Published 2008-04-29T00:00:00Z”/>
Mike Murphy
The term “vegetarian” can hold a lot of connotations.
Some of the knee-jerk reactions toward vegetarians are positive, but many of them are negative. Trust me – my friends tease me all the time about being a vegetarian.
This myth swirls around that veggie people “hate anyone who eats meat, are anemic because they don’t get enough protein and are more concerned about animals than people.”
Oh, please. Stop devouring the public relations bull crap from the beef and dairy industries or rednecks who fear change.
Vegetarians are healthier than most people on this planet, and we don’t hate omnivores. We just think it couldn’t hurt to rethink the American diet of cheeseburgers, fried chicken and baby back ribs.
It’s stupid to ram an ideology down someone’s throat, but I’ve found eating a vegetarian diet helps the starving student pocketbook and the freshman 15.
Here’s a list of cheap meals often found in student refrigerators and pantries but “vegetarianized:”
<strong>Macaroni and chili</strong>
I know, sounds gross, huh? Until you’ve tried it. This meal also gets a thumbs up from my stoner friends.
With the power of powdered cheese and noodles mixed with a spicy blend of legume goodness, the monotony of boring mac and cheese is broken up.
And vegetarian chili tastes almost the same as chili con carne. Not only that, many vegetarian chilies pack in tons of soy protein and have little fat content in them, usually less than 3 grams of fat per can.
Cost: $2 to $4 and organic options are available for both macaroni and chili.
<strong>Morningstar Farm Chik Patties</strong>
Do not nuke them in the microwave. That is nasty. Seriously, if you microwave them they are not the same.
That said, these Chik Patties are better than any frozen chicken fillet I’ve ever tasted. And with only 140 calories and 5 grams of fat per patty, it’s a healthier alternative, too.
Slap on a leaf of lettuce and some ketchup on a bun, and it’s a quick meal you’ll end up bingeing on for weeks.
Cost: about $4 for four patties.
<strong>Tofurkey Beer Brats</strong>
Take your pick: A Johnsonville Bratwurst packed with – Who knows what the hell bratwurst is made of? – or a Tokurkey Brat that packs 24 grams of cholesterol-free soy protein made with no animal byproducts such as pig intestines.
Some of my gym rat friends are obsessed with getting their protein quickly in one meal, so I always point to these. The fat content is a little high at 16 grams per brat, but it’s the “good fats.” Oh, they taste good, too.
Cost for a pack of four brats: about $4
<strong>Garbanzo burrito</strong>
So, I didn’t want to overload this list with a ton of hard-to-make meals, but I think even the most cooking-illiterate person can make this.
Step one: Drain half the water from a can of garbanzo beans. Simmer the beans in a pan, and add a packet of vegetarian taco seasoning into the mix.
Step two: Simmer for 10 minutes, and stir whenever you feel like it.
Step three: Put whatever else you like in a burrito into a tortilla and scarf on it. Scarf on it hard.
Many people think garbanzo beans suck, but whatever. The spices in the packet kick in, and they make a good alternative to chicken strips or ground beef.
Cost: $2 or less for can of garbanzo beans and taco seasoning.
<strong>Other tips</strong>
It’s important to also switch it up and eat some raw veggies or fruits now and then.
For that, just head downtown and grab some bargains at the Thursday Night Market. It’s way cheaper than Safeway.
I’m not a dietitian or anything, but I’m a college student who requires an easy, cheap, quick-meal lifestyle.
I’ve found with many of these meat-alternative products on the market, it’s a bunch of trials and errors. Some of them suck, but others taste good.
With the cost of food inching up each month, kickin’ it vegetarian may be a good alternative to buying a $10 New York strip steak.
Mike Murphy can be reached at<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>
<strong>Related links</strong><a href= “http://www.vegweb.com”>More vegetarian recipes</a>
