I have been a Pescatarian (a vegetarian that eats seafood) for nearly two years now and the benefits have been endless. I am more energized, my digestive system is always regular, and I lost weight! I was never much of a meat eater to begin with, so the switch was pretty painless. However, for some of you, ditching meat entirely may feel like absolute deprivation.
If you fall under this category, no need to worry. You can still lose weight, help the planet, prevent cancer, protect your heart, and save big bucks by just cutting back on your meat intake and be a “sorta” vegetarian!
Here is a day’s worth of easy and speedy recipes to get your veggie lifestyle started!
Breakfast: Not Your Typical Egg Breakfast: Egg Whites on Peanut Butter Whole-Wheat Toast with Bananas and Blueberries
The great thing about egg whites? Egg whites are not only packed with protein, low in fat, and have only 15 calories each, they cater to both sweet and savory meals. Most people don’t like eggs sans the yolks because the whites tend to be tasteless. However, I see the opposite. You can make egg whites taste practically like anything you want! You can make a savory omelet stuffed with veggies and light laughing cow garlic and herb cheese or a faux pancake by cooking the egg whites with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and just a pinch of Stevia.
Ingredients
3-4 Egg whites
1 piece of whole-wheat toast or English muffin
Half a banana
Blueberries
1-2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
Preparation
Toast your whole-wheat bread of choice.
Spray a small to medium sized pan with cooking spray. Poor egg whites on to the pan. Like a pancake, leave the egg whites until nearly cooked through. Season with cinnamon or even pepper to give it the dish a twist before they are all the way cooked through. Then, flip over the egg whites for 30-60 seconds.
Spread peanut butter on toast and top with sliced banana and blueberries. Cut the toast in half (if using traditional sliced bread). Cut the egg whites in half as well. Then fold each half of the egg whites in half and place on each half of the toast or English muffin.
Lunch: Satisfying Salad
Ingredients
2 cups salad greens
½ cup cooked bulgur
½ cup chickpeas
¼ cup feta cheese
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp of olive oil and lemon juice
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss and viola!
Dinner: Cheesy Bean Burrito
Ingredients
½ cup refried vegetarian pinto beans
¼ cup reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
½ cup chopped onion
¼ avocado chopped
1 whole-wheat tortilaa
¼ cup salsa
1 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
Preparation
Sautee the onion in 1 tsp olive oil until onions are soft and golden.
Roll the pinto beans, cheese, onion, and avocado in the tortilla. Then heat the burrito in a skillet coated with cooking spray until cheese is melted and the tortilla is toasted to your liking.
Top with salsa and Greek yogurt and indulge in a couple of tortilla chips.
-Emily Freeman
