Vegetarian Diet: the Basics

Lacto-ovo vegetarian— uses dairy products and eggs, but eats no flesh food. (People who eat no red meat but continue to eat fish and fowl are sometimes incorrectly called vegetarians.)

Vegan vegetarian— uses no animal products, fish, fowl, red meat, dairy or eggs. Diet consists of fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and vegetables. Sometimes called a total vegetarian.

Tofu— soy bean curd. It is a good source of protein. It comes in two varieties; regular in 1 pound blocks and silken in 12 ounce boxes. Both varieties come in soft and firm. It is available in most grocery stores in the produce section. Regular tofu comes packed in water. It must be kept refrigerated and the water should be changed every day. Silken tofu is sealed in a box and should be kept in a cool place but does not need to be refrigerated.

Food or Nutritional Yeast Flakes — a mild tasting yellow flaking powder grown on molasses, then processed to deactivate its fermentation qualities. It is a good source of the B vitamins. It is not to be confused with brewer's yeast which is grown on alcoholic beverages during the brewing process and has a strong flavor.

Cardamom— a seed that can be ground and used as a substitute for cinnamon. It is widely used in Indian cooking.

Soy Milk— a nutritious milk made from soybeans. It can be found in liquid form in many grocery stores. Westsoy and Eden Soy are two well-known brands. Some soy milks can be bought in powder form. Of these, some are made directly from the soybean and some from tofu. Some tofu milks contain caseinate, the protein in cow's milk. Because tofu milks are already cultured, they are unsuitable for some of the recipes in this booklet. Soy milk powder made from uncultured beans works best, but these must often be ordered as they are not readily available from health food stores.

Carob— comes from the pods of the Mediterranean locust tree. When dried, roasted and ground, it resembles cocoa in appearance, color, and flavor. Carob has none of the drawbacks of cocoa and chocolate which contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. It requires less sugar when used in desserts.

Soy Sauce Powder— made from soy beans but has not been fermented. It is similar to Bragg's Aminos and tastes like soy sauce.

Meat Analogs— soy and/or wheat gluten products made to resemble various kinds of meats in texture, appearance, and flavor; they are often called meat substitutes. Examples: Morning Star Farms Better ‘N Burgers, Loma Linda Big Franks, or Boca Burgers.