Problem and Brief

I propose to create a vegetarian blog that emphasizes a balanced vegetarian diet. Vegetarian diets have health related as well as global related benefits. However, it can also be challenging to incorporate protein, vitamins and minerals into such a diet. Inadequacy of these nutrients can lead to fluctuation in blood sugar levels, fatigue, moodiness, lack of motivation and energy in the daily functions of life. However my blog will address simple means of adding the right vitamins and minerals from a meatless diet. It will address nutritional aspect of a vegetarian diet while providing easy and tempting but balanced recipes.

Research and Answering guiding questions

The challenges include getting enough protein and B vitamins in your diet, as well as ensuring that you don’t go overboard on soy, processed foods,unhealthy sugars and carbs. A vegetarian diet can be full of unexpected drawbacks if you’re not prepared to work on getting balanced nutrition.

Disadvantages of Going Veg: A Guide to those Considering the Health Impact of Vegetarianism

• Finding a good source of protein for each meal can be a challenge, at first, for vegetarians.

Without adequate amounts of each of the 9 essential amino acids, some vegetarians experience “brain fog,” memory loss, tiredness, moodiness due to blood sugar highs and lows, lack of motivation, and poor performance at work or during exercise.

• Similarly, vitamin B, iron, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals are a concern for vegans and vegetarians. Meat, eggs, and dairy are generally considered the best sources for these nutrients, some of which – such as Vitamin B12 – cannot be readily absorbed or processed in the human body from plant sources (B12 is the most common nutritional deficiency in the developing world. For this reason, most vegetarians and particularly vegans must supplement their B vitamins, calcium, and iron or eat fortified foods like protein bars/powders, soy or rice milk, and cereals.
• Iron and calcium are especially a concern for vegetarian women, who have to make up the iron lost monthly as blood hemoglobin during their period.An unbalanced vegetarian diet without sufficient protein can lead tosugar addiction, blood sugar highs and lows, and in the long term even diabetes.

A plant-based diet may lack some vitamins and minerals, unless a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are included in it.

Vitamin B12, largely found in meat, is not present in a vegetarian diet. This vitamin is essential for converting protein, fats and carbohydrates into energy.

A plant-based diet lacks Vitamin D, a very essential nutrient.

Finding a good source of protein in plant-based diet is difficult.

Meat is a good source of essential amino acids. A plant-based diet cannot provide as much amino acids as found in non-veg.

• Each of the 9 essential amino acids is not found in vegetarian diets. Inadequacy of this may result in tiredness, moodiness – due to the fluctuation in blood sugar levels, lack of motivation and poor performance at work or during exercise.

Vegetables and fruits are not best sources of iron and calcium. Moreover, most of the vegetarians have to take supplement to fulfill their daily requirements of both the minerals, unlike those who eat non-veg.

Vegetarian Pyramid Offers Best Vegetarian Nutrition

Vegetarian Food Pyramid

Eggs, Sweets			Eat occasionally or in small quantities
Nuts & Seeds	Egg Whites, Soy Milks Dairy	Plant Oils	Eat daily
Fruits & Vegetables	Whole Grains	Soy, Beans, Peanuts & Other Legumes	Eat at every meal

Vegetarian Diet Nutrition – Protein

Plant sources of protein alone can provide all the protein required by vegetarians and vegans provided a variety of plant foods are consumed. Complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time if they regularly appear in the diet.

Vegetarian Diet Nutrition – Iron

Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron content than nonvegetarian diets, iron reserves are lower in vegetarians because the iron from plant foods is less well absorbed. It is easier to absorb iron from food if we eat it with foods that contain Vitamin C, so have some fruit or veg containing vitamin C, or some fruit juice with your meal.

Vegetarian Diet Nutrition – Vitamin B12

Plant foods are not a reliable source of B-12 for vegetarians. Although dairy products and eggs contain vitamin B-12, research indicates that lacto-ovo-vegetarians have low blood levels of vitamin B-12. Thus use of fortified foods or supplements is advised for vegans or vegetarians who limit animal foods.

