Following a vegetarian diet isn't always as simple as preparing three vegetable side dishes and calling it a meal. While that method can be nutritious with the right combination of ingredients, it can quickly become very boring. Try some of these newly released vegetarian and vegan cookbooks to add some spice to your meatless meals and snacks.

1. Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers

Terry Hope Romero is a popular vegan chef who has also written Vegan favorites such as Veganomicon and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the Word. In her latest book, Romero offers a multitude of Latin-inspired vegan dishes, including bebidas (drinks), ensaladas, empanadas, stews, and treats such as flan and churros. The cookbook was released in April 2010 and lists for $18.95.

2. Supermarket Vegan: 225 Recipes for Real People in the Real World

One thing I have found during my own trip into veganism is that buying specialty food can be very expensive. Meat substitutes, dairy-free milks, and egg replacers often cost at least twice as much as the foods they are imitating! Donna Klein offers some very valuable advice about creating vegan meals with readily-available ingredients. For those time-constrained wanna-be vegetarians, the book also offers shortcuts that are still healthful and delicious. The book was published in January 2010 and lists for $18.95.

3. Mediterranean Harvest: Vegetarian Recipes from the World's Healthiest Cuisine

There is so much mounting evidence for the healthfulness of the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on primarily plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Author Martha Rose Shulman captures the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean region in this book of more than 500 delicious recipes. She also offers advice on kitchen equipment and herbs and spices to complete the Mediterranean Pantry. The cookbook is for lacto-ovo vegetarians and lists for $23.99.

4. The Complete Book of Raw Food, Second Edition

I'll admit that I do not know a great deal about the raw food lifestyle, but this book makes me want to learn. The collection of over 400 vegetarian raw food recipes from top raw food chefs includes delicious sounding items such as spinach pesto, tomato wild rice soup, and walnut stuffed peppers. The book also offers advice on choosing ingredients, eating right, and creating your own raw food dishes. Julie Rodwell edited the book, which retails for $20.00.

5. Woman's Day: Wednesday Night is Vegetarian

Looking for a vegetarian cookbook for your Amazon Kindle? Woman's Day Magazine offers the electronic version of their print vegetarian cookbook, first released in 2009, for $6.99. Whether you choose Wednesday as Vegetarian Night or want to participate in Meatless Mondays, this user-friendly cookbook offers recipes for pizzas, sandwiches, soups, salads, and main entrees from cuisines around the world.

This is a part of my ongoing series, 10 Minute Vegetarian. I'm busy, you're busy. We want to be healthy, but we don't have a lot of time. In the 10 minutes it takes you to read this article, you can learn something about the health benefits of the vegetarian diet and how to implement it in your own hectic schedule.