Going vegetarian-suggestions?

Morningstar is by far my favorite product (it's way better than Boca), they have a large variety of things, and they have "crumbles" which is the equivalent of ground beef, so you can make hamburger helper and stuff like that.

Tofu is great too, i have a great recipe for barbecue tofu that i got out of the October 2007 issue of AP.

(email me if you'd like it. :))

you should probably start taking some b-vitamins.

also adding more peanut butter, beans, and nuts to your diet can help make up for protein loss.

my favorite thing is Primal Strips! (it's vegan jerky. :))

As others have said protein doesn't need to be a concern, but you should be aware of your nutrition and not simply skip the meat mom makes. You'll most likely gravitate towards foods rich in protein after a while. There are a few "miracle" foods like tofu and chick peas that can be dressed in lots of different spices to help out.

My standard tofu tip: prepare firm tofu before cooking with it. Remove from package and pat dry. Slice into 8 or 10 slices & place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. This can be stored in the fridge for about week and used as needed.

My 2 favorite easy tofu recipes are BBQ tofu and curry simmer sauce.

BBQ - smother slices in BBQ and grill or broil until just starting to blacken on the edges. This tastes very much like BBQ pork ribs.

Curry simmer - cube and add to veggies. Pour in a jarred simmer sauce and let it cook.

I also like cubed tofu in my green salad, like a cheese.

For chick peas: add whole to a salad, falafal, or make a tahini style dip by pureeing with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. I have a Mediteranean spice mix I use in this as well for extra pop.

Black beans (any beans, but htat's my fave) and rice also form a more complete protein when eaten together.

Iron is another concern. Green bitter veggies contain plenty. If you get anemic easily consider a supplement if needed.

I LOVE LOVE tofu!! Boca and morningstar farms have great products in the freezer section. I can make absolutely ANYTHING using their products. I never ate meat as a child, ever! I began eating chicken at age 25. To this day chicken is the only meat I eat, although some not so strict veggers eat turkey and seafood as well. It's vegans who will not touch anything from an animal. Also, I've seen many people get on the Veg kick, I went the opposite direction, I had to learn to eat meat. I've never seen someone leave meat and last.

Well, try soy protein meats and such, fake meats... Like Boca brand, or Morning Star brand... I'd have to say though, Full Circle brand tastes horrible. And as for the nutrients and such, I found a good list...

-PROTEIN

Plant proteins should provide for you enough, as long as you make sure your calorie intake is high enough for your energy needs.

-MORE AMINO ACIDS

If plant proteins simply aren't enough, try eating whole grains, nuts or seeds.

-IRON

If you're not totally vegan, egg yolk provides iron well. However, dried beans, dried fruits, and spinach are good sources as well.

-VITAMIN B 12

This only comes naturally from animals. It can be found in some fortified (not enriched) breakfast cereals such as Total and some brands of nutritional brewer's yeast, or in supplements.

-VITAMIN D

You will need a reliable vitamin D source. If you don't get a lot of sunlight, you'll need a supplement.

-CALCIUM

Studies have shown that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium than meat eaters. Cool, huh? Calcium can be found in greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products.

-ZINC

Grains, nuts and legumes are good sources. If you chose to take a supplement, be sure to pick supplements containing no more than 15-18 mg zinc. Supplements containing 50 mg or more may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol in some people.

--And some more tips--

Keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods to a minimum. These foods are low in nutrients and high in calories.

Choose whole or unrefined grain products when possible, or use fortified or enriched cereal products.

Use a variety of fruits and vegetables, including foods that are good sources of vitamins A and C.

If you use milk or dairy products, choose fat-free/nonfat and low-fat varieties.

Eggs are high in cholesterol (213 mg per yolk), so monitor your use of them. Limit your cholesterol intake to no more than 300 mg per day.

So, good luck. :]

if you go vegetarian, chicken eggs will still be an option and are an excellent source of protein

if you like to add a good meat sub to your pasta, try adding falafel. it's a middle eastern product made from chickpeas which is also a good source of protein...and it's YUMMY! check your local grocer's freezer aisle.

another good source of daily nutrients is fortified grain cereal. that combined with grain or cow milk provide much nutrition.

Morning Star products are great. I love the buffalo wings or whatever..And I'm not even a vegetarian. My mom's friend's kids are both vegetarians.I know the girl takes vitamins to get the nutrients she can get from meat. I'm not sure what it was called but I know it was in a green box.

eat a lot of cheese and try to eat nuts. those have proteins that you would normally find in chicken and other meats. also peanut butter is good. get good carbs like whole wheat pasta/bread and fruits and veggies! :)

Pizza is a dish to be eaten on its own, without any kind of accompaniment, even if you have salad, you're supposed to have it as a starter, and not at the same time. As for those people who serve it with chips or baked beans, what can I say? We haven't got a bad gastronomical reputation for nothing. Nuff said.

you will be fine with protein. eat lots of nuts and beans. try tofu, tempeh, or seitan as replacements for meat in meals. all of them are available in health food stores for pretty reasonable prices (esp. compared to price of meat), and tofu is in the regular grocery store. vegetables also are a good source of protein:

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/high-prote...

most Americans eat twice as much protein as is necessary. in terms of other vitamins, b12 would be the only one worth being concerned about....but that's more for vegans. as long as you're aware of your iron and calcium and make sure you're getting some you'll be great.

good chioce

you wont be going back

morningstars are good

go to sub way or bk they have vigge burgers