Become Heart-Attack Proof

Going Vegetarian Is Easy—and Good for Your Heart

It’s never too late to change your habits for the better and improve your health. Switching to a low-fat vegetarian diet today can help prevent heart attacks and even reverse existing heart disease—without the side effects of pills or complications from risky surgeries.

Best of all, going vegetarian is easier than you probably think!

Start by “vegging up” meals you already eat. Think of three or four recipes that you prepare regularly that can easily be made meat-free. For example, keep your favorite chili recipe—just replace the beef with beans or a meat substitute, such as Boca Ground Burger or Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style. Marinara sauce can be substituted for meat sauce in pasta dishes, and pizza can be made with soy cheese or even without cheese (loaded with sauce and roasted vegetables). For breakfast, try Fantastic Foods Tofu Scrambler, which makes delicious scrambles when mixed with tofu and fresh veggies. Tofu can also be used instead of eggs in “egg” salad, blended with an eggless mayonnaise, such as Nayonaise or Vegenaise.

Virtually any meat-based dish can be made with vegetables or mock meats. And even die-hard carnivores are amazed by the taste and texture of today’s “fooled you” fakes—from “beefy” Original Vegan Boca Burgers and Lightlife Smart Dogs to Gardenburger Riblets, dripping with tangy barbecue sauce. Health-food stores also carry meat-free deli slices, soy sausages and “bacon,” and other meat imposters. Try different brands to decide which one is your favorite.

While you’re shopping, look for dairy substitutes, too, including soy milk and cheese; Silk Cultured Soy Yogurt, available in luscious flavors like Key Lime and Black Cherry; and Tofutti or Soy Delicious dairy-free frozen desserts. They’re rich and creamy like the “real thing,” but they have no cholesterol and are much lower in fat.

Eating out? Ethnic restaurants usually offer a variety of vegetarian dishes, from pad Thai with tofu to black-bean burritos to falafel to chana masala. Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern restaurants are good places to start. Johnny Rockets and even Burger King boast veggie burgers on their menus, and more and more restaurants are adding creative vegetarian entrées, such as pasta dishes with soy “cream” sauces or beans and rice served with soy sausage. If you don’t see what you want on the menu, ask for it. Most restaurants will gladly accommodate special requests, and you’ll be surprised at the creativity of some chefs!

For more ideas on making the switch, vegetarian cooking tips, and tons of tried-and-true recipes, visit VegCooking.com. For a free vegetarian starter kit, click here.