I have been a vegetarian for as long as I can remember. I would cry if my parents tried to make me eat meat. By the time I entered my tweens, I just refused any meat at all, even bits of bacon sprinkled on something. My grandmother, alarmed by this, brought me to a doctor when I was 11. The doctor ran a battery of blood tests. Back came the verdict: I was perfectly healthy, and he told her to let me eat what I wanted. For good measure, he gave her a list of "high protein foods" like beans and peanuts, that I should get, but I don't recall anyone bothering about making sure I ate them.

Fast forward to today, and I'm still mostly vegetarian (I occasionally eat fish) and sometimes vegan. I finally broke down and began eating cheese made with milk again, after years of tasteless vegan cheese. I also eat yogurt. (True vegans don't eat dairy products.)

Summer is around the bend and that means one thing. Summer vegetables! I grew up in the country and summer was a time for fresh veggies from farmer's markets and even from my own backyard. There are vegetables and then there are seasonal vegetables that are best tasted in summer.

So here's 4 soup recipes that take advantage of all summer has to offer and should bring you flashbacking to a childhood of outdoorsy adventure.

Summer is just around the corner (Please?? Hurry!!) and you know what that means. Yep. Lots of sweat. Lots of running around, carrying the groceries in one arm, the kid in the other, with the dog tied around your ankle. It's important to keep yourself hydrated during the soaring temps.

Here's are 5 quick, easy, and quenchable recipes from FitSugar and others that will have your skin glowing, your insides sloshing, and your energy level raging like a white-capped river.

I've seen the piles of corn on the cob starting to creep into the markets, and I've already pulled out my holders on more than one occasion. And so begins the season of one of the most delicious vegetables that screams summer like none other.

It's fun, bright, and festive, and goes with most any meal. Because it's so delicious and simple, it lends itself to many different recipes too. Here are five of my favorite ways to prepare corn on the cob.

What are your favorite ways to cook corn on the cob?

Image via stevendepolo/Flickr

Mother's Day is around the corner. Moms everywhere will be getting breakfast in bed. Which is why you're probably searching for the perfect, most mouth-watering menu for Sunday morning. But you don't want to blow your diet in the process, right? Luckily, you can combine those two little wishes with this simple, low-fat veggie omelet. If it's a little too disgustingly healthy, you can serve it with a nice sparkling Mimosa! Indulge!

So maybe the latest Mad Cow Disease scare has got you re-thinking your burger of choice. Hey, switching to a veggie burger can't hurt -- it's not like you can ever be in danger of eating too many vegetables -- and so far, no cases of Mad Carrots have been reported. 

Of course, if your veggie burger experiences are limited to the pre-made frozen patties (hmm, maybe MORE ketchup will disguise that cardboard-esque taste!), Mad Cow might seem worth the risk.

Never fear! Sweet potatoes and avocados are here!

Vegetarian burgers can be absolutely incredible when you make them from scratch, and this recipe is super easy, too.

Where's the beef? Who cares?

Happy almost-Good Friday! For observant Catholics, this isn't so much a holiday as a holy day, a day of sober observance. The Easter feast is still a few days away and it's time to slow down and have a simple, meatless meal. That doesn't mean it can't still be delicious, though. We've rounded up some tasty Good Friday recipes to feed your body and soul.

We all love oven-backed nacho. But if you're not a fan of scraping cheese crisps off your baking sheet, I have another alternative for you: Slow-cooker nachos! Yup, just add all the ingredients you want to go gooey -- bean, cheese, salsa -- into the slow cooker and let it work its melty magic. Then just pour it over your chips.

This recipe is for black beans, but you could pinto beans instead if you like those better. For that matter, if you have some already-browned ground meat (sans pink slime, of course) you could add that in, as well. With a salad on the side I would call this Friday Night Dinner. I would also call it delicious.