Because vegetarian diets tend to rely heavily on carbohydrates for calories, excess carbohydrate intake can lead to blood sugar fluctuations and weight gain. Whether you're a vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarian or lacto vegetarian, you can cook low-carb vegetarian dishes to help control weight or blood sugar levels.
Dal Soup
Dal soup is a spicy dish made from vegetable broth, lentils and Indian spices. It provides protein and dietary fiber without adding extra carbohydrates to your diet. Combine 1 cup of dried lentils and 4 cups of vegetable broth in a stock pot or slow cooker. Add curry powder, of customize the flavor with cumin, ground cayenne pepper, turmeric, bay leaves and garam masala, an Indian spice mixture. Add sweet red peppers, onions, peas or cauliflower to add body and flavor to your soup. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes on the stove top or about five hours in a slow cooker.
Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Tofu lettuce wraps are low-carbohydrate alternatives to Asian noodle and rice dishes. Cut firm tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and marinate in low-sodium teriyaki or soy sauce. Stir fry in 1 tbsp. olive oil with broccoli florets, peppers, Chinese cabbage, snow peas or spinach leaves. Spoon the mixture into large, fresh iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chili oil.
Spaghetti Squash "Pasta"
Spaghetti squash is a vegetable that, when baked, yields crunchy, spaghetti-like strands you can use as substitutes for high-carbohydrate pastas. Puncture the rind of a spaghetti squash on each side and bake at 400 degrees F for about one hour. Let it cool, then slice it in half and remove the seeds. Use a fork to remove the flesh from the inside of the squash. Top with primavera or marinara sauce.
Omelets
Omelets are best known as a breakfast food, but you can use them as low-carb main dishes for any meal. Eggs serve as the base for these dishes -- omit the yolks to help eliminate saturated fats, which can contribute to heart disease. Add fresh, chopped vegetables such as spinach leaves, tomatoes, onions, sweet bell peppers and hot peppers to boost the vitamin content of omelets. Top with low-fat feta, mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Low-carbohydrate meat replacements such as tofu, seitan and soy sausage can add protein to these foods.
References
- "Low Carb Vegetarian"; Margo Demello; 2004
- "Very Vegetarian"; Jannequin Bennett; 2001
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