Must Have Veg Staples

Must-have vegetarian staples

1. Quinoa: This tasty rice substitute is chock full of protein, that magical substance we vegetarians seek out like nobody's business. Eaten with any combination of vegetables, these seeds from the goosefoot plant (don't be frightened by its name, there are neither geese nor feet in quinoa) add a unique twist.
2. Chicken-free stock: Chicken stock is the most common broth used in soups, so just because a soup seems vegetarian, it could be the opposite. Vegetable stock can be made or bought, and most will have plenty of iron and B12 vitamins, which are hard to find in meat-free diets.
3. Edamame: Edamame are green baby soybeans boiled in their own pods and then extracted for consumption, with benefits similar to quinoa. They're perfect to sneak into any dish to add protein without distracting from the other ingredients -- for both sides and main dishes.
4. Morningstar veggie burgers and crumbles: There are dozens of veggie burger and crumbles ("fake" ground beef) manufacturers, but Morningstar definitely has the best variety. For vegetarians who occasionally miss the taste of meat, Morningstar provides almost disconcertingly convincing fake meat products with close-to-equal nutritional value in terms of vitamins and protein. The burgers are great if you are a member of a meat-eating family and need an easy meal every now and then. The crumbles also work well for chili, soups, pasta, and more.
5. Reading glasses. No, I'm not suggesting vegetarians eat reading glasses (there's very little protein in lenses, from what I've heard). But it's important to take a close look at ingredient lists while shopping or snacking. Many foods contain meat products in some form or another, so avoiding them requires some label inspection. The main ingredient to avoid is gelatin, which is extracted from the collagen in animal bones and hooves and can be found in Jell-O, marshmallows and gummy candies.

-- MARYBETH SEITZ-BROWN, Spring Grove Area Senior High School