TEENS TURN UP NOSES AT MEAT VEGETARIAN EATING IS IN.

Byline: Jennifer Lowe Orange County Register

When Angie Middleton's friends pick a fast-food restaurant, she cringes. Her stomach churns as burgers sizzle. She squirms as friends blot burger juice from their chins.

Middleton, 16, is trying to be a vegetarian. But it's hard.

"I love chicken," said the fledgling vegetarian from Fullerton, who gave up meat two months ago because she loves animals. "It takes something for me to have willpower."

Her solution at places such as Burger King: A hamburger bun. Lettuce. A tomato slice. No meat.

Yes, adults, it's true. Those same kids - who, like every other generation, turned up their noses at green beans when they were young - are turning back to them in greater numbers.

Almost 40 percent of teens say they try to avoid red meat, nearly twice the rate of people a generation older, according to a survey cited by Newsweek magazine. Thirty-five percent of teen girls and 18 percent of teen boys think being vegetarian is "in," reports Teenage Research Unlimited in Illinois.

Yet this latest teen trend raises red flags for some nutrition experts and parents.

"Teens very often make their decision from an emotional base," such as tenderness for animals, said Jo Ann Hattner, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "They don't want to eat 'anything with a face.' "

Teens also skip meat to save the environment, because their friends do, or for religious reasons. Though vegetarianism is a perfectly acceptable way to eat, Hattner said, teens often fail to replace the nutrients supplied by meat.

And during the growing years, proper nutrition is crucial.

It's lunch hour at the Chapman University cafeteria in Orange, and the place is packed.

Students jostle trays to reach food lines serving grilled eggplant topped with pineapple, lo mein noodles spiked with steamed vegetables, beef tacos and barbecued pork.

About 10 percent of the students eat veggie burgers every day. Students also can pick from a salad bar stocked with leafy greens and three kinds of fruit, or make a meal of heaping bowls of Japanese sticky rice topped with oils or vinegars or wrapped in roasted seaweed.

Almost 90 percent of college food services offer a vegetarian dish at every meal, according to the National Restaurant Association. At Chapman, which offers a number of meatless choices, 20 percent to 25 percent of students who eat on campus are vegetarian.

"That's probably an average (number) for college students," said Eric Scandrett, food-service director at Chapman.

Gina Schiffman, 18, a vegetarian from Brentwood, is downing a plate of french fries cooked in canola oil, and has sides of melon cubes and dinner rolls.

"I've been a vegetarian four years," she said. "My doctor got mad at me. I got weak and bruised easily." She now takes iron pills.

Next to her, Toby Sondgroth, 18, a vegetarian from Oakland, is eating tortellini in cream sauce and rolls.

"I rarely ate meat after I was 12 or 13," Sondgroth said. "When I ate it, it repulsed me."

Now, the friends say, they mostly eat rice and pasta.

Desiree Nicoll, 21, who lives off-campus in Anaheim, substitutes protein-rich tofu for meat in most of her meals. But when she lost weight over the summer, her father worried vegetarianism was to blame.

"My mom came from the '60s, so she supports anything I do," said Nicoll, who is from Hawaii. "My father is more concerned for my health; he found me a doctor and made an appointment. He wants me to see a nutritionist regularly."

Students are bombarded with nutrition information in the Chapman cafeteria; cardboard nutrition guides top tables, posters line walls.

The same is true at the University of California, Irvine, where vegetarians living on campus demand foods low in fat and cholesterol, said Melizza Inocencio, director of residential dining. To appease them, the school added a third kind of veggie burger this fall, one free of dairy products.

Inocencio and her staff, though, have found a troubling trend among nonmeat-eaters. Students who dine on veggie burgers and bean burritos often add huge sides of fried onion rings or french fries.

"They're brought up with fast food," she said.

When she serves pita pockets spread with chickpeas, students opt for more traditional veggie burgers or bean burritos.

"The trendy thing seems to be to count fats and calories, but then go to the ice cream sundae bar or get a chocolate chip cookie," she added.

The "vegetarian cult," as some teens refer to themselves, order them as "wish burgers," "grilled cheese," or "Whoppers without the meat."

Meatless burgers have become routine at once-rigid fast-food restaurants; to the surprise of Knott's Berry Farm officials, buns without patties have become a top seller at amusement park concession stands.

And while Capistrano Unified School District students may choose from a meatless entree and salad bars every day, it is the Taco Bell bean and cheese burrito - prepared on campus - that outsells everything else.

"Fifteen years ago, we couldn't have sold beans any other way except to hide them," said Bill Caldwell, the district's director of food services. "This is a slow revolution, but a huge revolution."

