbage, lettuce and fresh herbs.

You can steam stuffed peppers, or you can simmer them in a pan.

If you want something spicier, you can make the filling from boiled beans and Korean carrots. You can steam stuffed peppers, or you can simmer them in a saucepan. Serve on the table, first sprinkled with fresh herbs.

Mix grated and juiced raw potatoes with 1 tbsp. l. flour, finely chopped onion and 1 egg; salt. Stir, form not too thick cakes (cutlets) from the resulting mass and fry until golden brown in a small amount of oil.

Draniki can be served with vegetarian sour cream and herbs

A small amount of garlic or grated ginger will add spiciness and piquancy to the dishes.

Vegetarian sausage recipe

Meat of different varieties is considered, in principle, an indispensable product for modern man, since it contains proteins of animal origin and other essential elements, without which the full functioning of the internal systems of the human body is simply impossible.

There are many different recipes for “sausage” products from fruits and vegetables, which can also be prepared at home

At the same time, for certain reasons, people sometimes have to refuse such a product, and some consciously refuse meat products for some “ideological” reasons, while others are temporarily not recommended by doctors to eat meat.

In all of the above cases, you have to look for an alternative to meat dishes, and this turns out to be not easy to do. True, now a solution has been found, and manufacturers who constantly listen to the wishes of consumers are increasingly offering “sausage” products that do not contain a single gram of meat.

Many different recipes for “sausage” products from fruits and vegetables have also appeared on the Internet, which can also be prepared at home without any difficulty.

Thus, housewives can please their family with home-produced vegetable “sausage”, and It can be prepared from the following foods:

• medium-sized beets (one piece);
• sesame or some other vegetable oil (52 g);
• the highest quality peas (190 g);
• dried crushed marjoram (half a teaspoon);
• filtered water (620 ml);
• table salt;
• large garlic cloves (three pieces);
• cardamom (half a teaspoon);
• freshly ground black pepper (half a teaspoon);
• grated nutmeg (half a teaspoon).

First you need to prepare a full glass of peas of the highest quality, then it should be poured into a frying pan and heated for five minutes without using oil.

Grind the roasted peas into fine flour, then pour three glasses of filtered water into this bulk mixture, mix everything and cook the porridge over fairly low heat for seven minutes.

Roast peas without oil

Using a grater with the smallest sections, grate the pre-peeled beets, then squeeze out the juice in the amount of one tablespoon through nylon or cheesecloth. Cool the prepared pea porridge, then chop the garlic very finely, then mix it with spices.

Add all the spices in the required quantity to the cooled pea puree., add sesame or other vegetable oil, as well as freshly squeezed beet juice, and then beat all these components with a blender until smooth.

Place soft pink pea puree into a plastic soda bottle, the neck of which has been previously cut off.

A clear example of how to put pea puree in a plastic bottle

Compact the vegetable mass in the bottle, then additionally wrap this container in cling film so that the puree does not become covered with a hard crust, and then place the prepared sausage product in the refrigerator overnight.

A healthy menu is why many people switch to vegetarianism.

The menu for each day may look like this:

1 day

Morning: 25-30 g oatmeal flakes, fresh fruit salad.
Dinner: boiled potatoes (in their jackets).
Dinner: vegetable stew (150 g), fresh fruit.

Day 2

Morning: fresh vegetable salad sprinkled with vegetable oil, diet bread.
Dinner: Pasta (preferably made from coarse flour), canned green peas or corn.
Dinner: boiled rice with stewed vegetables.

Day 3

Morning: Porridge, baked apples.
Dinner: Fruit salad, diet bread.
Dinner: Spaghetti with herbs and garlic (or ginger).

4 day

Morning: Fresh vegetables baked in the oven or on an electric grill.
Dinner: Boiled rice or buckwheat with zucchini caviar.
Dinner: Vegetable salad with boiled red or white beans.

5 day

Morning: Vegetable (for example, carrot) casserole.
Day: Braised cabbage.
Evening: Spaghetti with canned peas (or corn).

Day 6

Morning:
Dinner: Seasonal grilled vegetables.
Dinner: Fruit salad.

Day 7

Morning: Baked apples with honey or jam.
Dinner: Zucchini soup with fresh herbs.
Dinner: fresh vegetables, fruits.

The effects of vegetarianism on the body

Plant products contain a large number of substances beneficial to the body.

This is the reason for the beneficial effects of such products on the body:

• ensuring optimal blood glucose levels;
• helps remove toxins from the body;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract.

Plant products contain a large number of substances beneficial to the body.

