0
0
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review. This post contains affiliate links; Amazon.com provides us with a referral fee for sending customers their way.
Have you ever heard the term “veg-curious”? I learned this and several other cutesy vegetarian words while reading the The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian: How to Look Great, Feel Fabulous, and Be a Better You
Veg-curious: Someone who is thinking about giving up meat, but isn’t quite sure what their particular brand of vegetarianism is going to look like.
I’m not sure that I could ever become a vegetarian but when the opportunity to review this book came up I was “veg-curious” enough to see if there may be some pointers for me. Funny enough, I’m not actually much of a meat fan (I do love seafood though). For the most part, I like to joke that I’m a “carbotarian”. Before reading this book I thought I could never become a vegetarian because of the whole “getting enough protein” thing. This book, written by Rachel Meltzer Warren, is targeted to teenage girls who are deciding if they’d like to give up meat, and need tips on what to say to their parents, or ideas on what to order at restaurants. With that said, I did gain quite a bit of insight on a topic that has always interested me. I think it’s a good read for all ages. When I was chatting with my friend about this book over lunch the other day she mentioned that she tried vegetarianism a bit when she was 15 but her parents weren’t very supportive of the idea. Had this book been around at that time, she’d have practical tips on what to say when someone asks “what is it that you actually eat anyway?”
Because this book is very much an intro-level, it’s got tips for various eating habits, even those who just want to try out Meatless Monday. I read the book via my Kindle, which I was hesitant to do at first. I thought it was going to be more like a cookbook, but it reads more like a story with advice and facts, with some recipes mixed in. Here’s the description from GoodReads:
“No labels. No fuss. It’s not about what you call yourself–it’s about how you feel. Whether you’re going vegan, vegetarian, fish-only, chicken-only, or all veggies except grandma’s famous pigs-in-a-blanket, this book is your new best friend.”
As Rachel says, “teenagers today think about food a lot more than teenagers in any previous generation. The reason: food is a much bigger part of the public’s consciousness than it ever has been”.
Throughout the book there are various tips for vegetarians, vegans, and even someone who still wants to have the occasional hamburger but wants a few vegetarian meals now and then – instead of constantly differentiating who can use these ideas, Rachel lovingly refers to everyone as “Vegheads”.
Here are a few Suggested Protein Sources for “Vegheads”
Some of my favorite resources from the book:
- Vegetarian friendly menu suggestions for popular restaurant chains like Panera Bread, Chipotle, Qdoba, PF Changs, California Pizza Kitchen
- Several recipes:
- I’m most looking forward to trying the “Big Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookie.” Seriously, I could have been having cookies for breakfast all this time?
- There’s a Mac’n’Cheese recipe that claims “you’ll never eat mac’n’cheese out of a box again after you see how easy it is to make this kicked up fancy mac.” I’ll use any excuse to eat my favorite “carbs covered in cheese” dish.
- Mediterranean Pita Pocket
- Lean Black Bean Soup
- Unstuffed Peppers (stuffed with quinoa instead of meat)
- This list of some famous vegetarians from the Myths & Realities about Vegetarians chapter in the book:
- Happycow.net has a database for finding vegetarian friendly restaurants
- Eatingwell.com is not exclusively vegetarian but there are several Veghead recipes
- I’ve been familiar with Meetup.com for a while but I hadn’t thought about the fact that there are vegetarian and vegan meetups.
Some Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Dallas & surrounding areas:
- Spiral Diner and Bakery: Oak Cliff & Fort Worth locations
- Cosmic Cafe: on Oak Lawn Ave.
- Kalachandji’s: East Dallas
- The GEM: near University Park
- Be Raw Food and Juice
About the author:
Rachel Meltzer Warren is a former twelve-year-old vegetarian who grew up to be a nutrition writer, educator, and counselor. She spends her time in and around NYC where she specializes in helping kids, teens, and parents cultivate a taste for healthful food. For more of Rachel’s work as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and information about how to set up an appointment for in-person or long-distance nutrition counseling, visit her website: RMW Nutrition
So if you are contemplating giving up meat, or know a young girl who’d like ideas on eating less meat in a way that works for her I’d recommend reading this book. The book was released January 7th, 2014. If you end up getting it for yourself or as a gift for someone please let me know!
Thanks so much for the thoughtful review, Elysa. I really appreciate it and am so glad you liked the book!