The revolution hasn't yet reached the kitchen, though. Many teens can zap frozen meals in the microwave, pour cereal into a bowl, and maybe whip up a pizza bagel.

But what teen can keep his or her diet interesting by experimenting in the kitchen? What teen cooks?

"If you're not sure what you're eating or how to cook it, being a vegetarian can get boring very quickly," said Anuradha Prakash, a Chapman University assistant professor of food science and a lifelong vegetarian.

Janis Castaneda, 18, of Brea, will not be put off. She saw "Babe" and can't bear the thought of eating animals. But some of the alternatives she has found aren't appetizing either.

"I bought a powdery vegetarian burger mix, but it was so scary looking," said Castaneda, who has tried to cook a few vegetarian things. Usually, though, she resorts to salads. And then gets hungry. Right away.

"The thing about being a vegetarian is that you're always hungry. ... So I eat junk food, like chocolate."

She plans to eat from the salad bar at the University of California, Los Angeles, as a student this fall, but hit nearby fast-food restaurants, too.

She's had to deal with her aunt and uncle - for whom she worked this summer - who worried she was "starving" herself. Her other relatives, whose gatherings often feature whole roasted pigs, look oddly at her as well.

Fortunately Castaneda has the support of her mother, who, she said, is trying to cut meat from her diet as well. Her brother, Paulo, 15, also has turned vegetarian.

"I was raised in a middle-class place, where everybody ate steak, steak, steak. Maybe I want to get away from that. I don't know," Janis Castaneda said.

For some teens, becoming a vegetarian is part of rebellion. Or some parents can see it that way.

"I get calls from parents who say, 'My teen-ager just turned vegetarian ' " said Evelyn Tribole, an Irvine dietitian. "More often than not, the situation turns out to be fine. The parents just need to be assured that it's OK."

One reason for concern, however, is that vegetarianism occasionally masks eating disorders.

"Teens will (use vegetarianism) as an excuse for why they're not eating," said Rebecca Moore, a clinical dietitian at Children's Hospital of Orange County.

Moore has found, though, that many teens like nutritional guidance.

And most of the time, parental concerns are exaggerated.

Nagaraj Pillutla, 50, fretted that his daughter Priya wasn't getting enough iron from her vegetarian diet. But when a doctor's test measured more than enough iron in her blood, he was so convinced that he eventually gave up meat, too.

"The situation at home should be very supportive. That's probably the biggest problem," said Nagaraj Pillutla of Brea.

"Because my whole family is vegetarian, I've learned to adapt," said Priya Pillutla, 18. "Like when I go to a friend's house, I'm not discouraged if there's nothing vegetarian. I'll ask where the peanut butter and bread are."

In today's rush-rush world, though, few parents can afford to make two or three different meals.

That's what can frustrate Angie Middleton; in her seven-member household, one dish serves everyone.

"I don't like being hungry, so I'll get a bowl of cereal," she said. "But I get mad - sometimes I'll say, 'I'm sick of being a vegetarian.' "

Her sister, Amy, 17, turns to the stash of English muffins, soups, eggs and cheese their mother keeps on hand for her vegetarian daughters. If a dinner side dish of vegetables isn't enough, she'll have some cheese, too, or maybe a frozen pizza.

"Or I'll snack on things that are not always the most nutritious for me. ... I should be working on that," she said.

The good news, though, is that the girls have prompted their mother to fix meals without meat occasionally. Now, once or twice a week, the whole family dines on meals such as baked potatoes sprinkled with a choice of vegetables and cheese.

For a referral to a registered dietitian, call the Consumer Nutrition Hot Line of the American Dietetic Association: [phone].

PRIYA'S CUCUMBER RAITA 

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/2 white onion, diced

Handful coarsely chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

In a small mixing bowl, mix together yogurt, cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro and salt. Chill 1 hour.

Serve as side dish. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

From Priya Pillutla, Brea

ANGIE'S EGG SALAD

6 hard-cooked eggs, chilled, peeled and coarsely chopped (see Note)

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons bottled ranch dressing

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

Garlic salt to taste

In a bowl, place chopped eggs. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Cover and chill several hours.

Serve on white toast with lettuce and tomato. Makes enough filling for 3 to 4 sandwiches.

NOTE: To make hard-cooked eggs, in a saucepan, place eggs in single layer, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 11 minutes away from heat while covered well. Remove eggs from pan, rinse in cold water, then peel and chop.