What results can you expect:

• establishing the optimal level of blood pressure;
• thanks to the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation is eliminated and the symptoms of chronic diseases of the digestive system disappear;
• beneficial effect on the immune system;
• getting rid of excess weight and congestion;

Important to remember that achieving positive results after switching to a vegetarian diet can only be expected with a balanced diet. That is, all animal products excluded from the menu must be replaced with equivalent content of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

The menu for every day with vegetarianism should be compiled taking into account all the needs of the body and daily energy costs.

What to do to avoid eating too much

Some simple rules can help:

1. You should drink enough fluids throughout the day; It's better if it's plain water.
2. It is necessary to calculate the required number of calories so that the diet has the “correct” energy value. A food diary will help you stick to the right amount of calories.
3. The reason for eating should only be a feeling of hunger, and not boredom, stress, other emotions, or just free time.
4. Let one serving be the amount of food that fits on one small plate; More frequent meals in small portions will promote optimal digestion.

How to diversify your diet

It is in order to improve their diet that most people switch to vegetarianism. The menu for every day should be healthy and varied and include the required amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

The menu for every day with vegetarianism should be compiled taking into account all the needs of the body and daily energy costs

1. Refusing the stereotypical “hot + side dish” scheme, you should prefer independent dishes - stews, casseroles.
2. Using a variety of sauces when cooking.
3. When cooking, use as many different fruits and vegetables as possible, including exotic ones; Don’t limit yourself to the usual zucchini and potatoes.

How not to get upset at the holiday table

Everything will depend on how strong the beliefs of each individual vegetarian are. If he has sufficient motivation, and the diet is varied and complete, such problems should not arise. If the menu for every day is compiled correctly, then vegetarianism will not cause discomfort, and, accordingly, there will be no “breakdowns”.

Important to remember! Regardless of the views that a person prefers to adhere to, the menu for every day should be complete and balanced, no matter whether he adheres to vegetarianism or some other diet. Only then can food be considered healthy.

Whatever nutrition system you choose, we wish you health and good mood!

In this video you can get acquainted with vegetarian dishes:

This video will help you diversify your diet:

Step-by-step recipes for vegetarians in this video:

Reviews indicate that on a vegetarian diet you can lose 10 kg in 1-2 weeks. However, to achieve results, you need to not only give up meat, but also count calories, the amount of fats and carbohydrates, and monitor portion sizes. If strict control over the amount you eat makes you sad, pay attention to the Dukan diet.

To lose weight on a vegetarian diet, avoid fried and salty foods, and do not use a lot of spices. Vinegar is also prohibited - it is proposed to replace it with lemon juice. The vegetarian diet lasts for an average month. If you have a lot of excess weight, it is likely that you will lose up to 10 kg per week.

Vegetarian diet - menu for the week

Monday

Breakfast: rice porridge - 150 g, low-fat yogurt - 150 ml, 2 nectarines.

Lunch: miso soup - 200 ml, a slice of rye bread, apple, vegetable salad - 150 g.

Popular

Dinner: stewed vegetables with champignons - 200 g.

Tuesday

Breakfast: a piece of bread with feta and tomato, two boiled eggs.

Lunch: salad of green apples with celery and sauce of olive oil and lemon juice - 200 g, a piece of hard cheese.

Dinner: baked potatoes - 2 pcs., vegetable caviar (zucchini, eggplant) - 150 g, 2 breads.

Wednesday

Breakfast: buckwheat with mushrooms - 150 g, yogurt.

Lunch: lean cabbage soup - 200 ml, whole grain toast, cucumber and tomato salad with herbs - 200 g.

Dinner: brown rice - 150 g, grilled vegetables - 200 g.

Thursday

Breakfast: oatmeal with apple - 100 g, kefir.

Lunch: bean soup - 200 ml, cabbage and cucumber salad - 150 g, 2 pears.

Dinner: vegetable stew - 250 g.

Friday

Breakfast: boiled egg, rye toast with cheese, cucumber and parsley.

Lunch: peppers stuffed with vegetables and rice - 200 g, 2 kiwis.

Dinner: green beans -100 g, two tomatoes, boiled lentils - 150 g.

Saturday

Breakfast: cottage cheese soufflé - 150 g, a glass of kefir, an apple.

Lunch: couscous with cauliflower - 150 g, tomato salad with cheese.

Dinner: vegetarian lasagna - 150 g, grilled eggplant.

Sunday

Breakfast: cottage cheese with berries - 100 g, low-fat drinking yoghurt - 150 ml.

