If you're trying to eat less meat in your diet, either for economic or health reasons, you'll find tasty dishes in many of the world's cuisines. In these dishes, meat serves to add flavor and interest to dishes based mostly on vegetables. You'll enjoy protein and other nutrients from meat, but in dishes that are generally lower in fat and higher in fiber than main dishes that feature meat as the main attraction. Adding new spices, condiments, vegetables and cooking styles from new cuisines adds interest and adventure to mealtimes.
Indian
Many of the major religions practiced in India promote a vegetarian diet, so Indian cuisine focuses on dishes prepared with little or no meat. Popular dishes include sag paneer, sauteed spinach with cubes of cheese; samosas, savory pastries stuffed with potatoes, peas and lentils and chicken tikka masala, a rich curry with chicken and vegetables. These foods are often served with naan, a flatbread good for sopping up the rich sauces of curries and other dishes.
Greek
Greek food focuses on vegetables, pasta, olive oil and savory seasonings. Try a Greek vegetable soup made with eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, or the eggplant and olive oil spread, baba ganoush. Dolmas, or stuffed grape leaves, combine small amount of ground lamb or beef with pine nuts and rice. Spanakopita are pastries stuffed with spinach and cheese. Accompany your meal with pita bread, or stuff the pita with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives and feta cheese and then drizzle with Greek dressing for a Greek salad sandwich.
Asian
Japanese meals feature stir-fried vegetables or rice in savory sauces and dishes made with tofu, tempeh or soy beans. Sushi, both raw and cooked, combines rice and vegetables with small amounts of fish. Or try Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls or pho, a soup of noodles and vegetables cooked in a rich broth. Thai food combines hot peppers and other spices with noodles, vegetables and sauce for dishes such as pad Thai and Thai curries.
Moroccan
Morocco, on the north coast of Africa, draws on many influences for its cuisine, incorporating Mediterranean, African and Arabic traditions. Favorite Moroccan dishes include couscous, a mixture of grains, spices, and broth. Salads made with eggplant and tomatoes may begin the meal, followed by lamb or chicken kebobs and a vegetable and meat stew known as tajine. The food is highly seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, peppers and other spices.
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