As food prices skyrocket, and beef recalls and salmonella outbreaks burden the industry, I’ve revamped my eating habits and boosted my culinary adventures in the kitchen.

Nutrition and healthy eating fascinate me. For the past month, my research focused on the latest buzzword for health food buffs- flexitarian. A flexitarian’s diet is rich is fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs are eaten sparingly. Flexitarians benefit from the vegetarian-inspired diet that’s low in cholesterol and saturated fat and high in fiber and antioxidants.

I am now a bona fide flexitarian. I can’t resist a juicy steak or flaky salmon, but I equally crave tart cherries and sweet corn. The lifestyle change I made in my life offers flexibility and freedom to decide what you want to eat and when. My roommate hopped on board too, and together we’ve found endless recipe ideas at myrecipes.com and Cooking Light’s Inspired Vegetarian. Whether the flexitarian lifestyle sounds up your alley or not, it’s always fun to try-out vegetarian recipes.

I recommend giving the following Cooking Light recipes a try:
Southwest Pinto Bean Burger’s with Chipotle Mayonnaise is a flavor-packed burger that’s quickly put together after a long workday.

Quinoa Tabbouleh is high in fiber and protein, and I loved trying quinoa for the first time. Its texture is similar to couscous, but the flavor is earthy and delicious.

Pad Thai with Tofu is wonderful for first time Thai eaters. To prepare the tofu: wrap the tofu in a towel. Sandwich the tofu between two plates, and set a heavy object on top. Leave for up to an hour to remove moisture, allowing room for the marinade.