From Angie Middleton, Fullerton

MEXICAN PIZZA

A nutrition science class at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., cooked up Mexican Pizza after school-district officials asked students to develop vegetarian recipes for the cafeteria. Many students had demanded meatless dishes.

1 thin (12- to 14-inch) homemade pizza crust OR prepared pizza crust

1 jar (8 ounces) taco sauce OR picante sauce

1 can (16 ounces) vegetarian refried beans

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 to 1/2 small head lettuce, shredded

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 cup shredded taco-flavored OR Mexican-flavored cheese

If using homemade pizza crust, bake crust in preheated 425-degree oven about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool while continuing with recipe. Then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

If using prepared pizza crust, bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, following directions on prepared pizza crust container.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine taco sauce and refried beans. Mix well. Heat until warm, well-blended and easy to spread, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; spread over pizza crust. (There will be a lot of bean mixture; use as much as desired.) Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over bean mixture.

Bake in preheated 375-degree oven, about 2 minutes, until cheese melts. Remove from oven.

Top with lettuce, tomatoes and flavored cheese. Makes 8 servings.

TWO-BEAN PASTA SALAD

16 ounces uncooked rotini pasta

2 cups fresh broccoli florets OR about 1 pound, frozen

1 can (8 ounces) laIrge ripe olives, drained

20 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

6 tablespoons bottled Italian salad dressing

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, steam broccoli until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, place cooked pasta, steamed broccoli and all remaining ingredients. Toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 servings.

From Vegetarian Times magazine.

GARBANZO BEAN BURGERS

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas), mashed

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1/4 small onion, minced

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

In a bowl, mix beans, celery, carrot, onion, flour, salt and pepper. Form mixture into 6 flat patties.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Fry patties until golden brown on each side.

Serve alone with a mushroom or tomato sauce or as a burger with lettuce and tomato. Makes 6 burgers.

From "Vegetarianism in a Nutshell."

RIGATONI COMBINATION

1/3 pound uncooked rigatoni OR other pasta

1 teaspoon olive OR vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (1 pound) kidney beans, drained

1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, garlic and green pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in tomato sauce, kidney beans, soy sauce, salt, chili powder and black pepper. Simmer several minutes.

When pasta is cooked, drain. Stir cooked pasta into sauce. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: About 1/2 cup crumbled tofu or low-fat cottage cheese can be spread across top to make a lasagna-like dish. IHot sauce can be added, if desired.

From the Vegetarian Resource Group.

MERRY VEGETARIAN GRAPES AND GRAINS

This recipe, served with a green salad, bread and another vegetable dish, is popular with teens.

1/4 cup uncooked wild rice

2 cups water

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

1/2 cup quinoa (Quinoa, a high-protein grain that cooks like rice, can be purchased in most health-food or specialty food stores.)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup halved seedless grapes

1/2 cup diced tomato

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sprig fresh sage

Soak wild rice in 1 cup water at least 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Cook celery and onion in oil until onion is tender. Stir in rice and season with dried sage, salt and pepper. Add remaining 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes or until mixture tastes tender.

Using a sieve, rinse and drain quinoa. Bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan and stir in quinoa. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

Drain any liquid from wild rice. Toss wild rice, quinoa and grapes together.

Garnish with tomato, parsley and fresh sage. Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: To make a main dish, add 8 ounces of diced low-fat Monterey Jack cheese.

From California Table Grape Commission. SThree species of vegetarians

"Vegetarian" means different things to different people: Here are three - very different - types:

Lacto-ovo: Diet excludes meat, poultry and fish but includes eggs and dairy products. The majority of vegetarians fall into this category.

Lacto: Diet excludes meat, poultry, fish and eggs but includes dairy products.

Vegan: Diet excludes all animal products such as meat, poultry,I fish, eggs, milk, cheese.

(Source: American Dietetic Association)

If you're interested in giving up meat, here are some resources:

Books recommended by the American Dietetic Association:

"Simply Vegan: Quick Vegetarian Meals," by Debra Wasserman and Reed Mangels (Vegetarian Resource Group; $12).

"Simple, Lowfat and Vegetarian," by Suzanne Havala (Vegetarian Resource Group; $14.95).

"Laurel's Kitchen Recipes," by Laurel Robertson (Ten Speed Press; $10.95).

The Vegetarian Resource Group publishes two free brochures: "Vegetarian Nutrition for Teen-agers" and "Vegetarianism in a Nutshell," which includes recipes. Send two first-class stamps for return postage with your requests to Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, Md. 21203.

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Photo No caption (Color--Eggplant man) Lisa Mertins/Orange County Register Box Three Species of Vegetarians (See text)