Going Vegetarian: How to Keep Your Passion for Food & Cooking #plantbased #goveg #meatlessmonday #plantpowered

Are you thinking of switching to a plant-based, vegetarian diet -- either full- or part-time? Whether for ethical or health reasons, switching to a vegetarian diet has become quite popular the past few years. For health reasons, I like to incorporate meatless meals at least twice per week. For many new vegetarians, transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle can be challenging. Today, The Weekend Gourmet contributor is sharing some great tips to help ensure your plant-based meals are exciting and delicious. This article may contain affiliate links.

You’ve decided it's time to make a change and move to a plant-based vegetarian diet. Going vegetarian is likely something you’ve been considering for a while. Now you've made the choice to go vegetarian...and now you’re wondering about the ins and outs of cooking when you don’t eat meat or seafood.

The good news is that eating a vegetarian diet doesn’t have to mean you have to compromise on flavor when you’re cooking...or eat boring, dull meals. In fact, vegetarian cooking can be just as vibrant as traditional cooking. It's simply a case of embracing your new way of eating...and how to make delicious meals that meet these goals. 

A lot of new vegetarians struggle with the transition to a eating a plant-based diet. There’s a lot to think about and consider when making such a big lifestyle change. However, the good news is that once you master the ins and outs of vegetarian cooking, it’s actually far easier than you think!

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With that in mind, here are a few tips and ideas for simple ways you can ensure that eating a vegetarian diet allows you to retain your passion for food and cooking! 

Adapt Your Go-To Dishes 

Chances are you have a selection of favorite dishes that you have enjoyed cooking for years. However, many of them probably contain meat or seafood. If this is the case, don’t think you can never cook those recipes again! Instead, learn to adapt them. Almost every meat or seafood-based dish can be adapted to be vegetarian -- it’s a case of knowing how to go about it. Take classics like chili con carne and lasagna. Both of these dishes can be easily made vegetarian by switching the meat for a meat alternative...or by using beans, lentils, or vegetables in place of the meat. It’s far easier than you might think to transform a recipe to be vegetarian. 

Try Cooking New Foods 

Don’t be afraid to try cooking new things. Ask your vegetarian friends for their go-to vegetarian favorites. You can also join some vegetarian cooking groups on Facebook -- where you can find tips, ideas, and support to help aid your veggie cooking skills. You'll likely be amazed at the types of dishes you come across. For example: this recipe for a delicious meatless breakfast casserole that’s quick, easy, and packed full of flavor. 

Get Inspired 

If you’re struggling for inspiration, don’t panic! There's lots of inspiration available -- it’s simply a case of taking time to find it. You might find inspiration from online resources like Pinterest are a great source of inspiration. Why not set up a Pinterest vegetarian cooking board where you can pin all of your favorite vegetarian recipe ideas to? Having a dedicated space to put all the ideas you discover can be a great way to boost inspiration and make plant-based cooking more fun. 

Vegetarian cooking can definitely be just as enjoyable as cooking meat and seafood-based dishes -- it’s simply a case of finding meals that appeal to you and are a good match for your lifestyle.