A vegetarian diet is not only of great benefit for our spiritual practice but is also very healthy for us. However, we must pay special attention to the balance of nutrition and make sure that we do not lack the much needed vegetarian protein.
There are two types of protein: animal protein and vegetable protein. Soybeans, chick peas and snow peas are some of the source of vegetable protein. Keeping a vegetarian diet does not simply mean eating fried vegetables. Protein should be included to complete the nourishment a person requires.
Dr. Miller thought that we only need to eat cereal, beans, fruit and vegetables to get all the nourishment we need to maintain good health. According to Dr. Miller, "Bean curd is 'meat of no bones'." As soybean is very nutritious, suppose if people could only eat one kind of food and they ate soybeans, they would be able to survive longer. (This is an excerpt from the chapter "Why Must People Be Vegetarian" in Supreme Master Ching Hai's "The Key of Immediate enlightenment I" and sample booklet.)
Preparing a vegetarian meal is the same as cooking a meal with meat, except that vegetarian protein ingredients such as vegetarian chicken chunks, vegetarian ham or vegetarian meat slices are used in its place. For example, instead of cooking "saute shredded meat with celery" or seaweed soup with egg," we can now cook it as "saute shredded vegetarian meat with celery" or "seaweed soup with bean curd sheets."
If you are in countries where these vegetarian protein ingredients are not readily available, you can contact the local center of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and we will provide information on some main suppliers and vegetarian house for your reference. (Please see table 1.)
As to how to cook vegetarian food, you may refer to The Supreme Kitchen, published by Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, or any other vegetarian cookbooks.
Note: Dr. Miller was a vegetarian his entire life. He practiced medicine and treated the poor in the Republic of China for forty years.
Table 1:
Main Factories -------------- PURE BROTHER CO. LTD. 2F, No. 10, Lane 306, Fu-Der 1st Rd., Si-Tze Cheng, Taipei Hsien Formosa TEL:02-6949946 FAX:02-6849804 SHIN-DER ENTERPRISE CO. LTD. No. 551, Yuong-Ping Rd., Yang-Mei Cheng, Taoyuan Formosa TEL:03-4815287 FAX:03-4815265 The Infinite Light Healthy Vegetarian Food CO. LTD. No. 5, Kong-Cheng Rd., Liu-Du Ind. Area, Keelung Formosa TEL:02-4515191 FAX:02-4515537 Main Vegetarian House --------------------- America (Supreme Master Ching Hai Vegitarian House Arizona U.S.A.) Address: 4812 N-7th Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85013 U.S.A. ston> Name: Quan Yin Vegetarian Restaurant Address: 56 Hamilton Street, Worcester MA 01604 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-508-831-1322 FAX: 0021-508-752-2061 Name: Life & Light Vegetarian Food Company Address: 119 Elm Street, WEst Newton, MA 02165 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-617-630-8101 California> Name: Bo De Vegetarian House Address: 646 8th Street, Oakland CA 94607 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-408-254-4939 CA.> Name: S.M. Trading Company Address: 330 Cabrillo Road, Arcadia CA 91007 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-818-445-3577 0021-818-574-5714 FAX: 0021-818-574-9282 San Jose> Name: Supreme Master Ching Hai International Associations Vegetarian House Address: 520 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose CA 95112 U.S.A TEL: 0021-408-292-3798 Name: White Lotus Address: 80 North Market Street, San Jose CA 95113 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-408-977-0540 Name: Wise Garden Address: 43691 Mission Bivd, Fremont CA 94539 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-510-249-9473 Georgia> Name: Cafe Sunflower Address: 5975 Roswell Rd. Suite 353, Atlanta GA 30328 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-404-256-1675 FAX: 0021-404-256-1675 Houston> Address: 10804-E Bellaire Blvd, Houston TX 77072 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-713-498-7890 FAX: 0021-713-498-7972 Ohio> Name: Food For Thought Address: 212 East High Street, Lisbon OH 44432 U.S.A. TEL: 0021-216-424-9608 FAX: 0021-216-424-3775 OCEANIA Australia Melbourne> Name: Wholly Vegetarian Cafe Address: 11 Brighton Street Richmond Vic 3121 Australia TEL: 002-613-428-9653 IA Malaysia> Name: Pusat Makanan Sayur-Sayuran Litevon Vegetarian Center Address: 82 Lorong Hullon, 10050 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia TEL: 002-604-228-9601 FAX: 002-604-262-6909 Indonesia Surabaya> Name: Supreme Master Ching Hai International Associations Vegetarion House Address: JL Ngaglik No.31 Surabaya Indonesia TEL: 002-62-31-362501 Hong Kong> Name: Public Vegetarian House Address: Ground Floor 703 Nathan Rd., Mongkok Hong Kong TEL: 002-852-23-948614 Name: Supreme Master Ching Hai International Associations Vegetarian House Address: G/F, Kui Shing Building, 296, Sai Yeung Choi St North, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong TEL: 002-852-397-8208 002-852-309-7306 FAX: 002-852-397-8005 Formosa> Name: Joy Vegetarian Plaza Wei Teng Enterproses LTD. CO. Address: B1, No 172-1, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, Formosa TEL: FAX: 02-930-4973 Our Liaison Practitioners Throughout The World Headquarters: Hsihu Center, Formosa P.O. Box 9, Hsihu, Miaoli Hsien, Formosa, R.O.C.