Vegetarian and Vegan Meal Planning Ideas PLUS ... Dairy Free Muffin Recipe

By Rebecca Bennett

In a vegan or vegetarian diet, it may take time to explore new foods and develop some form of routine to it. There are many different products on the market today for vegans and vegetarians to choose from - keep experimenting to find your or your families personal preferences and tastes.

You should be-able to find quite a good amount of vegetarian and vegan products at supermarkets, natural health food stores and co-ops.

When baking, you can use substitutes like egg replacers, cornstarch or bananas to replace eggs.

Soy, rice and nut milks are great replacements for cow's milk. Plus there are many other dairy alternatives around like: vegan cheese, yoghurts, frozen non-dairy ice creams, and cream cheeses. These are all easily sourced through health stores or supermarkets worldwide.

If you are stuck for ideas on some quick easy menu ideas, here are some sample meal menu items for you to consider:

** Breakfast

- Pancakes

- Soy Yoghurts

- Fruit Smoothies

- Wholemeal Toast or Cereals

** Lunch/Dinner

- Veggie Mock Meat and salad sandwich

- Veggie Sausages or hot dogs

- Veggie or Soy Burger

- Simple Prepared Salads

- Tofu Kebabs or Wraps

- Veggie Fried Rice

- Tomato & Pasta Bake

- Soup or Curry Vegetables

- Veggie Stir fry with Tofu, tempeh, or seitan

- Baked Vegetables with Rosemary & Garlic Herbs

** Snacks /Dessert

- Cookies

- Cake

- Non-Dairy Ice Cream

- Dried Fruits & Nuts

- Fresh Fruits

- Chickpeas

- Popcorn

- Pretzels

- Soy or Veggie Crisps or Chips

- Vegan Pies

So as you can see there are an abundance of tasty foods on offer for vegetarians of all kinds, the tastes and wonders of one's food choices is only limited by one's own imagination.

If have you ever wondered how vegetarians, vegans or people just wishing to avoid dairy products make delicious tasting and looking cakes and sweets without much effort at all?

Unless you are a vegetarian or 100% animal free cooker, chances are that you have never cooked without animal ingredients like eggs and dairy. In fact, if you don't know any vegetarians personally you might not even be aware that you can cook without any animal by-products like, eggs and dairy.

Vegetarians are able to maintain a very healthy diet eating any number of traditional meals or sweets minus animal by-products.

And you don't have to be a vegetarian to benefit from such things, even if you'd just like to cut down on animal by-products for the many health benefits involved or if you are lactose intolerant, have vegetarian friends you'd like to cook for or are trying to avoid cholesterol . . . you don't have to feel you will miss out on all those wonderful sweets and treats you feel you can't live without. Because cooking minus animal by-products is so simple and easy you won't believe it until you experience it for yourself.

So I urge you to try the below recipe for yourself and then decide if vegetarians just eat rabbit food or not. You might be surprised. And you might even be shocked that you won't even notice these muffins are not cooked using any eggs or diary.

** Dairy Free Choc Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup coconut

1 and 1/2 cups flour

3 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 190C.

2. Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl until blended through.

3. Sift the remaining ingredients and blend in bowl until just combined.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Servings: 6 large muffins or 12 smaller muffins

If you are not a vegetarian but are considering becoming one don't let the fear of eating egg or diary free stop you. If you already are a vegetarian or don't eat dairy or eggs for other reasons, and have not tried cooking sweets, you might want to try it. It's so simple and easy if you know how and have access to proven recipes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/377121

Vegan Diet Recipes - Mushroom Mint Pasta Salad

By Vanessa Celic

Try this delicious mushroom pasta with its flavor delicately enhanced and lightened with mint. Eaten as a cold salad with BBQ or as a warm side dish for French or Italian mains. Crack some pepper on top and decorate it with unused mint leaves before serving warm.

Whether you are an experienced vegan or are just looking for an exciting new salad, you will find that this recipe will add zest to your menu and reward your taste buds. It has the quality ingredients that will help to lower your cholesterol, and still give you that restaurant quality flavor. Vegans all over the world are enjoying a new way to eat that is far healthier than traditional meat based diets, and are enjoying the health benefits that they can enjoy because of this new awareness of what nutritionists have been saying for years. Why not you too? There are no special cooking tools needed, and the majority of the ingredients can still be found at the same grocery store that you have been shopping at for years. However, take the time to visit a whole food or natural store and you will find many new food items that can be added to your menu.

While you are at it, feel free to join or visit any local vegan group in your community. These can be found at health food stores, at a work out facility, yoga class, church group or many other organizations. Your doctor may even be able to recommend to you a group that shares more recipes like this. Some groups may combine the vegan food element with activities, such as hiking or exercise in a way that will improve your overall physical and emotional condition.

Yield: 12 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 20 minutes, Ready in: 35 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 (16 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
* 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
* 2 (8 ounce) packages button mushrooms, sliced
* 4 onions, sliced
* 1 quart heavy cream
* 10 sprigs fresh mint
* 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 pinch ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Cool, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

2. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place mushrooms and onions in the skillet. Cook and stir until lightly brown. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring continuously. Place the mint sprigs in the skillet. Cook and stir 5 minutes.

3. Mix sugar into the cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the mint sprigs with a slotted spoon. Stir in the cooked pasta until well coated. Serve and enjoy! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5545821