I first became a vegetarian when I was 16 years old. When I was a teenager the only vegetarian foods around were boring iceberg lettuce salads, Morning Star Basic, and tasteless veggie burgers. Vegetarian pre-made meals have come a long way since then and there are a variety of meat substitutes to choose from that make meatless meals easier to prepare and enjoy. Over the years I have come up with all sorts of concoctions for making vegetarian meals from a mixture of cultures. Best Vegetarian has a variety of meals to choose from. Weather your taste buds prefer sweet or spicy or hearty or light, there is something for everyone. Even those die-hard carnivores will be impressed with these meatless meals. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the recipes in Best Vegetarian; you just have to have an open mind, a flexible palette, and a healthy appetite. 107 Recipes & 66 color photographs. There are many health benefits from a vegetarian life style. Vegetarian diets are naturally low in saturated fat and sodium due to the absence of red and other meats. Diets high in vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts, with little or no meat, have been associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, fewer stokes, lower risk of diabetes, and lower risk of cancer. A vegetarian diet can also benefit menopausal women. Foods such as soy, apples, beets, cherries, dates, garlic, olives, plums, raspberries, squash and yams are a natural source of phytoestrogens which mimic the behavior of estrogen and help to balance out estrogen levels.