In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, animal rights, food safety, frugal living, public health, global food crisis, water and land depletion and the staggeringly huge contribution of meat/livestock production to climate change (pdf)
Macca's Meatless Monday/Meatless Advocates is a solution oriented activist group, with solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time including: climate change, global food/water insecurity and public health. Here we don't just talk about the severity of the crisis. Armed with knowledge about how our actions can contribute we become part of the solution.
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney(Macca) who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We not only discuss the advantages of a less meat diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle music!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I spent time with friends and family and our Thanksgiving feast was a lovely vegan dinner which was based on traditional ingredients but assembled in some new and interesting ways. Everyone was happy from omnivores to vegans. We have leftovers of a few dishes so this diary is a way of finding some solutions to our leftover dilemma.
PARSNIP and CARROT SOUP
Who doesn't have carrots leftover? Perfect soothing soup for after the holiday.
1 tbsp vegetable oil or butter(I use Earth Balance)
1 large onion or leek
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cored
4 large carrots, peeled
1 medium potato, peeled
1 3 1/2 cups hot vegetable stock (or use a veg Oxo cube)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger or a good pinch of ground ginger
A good pinch of ground cumin
Black pepper to taste
A little double cream to serve, optional
Roughly chop the vegetables into chunks.
Heat the oil/butter in a large pan.
Add the onions and cook gently for a few minutes.
Add all of the remaining vegetables and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the spices (if using) and the vegetable stock.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetable are tender.
Blend until smooth and then return to the heat for a couple of minutes.
Swirl with a little double cream before serving (optional).
POTATO PANCAKES
Those leftover mashers never tasted so good!
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or use vegan cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
In a large bowl, stir together mashed potatoes, egg, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine (mixture will look wet). In a large nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high.
In batches, drop heaping spoonfuls of potato mixture into skillet, pressing with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook until golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes. Gently flip and cook until golden brown on other side, 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining potato mixture and more oil.
CREAMED SPINACH RIGATONI
If you have creamed spinach leftover; just cook rigatoni per directions and add to spinach. Or to cook from scratch use recipe below.
12 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup plain gluten-free soymilk, unsweetened
2 teaspoons orange zest, finely grated
2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated
2 teaspoons vegan margarine
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
pinch of nutmeg
Sea salt, to taste
4 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
grated cheese (optional)
Steam spinach with a few tablespoons of water until just wilted. Squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.
Place soymilk, orange zest and lemon zest in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by half.
Heat margarine over medium heat in sauté pan and add onion. Cook until onion is translucent. Add spinach and cook until most of liquid has evaporated.
Add reduced soymilk to spinach and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with a pinch of nutmeg and sea salt to taste. Garnish with sliced almonds.
TOFURKY CASSEROLE
Gotta have a delicious use for that leftover tofurky, right?
3/4 to 1 lb leftover tofurky cut in bite size pieces
Approximately 4 cups leftover dressing.
2 to 3 pieces sourdough or whole wheat bread, crumbled
2 to 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 small onion, chopped.
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp. dried sage.
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or butter.
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F
Break tofurky into bite sized pieces. Saute celery and onions in olive oil in a large oven proof skillet or stove top safe casserole over medium low heat until just translucent. Remove from heat.
Add remaining ingredients
Place dish in oven and cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until steaming. Remove cover, increase oven to 425°F and cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until top crumb is nicely browned and crisp.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
FRIED RICE with EGG
Adapted from Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 2 Servings
1/4 cup light oil such as vegetable
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
Kosher salt
1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried
2 cups day-old cooked rice, preferably jasmine, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Leeks, ginger, and garlic
In a large skillet, heat 1 TBS oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.
Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Season lightly with salt.
Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.
In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.
Divide rice among two dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.
BLACK BEAN and SWEET POTATO SALAD
Perfect use for leftover roasted sweet potatoes.
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces or use pre-roasted.
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus wedges for garnish
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
1/2 cup thinly sliced orange or red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
4 cups baby arugula
Heat oven to 375°. On a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, place potatoes in a layer; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake until tender, 15 minutes; let cool.(Or use leftover roasted) In a bowl, whisk juice, vinegar, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add potatoes, beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions and mint; toss; serve over arugula, and garnish with lime wedges.
LEFTOVER CRANBERRY SAUCE MUFFINS
Six large muffins; double recipe for more
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh cranberry orange sauce or regular cranberry sauce (about 2 tablespoons per muffin)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Rub in sugar and orange zest together. Whisk into dry ingredients.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk canola oil, egg, milk, and vanilla together.
5. Incorporate the wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add slowly and gently stir together. The batter will be thick.
6. Place half the batter at the bottom of six muffin cups. Spoon about two tablespoons of fresh cranberry sauce on top of the muffin batter. Top muffins evenly with remaining muffin batter. Sprinkle each muffin generously with turbinado sugar.
7. Bake muffins for 15-17 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack.
"Let It Be" The Beatles
"Hello, Goodbye" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatle music here!