by Carly Kade

Created on: February 14, 2011   Last Updated: February 17, 2011

Gardenburgers, Tofurkey, Quorn- meat substitutes are a dime a dozen. But what's a vegetarian or vegan to do if they get tired of these often bland, pale imitations? Meat substitutes are not the same as meat, no matter how close of an imitation they attempt to be, and trying to eat your usual diet with vegetarian or vegan substitutes can quickly lead to boredom, or longing for the ‘old foods’. However, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan friendly foods that many people have never heard of. To avoid this slump, try experimenting with new recipes, or new foods. Here are five relatively uncommon foods that are excellent sources of nutrition and taste for vegetarians and vegans. 

Quinoa

Quinoa is a grain that tastes like rice, but nuttier. It is quick and easy to cook, with some varieties packaged in ‘instant’ varieties which can be made in the microwave in less than 10 minutes. Quinoa can be used in soups, stir-fries, cold salads, or a variety of other dishes. If you are buying Quinoa from bulk bins or other less processed varieties, check to see if washing is recommended. Quinoa is naturally coated with saponin, a bitter-tasting cover which may need to be rinsed off before cooking. Many instant varieties have this coating removed.

In addition to being delicious, Quinoa is extremely nutritious. Although there are many vegetarian and vegan protein sources, many of these are not complete proteins. A complete protein is a protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids. Incomplete protein sources have only a few of these amino acids. While protein sources can be combined over a day to form complete proteins, having some complete proteins in your diet is recommended for efficiency and simplicity. Quinoa and Tofu are the most common vegan complete protein sources, and while many have heard of Tofu, there are concerns about the safety of consuming too much of it. While claims that soy products can cause excessive estrogen in men, or contribute to cancer, are not fully researched yet, those who wish to play it safe and find an alternative should give Quinoa a try.

Almond Butter

While peanut butter remains a lunch room favorite, other nut butters are not commonly featured in the average American or British diet. Almond butter is more than just a peant butter substitute. While it is excellent on sandwiches, this isn't the only way to eat it. Almond butter can be used in baking, to dip vegetable sticks or chips, in smoothies,

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