Vegetarian Diet Nutrition – Vitamin D

Vitamin D is poorly supplied in all vegetarian diets unless vitamin D-fortified foods are eaten. However, vegan vitamin D-fortified foods – such as soy milk and cereals, are becoming more widely available. Exposure to direct sunlight exposure is a major source of vitamin D, so dietary intake is not important if sun exposure (to hands, arms, and face) is enough.

Evaluation

Vegetarian blogs tend to attract vegetarians and others in the category such as lacto-ovo vegetarian, lacto – vegetarian, vegans and so on. However, I want to make my blog attractive to more mainstream audience by showing that meat free meals can become a everyday choice which equally attractive to a non-vegetarians. I plan to offer fun and easy to make recipes in a variety of different cuisines. The recipes will be supported with these software such as movie maker, fireworks, flash and photo story. I will attempt to create a balance with the writing and the technological features, so that the cooking process does not seem tedious. The format and layout would be easy to read and will contain relevant links, advice, recipe collections, cook books and some applications.

Guiding Questions – Answer in research

1. How can the blog suit the target audience?
2. How can the blog expand people’s awareness?
3. What is my time limit?
4. Advantages of the diet?
5. What are the disadvantages?
6. Why do people follow this diet?
7. Why should people follow this diet?
8. How does this diet work?

Specifications

1. The recipe should be in a format where my target audience would find it interesting.
2. There should be at least 3 recipes that I am going to make and 8 recipes on the blog
3. The final product should be presented well
4. The recipes should satisfy my target audience
5. The blog should attract vegetarians
6. My blog must be appropriate
7. I must have animations and videos on the blog
8. My blog should contain photos, photo story, slide shows of the recipes
9. My blog must have widgets and other accessories
10. There should be 8-10 recipes. (Italian, Indian, American, Japanese, Chinese ect…) 

Types of Diets

Vegetarian

1. What does it mean? – Is a type of diet which is based on fruits and vegetables. No meat and by products.

2. Why do people choose/have this diet? – People choose to have this diet to have a healthy diet and lifestyle.

3. What foods can they eat and not eat? They can eat all types of vegetables and fruits, nuts, (egg and fish depending on religion), No meat or by products

4. What are the benefits? – From the food they eat, they get a lot of vitamins, protein, and weight loss.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/groovy-vegetarian.html

Gluten Free or Celiac

1. What does it mean? – This means that people cannot eat wheat products. Also cannot use the same utensils that have been used to cut other food. Utensils have to be separate. 

2. Why do people choose/have this diet? – People don’t choose to have this diet, the celiac diet is a disease that damages the small intestines and interferes with the absorption of the nutrients.

3. What foods can they eat and not eat? They cannot eat any wheat or barely products, they can eat everything else (exception religion). They have to use different utensils.

4. What are the benefits? – There are no benefits for this disease, the disadvantages are no traveling, can lead to diabetes type 1, and it interferes with the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine.

http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/

Diabetic diet

1. What does it mean? This means that a person has high blood-sugar level and not enough insulin in the body.

2. Why do people choose/have this diet? Most of the time people do not choose to have this diet but they are forced to because they have diabetes.

3. What foods can they eat and not eat? They can eat almost everything but they have to always count how many calories it has in the meal and always take an injection every day.

4. What are the benefits? – It stops smoking, and heart diseases. This diet also helps in cutting down in fat food, fast food and high cholesterol.

http://www.thediabetesblog.com/

Calorie Count Diet

1. What does it mean? This means that people count how many calories they are eating in a meal for weight loss. Exercise

2. Why do people choose/have this diet? People choose this diet because they want to lose weight or control their weight.

