I am seriously intending to go vegetarian. Increasingly, the mainstream media is telling us to eat less meat. Ostensibly because of cattle producing methane which contributes to climate change. My vegetarian specials are designed for me to fully research the implications.
Changing my diet is a road I have travelled before. But, like everything pertaining to diet, there is a lot of conflicting advice on the Internet. Some of this advice is good and some of this advice is questionable, at best.
Furthermore, we all have different needs and, because of this, we all have a specific optimum diet. I am currently looking at the Whole30 elimination diet. And, if it is right, then I have been doing everything wrong!
Vegetarian Specials
Why do I need to consider vegetarian specials as part of my diet?
Because I have multiple sclerosis and suffer from chronic pain as a result. My mitochondria are not working optimally. This can cause fatigue and chronic pain.
Diet is absolutely key to maintaining mitochondrial health, so I need to do a Whole30 elimination session. This will clarify which foods are having a detrimental effect on my health.
I have already identified dairy and oranges as being bad. So, I have eliminated these from my diet. But, there may be more foodstuffs that are not helping.
Dal Makhani
Who doesn’t love a curry? This Dal Makhani is a creamy, lentil curry that is a staple food in many parts of India.
Lentils do not contain gluten. But, makhani means “buttery” which is not good for a dairy-free diet.
Scalloped Potatoes
I am not a great fan of potatoes but, the right recipe can make them much more appealing.
However, this recipe will not feature in my kitchen because it uses both butter and milk.
Dal Tadka vegetarian specials
This Dal Tadka uses a lot of different spices, so takes a little longer to prepare. But, the recipe does not use any dairy products so is quite acceptable for my dairy-free diet.
Another very popular dish in India. And, once I assemble all the spices, it may become a very popular meal in Scotland.
Baked Rigatoni
Packed full of tasty vegetables, this Baked Rigatoni should be right up my street.
But, there is a caveat. The recipe calls for rigatoni pasta which is made with durum wheat. (not gluten-free) So, I need to find a gluten-free pasta which will do the same job.
Cherry tomatoes, garlic, mushroom, zucchini and bell peppers make the most delightful filling for this pasta dish.
Easy Homemade Quorn Lasagne
I already have gluten-free lasagne sheets in my kitchen pantry. So, this homemade Quorn lasagne should be good to go.
This is a wonderful vegetarian recipe that is low in calories, so should be good if you are watching your weight.
And, if I use my gluten-free lasagne sheets, this is also Whole30 compliant.
Smoky white bean halloumi bake
The white beans in this smoky white bean halloumi bake are legumes. So, if you are doing a Whole30 session, this is not one for you.
And, if that wasn’t enough, halloumi is cheese, so we have also failed on the dairy-free requirement.