Vegetarian Voyage

I guess you could say I'm a wanna-be vegetarian. I pretty much stopped eating beef and pork around Thanksgiving and have been limiting my intake of other meats since then. I have been eating meet only once or twice a week for the most part, and try not to eat meet at all during the week. But at this point, I really lack the dedication to go all the way.

For inspiration in my hopefully healthier way of eating, I turn to cookbooks and Web sites that provide information about vegetarian cooking and health issues. One of the first and best I've found is In a Vegetarian Kitchen, the Web site of cookbook author Nava Atlas.

First, I like this site because it's simple. There are only a few small ads on the pages, and they are very unobtrusive. This site is about information, and that's apparent from the beginning.

There aren't a lot of links to get lost in here, either. In fact, there are only 10. But it's still really easy to find what you want.

My favorite section is called Recipes Galore. And that's what it is. If this site has any fault, it's that there's not a way to search these recipes other than browsing, but I like to wander, so it's OK with me. The recipes are organized under headings like everyday fare, seasonal dishes, baking and holidays. Each subsection includes an article and several recipes.

Many of these sections are great for the beginning vegetarian or the person who wants to know more about meatless eating, including the ones on beans, tofu and healthy fast food. The bean section is particularly interesting, with descriptions of different kinds of beans, how to cook them on the stove and in a pressure cooker, and several yummy recipes.

The section for kids is also great for skeptical eaters of all ages. There are great lunch box hints that are excellent for grownups trying to eat healthy, too.

And the Vegetarian Tips section is also super for finding out the general information everyone who begins to eliminate meat from their diets wonders about, like where will I get protein if I don't eat meat? This page really helps you understand how much protein is needed and the many sources for it that are not animal-derived.

This site also contains forums, links to other sites about vegetarianism, veganism, food, nutrition, healthy travel and even vegan clothing, and a bookstore with links to Nava's books on Amazon. There's a seasonal spotlight, a menu of the month and a guest column, usually about some issue facing vegetarians. On a recent visit, it was about raising kids in a "mixed" family with vegans and non-vegans.

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