Lunch: borscht without meat with beans - 200 ml, cabbage and carrot salad - 150 g.

Dinner: mushrooms, grilled peppers and tomatoes, two rye breads, kefir.

Recipes for a vegetarian diet

Eggplant with tomatoes and cheese

• eggplant;
• 4 tomatoes;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 100 g mozzarella;
• 40 g low-fat semi-hard cheese;
• olive oil;
• salt - to taste;
• greens to taste.

1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1 cm slices, and the tomatoes crosswise into slices. Peel and crush the garlic. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater, cut the mozzarella into pieces.

2. Fry the eggplants in olive oil until golden brown. Line a baking tray with baking paper, add the eggplants, then the tomatoes and season with garlic.

3. Place pieces of mozzarella on top of the tomatoes, sprinkle grated cheese on top and place in the oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. It is better to take out the baking sheet before the cheese begins to boil. Sprinkle the prepared eggplants with herbs.

Brussels sprouts salad

• 250 g Brussels sprouts;
• garlic clove;
• a quarter of a pomegranate;
• green apple;
• green salad;
• a little olive oil;
• lemon juice.

1. Cook the cabbage in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then place it in ice water.

2. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate. To do this, pour water into a bowl, immerse a quarter of a pomegranate in it and peel it directly in the water. The grains will sink to the bottom, and all excess will rise to the surface.

3. Cut the apple into thin slices. Mix cabbage and apple with lettuce. Season with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Vegetarian diet and table No. 5

Diet 5 (table No. 5) is an invention of the Soviet doctor Pevzner, designed to restore the functions of the liver and biliary tract.

By combining a vegetarian diet and table No. 5, you can not only get rid of excess weight, but also improve the functioning of your gastrointestinal tract.

Table No. 5 provides for avoiding difficult-to-digest fats, foods high in cholesterol, and fried foods. The daily calorie intake is 2500. You should drink 1.5 liters of water per day and limit your salt intake to 10 g. You need to eat 5-6 times a day. Food should be boiled, baked or stewed.

As you can see, the recommendations are similar to a vegetarian diet. Additional restrictions include avoiding fresh bread (it must be dried), legumes, hard-boiled eggs, sour fruits and berries, and black coffee. Food and drinks should not be cold. All these rules allow you to avoid excessive stress on the liver and a sudden release of bile.

Table No. 5 favors vegetarian soups. For a healthy dietary lunch, we recommend preparing vegetarian cabbage soup or lean borscht.

Vegetarian cabbage soup for diet No. 5

• 120 g zucchini;
• tomato;
• potato;
• 10 g carrots;
• onion;
• a little butter;
• a teaspoon of sour cream 15% fat;
• greenery.

Finely chop the onion and grate the carrots. Simmer in a saucepan with water for about 5 minutes, then add chopped potatoes, zucchini and tomato. You need to cook the broth until the vegetables become soft. Vegetarian cabbage soup for diet No. 5 is served warm (not hot) with sour cream and herbs.

Vegetarian borscht for diet No. 5

• 3 potatoes;
• a glass of beans;
• 100 g mushrooms;
• carrot;
• bulb;
• beet;
• 300 g cabbage;
• Art. l. tomato paste;
• bell pepper;
• vegetable oil;
• salt;
• Bay leaf;
• greenery.

Soak the beans in warm water for 2 hours. Boil the mushrooms, cut into strips. Dilute the mushroom broth with 3 liters of water, add mushrooms and chopped beets to it again. After 15 minutes, add the chopped potatoes to the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Sauté carrots and onions in vegetable oil, add tomato paste. Place this roast in the broth, also add chopped peppers, cabbage, boiled beans, and salt. Cook covered over low heat for 5-7 minutes, season with herbs.

Vegan diet

Veganism is a stricter version of vegetarianism. It excludes the consumption of any animal products, including fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products.

An important task when creating a vegan diet is to ensure adequate protein intake. Since animal products are excluded, it is important to introduce a lot of plant protein into the diet: soy, nuts, legumes.

Doctors believe that veganism poses a risk of developing vitamin deficiency, anemia, iron deficiency and hormonal disorders. If you are going to switch to veganism, make it a rule to take special vitamin and mineral complexes and get tested regularly.

The use of veganism for weight loss is controversial. Nutritionists recommend resorting to a vegan diet for short-term relief. If you are planning to give up animal products not for ethical reasons, but specifically for weight loss, you should not use such a menu for a long time. One to two weeks is enough for active detox and fat burning.