3. What foods can they eat and not eat? They can eat all types of food depending on their religion.

4. What are the benefits? – It is a controlled system. It helps lose weight and control your weight. Eating and exercise.

http://www.happycow.net/blog/?p=420

Dairy Free Diet

1. What does it mean? Dairy Free diet is also known as Lactose intolerance which means that, that person cannot eat any have any dairy product because of decrease of enzyme lactase.

2. Why do people choose/have this diet? They have this diet because they lose 75% of enzyme lactase.

3. What foods can they eat and not eat? They cannot have any dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt and so on…

4. What are the benefits? No benefits. Disadvantage – less calcium and protein in the bones.

http://www.godairyfree.org/Alisa-s-Blog/Alisa-s-Milk-Free-Blog/

Bibliography

Vegetarian

Blog Catalog, “Groovy Vegetarian”. Blog Catalog. 06/03/10 <http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/groovy-vegetarian.html&gt;.

Celiac

Eberhart, Mike. “Gluten Free Deserts Review”. Gluten Free blog. 06/03/10 <http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/&gt;.

Diabetic

NC, Weblog. “Gestational Diabetes: What You Need to Know Now”. The Diabetes blog. 06/03/10 <http://www.thediabetesblog.com/&gt;.

Calorie Count

The Veggie blog, “Calorie Counting and ingredients”. Happy Cow Veggie blog. 06/03/10 <http://www.happycow.net/blog/?p=420&gt;.

Dairy Free

Dairy Free, “The milk free Blog”. Go Dairy Free. 07/03/10 <http://www.godairyfree.org/Alisa-s-Blog/Alisa-s-Milk-Free-Blog/&gt;.

Vetarian Meals

Paneer Tika

Ingredients:

1 Large block of Paneer
1 onion
1 Capsicum
1 Tomato
Few Mushrooms
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
To Marinade:
1/2 cup Curd  (plain yogurt)
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Ginger Paste
2 tsp Tandoori powder
1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
2 tsp Chaat powder
Salt to taste
Red chili Powder to taste

How to make indian paneer tikka recipe :

• Cut Paneer into long 1/2″ thick cubes.
• Cut all vegetables into cubes.
• Mix all ingredients for marinade and keep aside.
• Add the left marinade to the vegetables.
• Brush the marinade to the paneer and refrigerate it for 3 hours.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and fry marinated paneer till fully done.
• Also fry other vegetables.
• In a plate arrange fried vegetables and then paneer.
• Garnish with coriander and lemon slices
• Serve tandoori paneer tikka hot with hari chutney.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 8 ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
• 1 9 ounce package frozen raw spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
• 3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

1. In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs; add cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Put one layer of slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add 1/2 the leaf spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture; add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach. Spread pasta sauce evenly over the top; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.
3. Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.
4. Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.
5. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Servings: Provides 10 servings

Calories/Serving: 373 calories/serving

Nutrition: One serving provides approximately: 373 calories, 33 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 110 mg cholesterol, 142 mcg folate, 3 mg iron and 671 mg sodium.

Is a Vegetarian Diet a Balanced Diet?

Dishes like Vegetarian Lasagna served with a fresh, green salad should provide a perfectly balanced meal of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.

As long as a vegetarian diet is varied and includes a good range of grains, nuts, seeds, dairy or soy products, a small amount of fatty acids (from plant oils for example) and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, it should be nutritionally balanced. A balanced Vegetarian diet is far better for your health and general well being, as well as being better for the planet.

Vegetarian Lasagna Nutrition Facts

Vegetarian Lasagna typically contains a selection of the following:

Carbohydrates

Grains: Lasagna noodles

Root Vegetables: Potatoes, pumpkin, parsnip

Protein

Nuts and Seeds

Soy products: Tofu, tempeh and soy milk

Dairy products (excluding butter and cream, which aren’t effective sources of protein)

Eggs

Pulses: Beans, chickpeas and lentils

Vitamins

Vitamin A: Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, leafy dark green vegetables

