Vegetarianism is not really new or strange – it’s been around since the Garden of Eden! All through history individuals have chosen this component of a healthful life style – maybe even your neighbor next door! Because the evidence from nutritional studies of recent years is so compelling that the foods most responsible for promoting and maintaining good health are vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts, more people are now realizing that vegetarianism makes good sense.

This book has been compiled because we are often asked, "How can I learn to cook vegetarian?" Our purpose is to help those who are moving toward this more healthful life style. To make the transition easier and more familiar we have included some recipes which call for dairy products and eggs.

It is well to keep in mind that eggs are best used sparingly due to the high amount of cholesterol found in egg yolks. Cholesterol is a crystalline fatty substance found in animal fats, blood and nerve tissue which is considered to be a factor in heart and artery disease in humans. The American Heart Association now recommends no more than two whole eggs per person weekly. In some recipes, egg whites can be used to replace whole eggs and at times we have suggested natural or commercial substitutes for those who are moving away from animal products.

A word about fat – it should not compose more than 30% of the day’s calories; saturated fat 10% or less. Protein and carbohydrates each yield 4 calories per gram – fat yields 9 calories! Thirty-five hundred excess calories produce a pound of body fat!

We are grateful to the many good cooks who through the years have contributed recipes, ideas, tips, etc. to this collection (see Acknowledgements, p. 167). Here and there we have included inspirational statements reminding us of God’s interest in our health and welfare. We are thankful for His help as we’ve worked toward our goal.