The problem with the vegetarian festival

Q: I always have a dilemma during the annual Je vegetarian festival. I want to clean my body and soul with vegetarian food, but every year I gain lots of weight because the food is so oily and full of carbohydrates. What should I do?

A: Gaining weight and being hungry between meals are worrying factors, and the reasons why some people are reluctant to join in.

 Cleansing our bodies of toxins is easy, but participating in such a meaningful, spiritual, harmonious activity without losing the protein, vitamins and minerals we need is more complicated than mere "zero tolerance" of meat, garlic, onions and other foods.

 Cooking oil becomes a big part of the festival because there's no animal fat being used.

 To avoid feeling hungry      between meals and gaining weight, consider the follow-ing:

- Choose vegetables that look and feel chunky and heavy, like whole mushrooms, kidney beans, peas and mock proteins. 

- Use spray oils when stir frying, and only the minimum amount needed, and water your gravy to extend it.

- If you buy ready-made meals, choose steamed, baked, broiled and grilled dishes rather than stir-fries.

- Split your three meals a day into six smaller meals, so your metabolism will function normally and continuously, and psychologically you won't feel hungry between meals.

- If you cook for yourself, replace coconut milk with soy milk, barley milk, oat milk or rice milk with no added sugar and, most importantly, use brown sugar instead of refined white sugar.

- Don't use soy milk in any dishes that have lime or lemon juice, because the milk will curdle and lose its pleasant, smooth texture. 

- Try to eat brown bread or brown rice instead of refined. 

- Your last meal of the day should be fish and vegetables rather than starch and meat, and should be eaten at least two hours before bedtime.

Good luck, and happy eating!

Ob-oom Chutrakul is executive consultant chef at S Cuisine, the low-calorie restaurant at S Medical Spa.

Send your questions about health to contactsirinya@gmail.com.