Vitamin B: Nuts and seeds, pulses, green vegetables

Vitamin B12: Eggs, soy products, sprouts

Vitamin C: Tomatoes, potatoes, green leafy vegetables

Vitamin E: Vegetable oil, whole grains, eggs, nuts, avocados

Vitamin K: Vegetables

Vegetarian Sushi

Ingredients

• Cucumber
• Zucchini
• green bell pepper
• red bell pepper
• carrots
• daikon radish
• asparagus
• scallions
• mushrooms
• sesame seeds
• avocado fresh spinach
• 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 6 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 package pre-toasted nori sheets
• Prepared wasabi paste

Preparation: Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, lower the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Seed and julienne the cucumber, and julienne the vegetables. Steam these vegetables, except avacado which should be raw, over boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Mix together the vinegar and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the rice is cooked, stir in the vinegar and brown sugar mixture, and cool to room temperature.

When the vegetables and rice are cool enough to handle, lay out the first nori sheet. Place a handful of rice in the center of the sheet, moisten your hands with water, and gently but firmly press the rice to the edges of the sheet so that there is a thin layer of rice in a line on the sheet. Spread a bit of wasabi paste on top of the rice, approximately 1 1/2″ from one edge of the nori sheet. Lay vegetable strips parallel to the wasabi in a width of approximately 1″ along the wasabi line.

Carefully wrap the closest edge over the vegetables, then roll the nori delicately but tightly. Seal by moistening the edge of the nori. Once the nori sheet is completely rolled, slice the roll into 6 pieces and arrange on a platter. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets.

Vegetarian Pasta

Garlic Sauce

• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• one 8.45 ounce package low-fat plain soy milk
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 heaping tablespoon brewer’s yeast
• garlic powder to taste (optional)

Method

1. Saute’ the garlic and onion in a small amount of water for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. in another pot, mix the soy milk, cornstarch, and yeast.
3. Add the garlic, onion and any water remaining in the saute’ pan.
4. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
5. For a stronger garlic flavor add garlic powder.
6. serve over pasta

Veggie pizza

Ingredients

• 1 large pizza base
• 2 tablespoons of pasta sauce
• 1 cup os spinach leaves
• 5 mushrooms sliced
• Butternut pumkin, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup of mozarella cheese, shredded

Method

1. Heat oven to 230oC
2. Bake pumkin for about 20 minutes
3. Spread pizza base with sauce
4. Arrange spinach, mushrooms, onions, and pumkin pices onto pizza base
5. Spinkle the cheese
6. Bake the pizza for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese boils and turns brown

Brownie

Ingredients

170g/6oz self-raising flour
salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder
170g/6oz caster sugar
5 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
230ml/8fl oz sweetened soya milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Grease and flour a 20cm/8in square cake tin with some of the sunflower oil.
3. In a bowl sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder and sugar.
4. Add the oil, soya milk and vanilla extract, and mix carefully together until completely mixed.
5. Pour into the tin, and bake for about 25 minutes, until the brownies spring back when gently pressed.
6. Leave to cool for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Here is my video on how to Make Sweet Lassi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzH1cAysX_k

Ingredients –

1. milk
2. yogurt
3. sugar
4. ice

Materials

1. Blending machine
2. spoons – 2 table spoons
3. Bowl
4. 2 glasses

Preparation –

1. Pour yoghurt into a bowl and mix it until it become smooth
2. then add milk into the yoghurt and mix it
3. add 10-15 ice cubes into the blending machine.
4. add 2-3 table spoons of sugar into the blending machine
5. now pour the milk yoghurt mixture into the blending machine and blend it for 1-2 minutes.
6. finally pour the Lassi into a glass

Here are some related blogs about Vegetarianism!

Blog Catalog:

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/food_drink/vegetarian/

The Lazy Vegetarian Blog:

http://thelazyvegetarian.blogspot.com/

Vegetarian and Vegan Blogs:

http://www.vegetarianblogs.net/

VEG BLOGS:

http://www.vegblogs.com/

Herbivoracious:

http://herbivoracious.com/