How can I become more satisfied as a vegetarian?

I've been a vegetarian now for about three weeks and I don't miss meat at all. However, I don't feel fulfilled after meals. The most satisfying meal I've eaten is the veggie max sub at Subway. I've gotten that maybe four times since becoming vegetarian. The problem is that I can't eat sandwiches for every meal. Also, I enjoy cooking, but am finding that I'm not doing so well with preparing vegetarian meals other than sides. I bought a cookbook and plan to start using it this week. I just attempted dinner: roasted veggies (threw them out because they were bland and limp); broccoli in cheese sauce (it was just ok); fried tofu (the only thing I ate...a few pieces). I'm still kind of hungry and I'm too tired to cook. It's 6:40 Sunday night and I need to get ready for my work week. I don't have the energy or desire to cook again. I'm also trying to stay under 1200 calories and am already at 900!

I don't know what to do. I don't want to go back to meat, but I don't want to have Subway or fried tofu everyday!

Any suggestions are appreciated.How can I become more satisfied as a vegetarian?
Buy yourself some veggie fake meats like: Boca Burgers, or Smart hotdogs. They make for a quick meal when you don't have time. It always pays to have a big pot of rice, veggie chili, or soup in the fridge too. Eat more fresh fruits and veggies too.How can I become more satisfied as a vegetarian?
There are countless things you can make! Soups using vegetable stock, chili with just kidney, black and chili beans, celery, onions, peppers and whatever else...pastas without meat. spaghetti, manicotti, lasagna. you can make them low fat and still stay under the calories. tofu is good in other recipes also, not just fried. stirfry with veggies and tofu. you can also use meat substitutes like boca and morningstar farms products. good luck!
the problem here is you're focusing too much on the veggies and not enough on carbohydrates and dairy. Try incorporating more pasta and rice into your diet. You can have stir-fries, soups, pasta with tomato sauce, salads, mashed potatoes, vegatarian lasagne, vegetarian pies. The secret here is to not eat crap you don't like (like tofu) but eat things you DO really enjoy. :]
Look at some of your favorite non-veg meals, then find vegetarian recipes for them. For example, vegetarian sloppy joe's, using tempeh instead of ground beef, is one of my favorite meals, but it's not in any of the cookbooks I own. I just followed to instructions on the jar of sauce with my substitutions. If you don't yet know how to substitute foods, search the internet.
The legume family is your friend; this includes beans, and peanuts among others. As a most of the time vegetarian myself, I eat chili a lot and find that it is very satisfying, and easy to cook--and, if you leave out the cheese, and don't overdo the tortillas (use corn instead of flour, which has more fat) it is very low cal. Basic chili can be made with a can of pinto beans, some canned tomatoes, onions, fresh garlic, and a package of chili powder. Buy a bunch of fresh cilantro, and make a salsa with some of the canned tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, and lime juice, and a handful of cilantro. Trust me, delish, and hearty. I frequently buy potato tacos at a little fast food place when in Los angeles, and these are tasty--roast white potatoes, and or, yams in a little olive oil (even a teaspoon will work) with salt and pepper until tender and brown; use a low fat cooking spray on 3 corn tortillas and bake until they are a soft taco state, pile the potato chunks in the tortillas, and top with fresh salsa, (there is low fat sour cream which you can use if desired) you won't miss the meat.



Portobello Mushrooms make a good substitute for hamburgers, BTW. Brush a large portobello with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and use a grill pan to cook until tender, put this on a whole wheat bun with a slice of low fat chedder cheese, add a big green salad (easy on the dressing), and you are good to go. Eat a piece of fruit for dessert, and you won't feel as deprived.
Perseverence! You're still getting used to your new diet - 3 weeks is not very long at all. I think it only took me maybe a month before everything went totally smooth; it's been ten years now...



What I suggest to my friends when they're first transitioning is to pratice making some of your favorite old dishes with meat substitutes - good companies that you can get almost anywhere in America are Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger, Boca, all in the frozen section, and then Yves, Westsoy, etc in the produce section. They make burgers, hot dogs, taco filling, ground beef substitute, ';chicken'; and ';beef'; strips, etc - all of which can make the transition WAY easier! (ten years on, I still make textured vegetable protein/fake ground beef tacos and chili quite often...)



Early on, if you just go straight to veggies only, your body is going to be craving protein and carbs - that's why you're not feeling satisfied after your meal. When you go to Subway, get one with a veggie patty - it'll make all the difference in the world. The breads are a great way to get your carbs and some pasta wouldn't hurt, either.
Yes, Vegetarian cookbooks can be tired and underwhelming. Humus again? really?

What worked for me was ETHNIC cook books.

I suggest Indian cookbooks. you can weed out the recipies that contain chicken, etc.

also SOUL FOOD, and CREOLE food has a lot of really good tasteing, filling, nutritious dishs that dont have meat!

greens, red beans %26amp; rice (cooked in special ways), etc

Gumbo (sans shrimp)

Etheopian food has a lot of vegan dishs. BurBur comes to mind. It's beans seasoned with the spice burbur. Lots of etheopian/african dishs are vegetarian

check out ethnic cookbooks.
Being a vegetarian is kind of like going on a diet. You really have to plan and do some research to do it the right way. You need variety and at one time I thought that vegetarian was an old spanish word for ';bad cook';. Then I did some research and found out that you can eat well and not necesarily low calorie. Go to a vegetarian site and pick some foods that you like. For instance, a eggplant parmesan with a soy cheese substitute. If you like mashed potatoes, do them with a vegetarian gravy. Try a black bean chili, very filling and quick to make. Throw in some things like yogurt for dessert and as a snack between meals. Pick fruit that you like and make some things that you like with them. Try a product called tempeh, which is the soy bean after they take out the soy milk, they ferment this and it comes in a small cake that you slice and add to a stir fry. Tofu can be kinda bland but tempeh is almost like you have meat in it. Learn how to fix tofu the way you like it. For instance, take a cake of tofu and get the water out by pressing it and then put some olive oil and garlic powder on it and bake it at 350 in an oven for 1/2 hour and turn it over and bake it another half hour, Cool it and slice it in julienne and then add some to a wrap with stir fried veggies like onions and peppers maybe some bean sprouts and a good honey mustard dressing or whatever that you like.

It takes some getting used to and you may need to add a suplement or vitamin as you get started. The other thing that some folks use is a nutritional yeast for gravies or sprinked on things as a source of vitamin B. Make some good vegetarian biscuits or muffins. All of these types of recipes are on the vegetarian sites. GOOD LUCK
What the hell is wrong with people!! I am a 5' 8'; vegan male and I eat way over 3000 calories a day and weight about 150lbs, why the hell are people scared to eat food damnit?!? If you eat a meal and are still hungry just eat like 4-5 banana or 2-3 apples you won't get fat!! Eat food and love yourself don't starve your body.



Sorry I'm just sick and tired of people complaining about how they're going to get fat and have to eat less then 1000 calories a day I will not condone that as acceptable and validate your low sense of self worth!! Just tell yourself you're beautiful who the hell cares what anyone else thinks!!!
Eat meat instead.