I would really like to become a vegetarian for moral reasons. However, my mum makes my meals for me, and I can't really expect her to cook two seperate meals each night. Sometimes she makes quorn fillets for me, or veggie fingers, and meat for her and my dad, but not often. Or sometimes she makes chickpea burgers etc.
Do you have any really easy, simple recipes which are healthy and vegetarian so I could make my meals myself?

Not to be a total smartass, but how about a salad?

It really is a good start because you can customize it anyway you want. You could also go to your local grocer and probably find some frozen garden burgers and cook those your self. They're not hard to make (if you have a grill, that is).

You can also substitute stuff, like my mum makes chicken enchiladas soemtimes, but every now and again she'll replace the chicken with Haloumi - a type of cheese form cyprus(I think) and it doesn't melt, it stays together and it tastes really nice. Its rubbery, but not horrible rubbery. :) That is a good one to try.

I guess you just have to experiment with stuff. I wouldn't recommend tofu though, that stuff has no taste.

will you still be eating dairy, or are you going vegan?

the biggest thing you need to keep in mind when you're going vegetarian is that plant proteins are not complete proteins - that is, they don't have all of the amino acids in them, whereas animal proteins (including dairy) do. Certain combinations of plant proteins will give you a complete protein - beans and rice, or grains and legumes, are good examples of these combinations.

Does your mom make enough side dishes to fill you up if you don't eat the meat portion of dinner?

We have two or three types of veg with each meal, accompanied by salad. I would have salad as a matter of course; only I'd probably turn into one if I lived entirely on rabbit food ;]
I love haloumi cheese =] I think it's Brazilian.

Usually my mum makes potatoes or brown rice or wholemeal pasta for starch. Would it be okay if I just had that and the veg and cut out the meat, or would I still need some protein?

I don't think I'll go vegan- I mean, we buy free range, so it's not cruel...right?

Thanks for the suggestions people =]

you're definitely eating better than most people if you're eating brown rice and whole grain pasta. If I eat a meal that someone else has made, I just eat whatever grains and veggies are there. You'll be fine, just keep an eye on how many grams of protein you're getting because there is also less protein in non-meat sources.

I've been mostly vegetarian for the better part of 10 years, and I haven't gotten sick. Lately I have incorporated some free range antibiotic-free poultry into my diet. I want to make sure my young daughter gets enough protein.

good luck, lise, I admire your decision

Thanks Jeannie =]

I'll talk to my mum about it tonight and see if we can come to an agreement.
I just feel really guilty that innocent lives are being killed purposely for human consumption. I don't think it's right.

I understand where you're coming from. You are right though, free range is less cruel. factory farming is particularly cruel.

what it took me a long time to come to terms with, though, and fully realize, is that humans evolved eating meat. our brains would not be as big as they are if homo habilis had never figured out how to scrape marrow out of animals' bones. more protein = bigger brains.

that said, you can definitely cut meat out of your diet and be healthy, you just have to plan a little more carefully than someone who does eat meat.

^ that's pretty interesting. what you said about the more protein equals bigger brains.

evolutionarily speaking, that is. brain size started growing after homo habilis began eating marrow.