Steaks,
I don't have any recipes on hand because I don't cook
much. I daresay that when school term starts for you, it will
be difficult to keep up with cooking for yourself every
day.
I previously posted this on another thread, and I'm posting it
again in hopes it can be of help.
Protein
foods
This is what most new vegetarians fail to factor in when they
change dietary habits.
Nuts, beans, seeds, tofu, mushrooms, tempeh. Ask
your friend to make a habit of snacking on a variety of nuts (the
less they are roasted/salted the better). No harm also in
eating mock meats as they give protein, but my personal preference
is for the natural stuff.
Dark green leafy
vegetables
Living in the tropics, these are readily available and are an
important source of minerals. Eat a wide variety and rotate
everyday. All
vegetarian stalls will at least have these.
Cost effective whole food
supplements
Blackstrap molasses (can be mixed with milk/soymilk), Goji
berries (枸杞子, snack on them like snacking on raisins), Nutritional
yeast if your friend consumes totally no milk/eggs,
Chlorella/Spirulina, Seaweed
Besides these, what Dawnfirstlight said about eating veggies and
fruits of different colour groups is also a good way of ensuring a
wide variety of nutrients. Generally speaking, those with
more intense/bright colours are more nutritious.
Also, chew food thoroughly. When eating
animal foods, chewing is less important, but vegetables and fruits
are fibrous and chewing well to extract nutrients ensures you get
the most out of your food.
A few more general pointers...
- Living in Singapore, get acquainted with what's frequently
available at vegetarian cooked food stalls. It's possible to eat
healthily by knowing which dishes to pick. Not everything
sold is oily or lacking nutrition. Full-time vegetarians
usually know how to pick what's freshest for the day and to choose
natural foods over mock/gluten meats. The above-mentioned
pointers will also guide you.
- If you are female, be aware of increased need for iron
and Vitamin B12 (for formation of blood). Some people insist
that vegetables also have B12, but I think nutritionists have
proven otherwise. So if you're not going to drink milk or eat
cheese, consider getting yourself a B12 supplement (can privately
PM me for recommendations). The molasses I mentioned earlier
is a good source of iron, and so are dark green leafy veggies.
- Zinc may be somewhat lacking in vegetarian diets.
Eat more pumpkin seeds.
- Iodine may also be somewhat deficient unless you make a
habit of eating kombu (kelp) and seaweed every now and then.
I know vegetarian food stalls do offer these sometimes. Sushi
is also a yummy way to get in some seaweed ;)
- Choose brown or unpolished rice if given the
option. Also, eat wholemeal bread instead of white.
Whole grains are a good source of B vitamins.
- Variety is the key to a balanced diet, vegetarian or
otherwise.