Eating less meat? Try these meatless recipes

If you are eating less meat – whether for your health or out of preference – you may miss some of your old favorite dishes. Luckily, you can have good senior nutrition and delicious meatless recipes at the same time. Here are a few recipes to try this summer:

Grilled stuffed eggplant
Firing up the grill is a cherished summer tradition for a lot of people, and you don't have to give it up if you're decreasing your meat intake. The Providence Journal recommends an easy stuffed eggplant dish with cheese. The beauty of this recipe is that the fresh vegetables you add to the eggplant can change as the season goes on – which is a perfect use for the huge amount of zucchini many gardens produce in August.

Gazpacho for cool summer dinners
Gazpacho, a cold summer soup, is a dish with endless variations, according to the Los Angeles Times. You can make it with any number of vegetables and seasonings, and best of all, it only takes around half an hour to prepare. The Times gives a variation on the recipe that uses French bread and melons, giving you grains and fruits as well as vegetables in just one dish. You can make dinner ahead of time, put the soup in the refrigerator to cool while you relax and enjoy your evening.

Vegetarian nachos
Giving up meat doesn't mean giving up fun food! Vegetarian recipe blog Oh My Veggies has a variation on nachos that's sure to fill cravings for this dish without the meat. The recipe uses coarsely chopped portabella mushrooms in place of ground beef and queso fresco instead of bright yellow melted cheese, making it a healthy snack for movie night or any time.

When you get used to meat-free cooking, you'll find you can make a vegetarian version of nearly any recipe. From meat substitutes like tofu to avoiding meat altogether and using vegetables instead, there are ways to cook satisfying meatless meals that are good for your health and taste good at the same time. This summer, experiment with meatless dishes and learn what you enjoy and which recipes you'd rather not make again. By the time fall rolls around, you'll have your very own collection of meat-free recipes to help you on your way to a great senior wellness diet.

To maximize your Senior Health Insurance benefits, visit MySeniorHealthPlan.com for quick, simple and easy information.

Pete Blasi