The current concern over meat safety combined with a growing passion for vegetarian foods today equals a fast-developing love affair. Americans are discovering the many charms of meals that incorporate crunch, rich-tasting pecans with colorful vegetables, piquant spices and unique grains. 

For home cooks who are used to serving meat as a main course, moving vegetables from the side of the plate to front and center is sometimes a challenge. Meatless cooking often requires a bit more planning, but the rewards in taste, texture and health benefits are significant. For instance, crunchy, sweet-tasting pecans contain "good" monounsaturated fat that can help prevent heart disease, while earthy whole grains are rich in health-protecting fiber. Likewise, colorful vegetables provide a vast spectrum of antioxidants the body uses to prevent cancer and other diseases. Recent scientific research suggests that pecans have positive effects on "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. In a study published in the March 2000 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, subjects who ate just 3/4 cup a day of pecans saw their LDL levels drop by ten percent in just six weeks. Pecans are naturally high in monounsaturated fat and are also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, copper and magnesium.