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Vegetarian Food doesn't have to be Bland or Boring
Vegetarian Food can be Vital, Digestible, Tasty, Nutritious, Attractive and Conscious - if you know how
When you prepare vegetarian food keep these qualities in mind and you will create wonderful, delicious, healthy meals. You will find that these qualities come into your whole life in a number of ways, not only through your diet!
Vital Vegetarian Food
Fresh, naturally grown fruits and vegetables that contain seeds have the ability to grow further if replanted. This means that they have inherent life-force and vitality, called prana. Grains, pulses, nuts and seeds can all sprout with new life.
Avoid stale (dead) food. After one or two days (even if refrigerated), cooked food loses its nutritional value and it prana.
Meat may provide nutrition but it leaves a heavy residue in the body, which is slow to move through the digestive system and may be hard to digest. The inability to digest food properly can cause ill health.
Digestible Vegetarian Food
Hints for good digestion:
- The first stage of digestion happens in the mouth.
Foods need to be chewed properly before swallowing.
- Raw food provides lots of work for the jaw.
- Combine foods thoughtfully - e.g.carbo-hydrates and proteins are most easily digested at separate meals.
- Sourdough or unleavened bread such as chappatis are easy to digest. Bread made with yeast needs to be well baked.
- Soak or add liquids to dried foods to aid digestion.
Avoid: deep-fried oily foods and extremely cold or extremely hot food and beverages.
Tasty Vegetarian Food
To enhance the flavour of your food use pure sea salt, herbs and spices. Prepare tasty dressings for salads and cooked vegetables and fruits.
Savour the flavour of your food by chewing each mouthful well.
This leads to a sense of satisfaction after eating and less craving for snacks.
Avoid processed foods; those that have been damaged with flavour enhancers, added chemicals and colors.
Nutritious Vegetarian Food
To prepare balanced meals, choose foods of varying colors and textures. Use locally grown produce in its season if you can as this is most easily assimilated and each seasonal crop brings fresh interest to the vegetarian diet.
Eat whole grains and whole fruits to keep the natural balance of fibre and nutrients.
Avoid out of date packages of flour and nuts.
Attractive Vegetarian Food
Appetites are stimulated by the aroma of the food being prepared and by combining a variety of colors and textures.
Raw fruits and vegetables are juicy and most attractive with bright, clear colors, lovely forms and textures. Use a sharp knife to create attractive shapes.
Avoid food that is unpleasant in odour, dull in color, or overcooked.
Conscious Vegetarian Food
There is more to selecting, preparing and consuming vegetarian food than you may think. Cultivating a healthy body and mind requires that we cultivate a conscious approach to all that we consume in life, including food! This is not always easily understood in our busy culture, however, the process of becoming a conscious cook can be easily learned and makes life joyful and fulfilling.
About the Author(s):
A devotee of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Kamala Devi is inspired by his great example of simple, effective living. She has consistently developed and shared basic skills that help others to enjoy a healthy, joyous and peaceful daily life.
Kamala has studied the cuisine of many cultures, mastering the traditional techniques that characterize the food of different countries. Her teaching method is practical and easy to follow.
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