Other than vegetarian chicken and veggie burgers, another popular mock meat you can find in most grocery stores are "steak strips" or vegetarian ground beef crumbles. You won't believe how meaty some of these can taste (and look!). Just check out this picture! Here's a few ways to "beef up" a vegetarian meal with some steak strips (can you believe that pun?):

Vegetarian "steak" fajitas (pictured)

Grilled tandoori seitan

Vegetarian meatballs

Marinated "beef" skewers

If you've got a favorite, share some tips with this forum reader who wants to know which fake meats are the best.

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Miss meat? Some vegetarians do, some vegetarians don't. If you're one of the former, no need to fret - there's so many great ways to mimic the flavors and textures of your former favorite meaty dishes, using homemade seitan or store-bought substitutes. The next few blog posts will highlight a few meat substitutes and ways to use them, starting with chicken.

Whether it's southern fried or baked into a pot pie, there's a vegetarian way to prepare just about every chicken dish you might be craving. Gardein is one store-bought meat substitute that's been popular lately (Oprah featured it on her show last year, and Whole Foods uses it in their deli). Here's a few ways to try gardein and other chicken substitutes:

Lemon grilled "chicken" (pictured above, left)

Cajun-ribbed grilled scaloppini

Chipotle "chicken" kebabs (pictured above, right)

12 ways to prepare vegetarian chicken

More vegetarian meats

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When you think you're getting bored of eating meat-free meals, it's time to mix it up and try something new! Go to a new restaurant, or, go to one of your old favorite places, but order something completely different off the menu that you've never tried. When trying new places, I like to ask the waitstaff what's popular or what most people enjoy, even if I end up not taking their advice!

Looking for some inspiring home-cooked meals? Here's a few brand-new vegetarian and vegan recipes that I've been eating and publishing lately:

Egg scramble with avocado (pictured)

Summer mango and pear crumble

Quick and easy vegetarian jambalaya

Simple Israeli tomato salad

Hemp oil honey mustard salad dressing

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I don't often do cookbook reviews, but I do love that there's so many out there to choose from these days. Despite the huge market, I often find myself turning to a few old classics, time and time again, The Farm Vegetarian, for example will forever be a favorite, as well as the first vegan cookbook I ever had, Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet. Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian by Matthew Locricchio will likely be one of those books for some people.

If you're a novice chef or you often find yourself baffled by cooking lingo, then this is the book for you. Chef Matthew gives clear and concise instructions for every single recipe step. The book is ostensibly for teen cooks, and I'm sure they'll love it, but grown-ups who need the extra instructions will love it too. Don't get me wrong, the recipes are easy, but rather than being basic and simple, they're nourishing and creative twists on classic dishes. A snippet: tempeh burgers, strawberry lassis, curried vegetable stir-fry, three cheese polenta and, of course, many more.

Here's a few sample recipes from Teen Cuisine to try:

Smart oatmeal breakfast bars (pictured above, right)

Whole wheat pasta salad with fresh basil

Tempeh and onion chile

See also: Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian by Matthew Locricchio

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