Meatless Meals (Try It)

You don’t have to become a vegetarian to enjoy a meatless meal. Try working more meatless meals into your week, suggests the Recipe Doctor, Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, author of Food Synergy.

*  Substitute a soy “meat” product for the meat ingredient in casseroles, stews, tacos, and chili.

*  Break out a can of beans. They make great meal replacers because they’re super satisfying, with high amounts of protein and fiber. In a nice vegetable stew bursting with beans, you might not notice the meat is missing.

*  Try a veggie potpie featuring potatoes, peas, mushrooms, and any other vegetables with vegetarian gravy and pie crust.

*  Make Mexican dishes (burritos, nachos, enchiladas, for example) featuring beans and veggies instead of beef and chicken.

*  Stir-fry Chinese cuisine with veggies and tofu and serve over rice or noodles.

*  Stuff bell peppers with a mixture of rice with spices and vegetables plus vegetarian sausage, tofu, or beans to make the dish more satisfying.

*  Layer lasagna with veggies instead of meat. Spinach replaces ground beef.

*  A grilled Portobello mushroom can stand in for a burger on a bun.