In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health (pdf), animal rights, food safety, public health, frugal living, global food crisis, water and land depletion and the staggeringly huge contribution of meat/livestock production to climate change(pdf)
According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s 2007 report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” 70 percent of total Amazon deforestation, and over 90 percent of Amazon deforestation since the 1970s, is due to clearing land for pasture and for growing soy bean crops to be fed to livestock.
In addition, scientists have found that 60 percent of the black carbon particles building up on the surface of the ice in Antarctica were carried there by the wind from South American forests, which are burned to clear land for livestock production. Black carbon, or soot, is 680 times more heat trapping than CO2.
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!
My life is so busy that I usually opt for a one dish, one pot meal. It also must be fast, easy, healthy, planet friendly, economical and delicious. My recipes tonight are typical of my everyday cooking. Spending 20-30 minutes daily on a healthy family meal is a habit worth cultivating.
MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP
I rarely bother making a soup that doesn't include a healthy doze of plant protein so that it can be used as an entire meal. I love the idea of having everything you need in one delicious pot of soup. Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato juice or tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine (optional) use more veg broth if not using
2 cups fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
2 cups low sodium vegetarian broth
2 cups chickpeas, cooked, or 2 cups white beans, cooked
3 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat macaroni, ABC or orzo pasta
2 cups greens (quicker cooking greens like chard, spinach, dandelion greens or beet greens work best in this soup), finely chopped
several drops hot sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
Place a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is transparent.
Add the tomato juice, wine and tomatoes. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down.
Add the vegetable broth, cooked chickpeas or white beans, basil, sage and rosemary. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.
Add the uncooked pasta and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for about 7 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked, but still firm.
Add the green and simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the greens are soft and lightly cooked and the pasta is cooked to taste.
Season with the soup with hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
BLACK BEAN VEGGIE BURGER
Today we have a celebrity contribution to our Meatless Monday feast! Who knew that Anderson Cooper of CNN has a perchance for healthy, Earth friendly food?
1 bag (16 oz.) dried black beans
8 oz. vegan cheddar cheese, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 medium Spanish onion, diced finely
½ cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, diced finely
1 green bell pepper, diced finely
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ cup oat bran
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. sea salt
Grape seed oil
6 multigrain buns, toasted
1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1 small tomato, sliced thinly
6 slices soy cheese (or regular cheese)
1. In a large bowl, soak beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. In a large pot, place beans in just enough water to cover 1-inch above the surface of the beans. Boil over high heat until tender. Cool beans and chop roughly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine next 14 ingredients (vegan cheese through sea salt), mixing until all ingredients are evenly distributed. (You can also use a food processor.) Form mixture into 6 patties.
4. In a large skillet coated with grape seed oil, fry the patties over medium-high heat until crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
5. Serve burgers on multigrain buns topped with lettuce, onions, tomato and cheese, if desired.
LENTIL SLOPPY JOES
Great casual sammy or serve over rice with a piece of fruit or small salad for a complete healthy meal.
1 cup green, brown or French lentils
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, finely minced (or whizzed until almost puréed in a food processor or blender)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder, such as ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 x 5.5 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup water
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
Salt to taste
Simmer lentils and bay leaf in 2 cups of lightly salted water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and rinse, then set aside. Discard bay leaf.
Meanwhile, cook celery, carrot, and onion in olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until glistening, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid, add garlic, and cook until the mixture is caramelized and reduced by two thirds, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. The longer you cook this, the sweeter it will get.
Add mushrooms, and cook until moisture has mostly dissipated and the bottom of the pan is dry. Add spices, thyme and tomato paste, stir until combined, then add lentils. Add the cup of water and the apple cider vinegar and honey. Stir to combine, and cook until the mix begins to bubble. Serve over lightly toasted sourdough or buns.
CHICKPEA and DATE TAGINE
Love the sweet and savory flavors of this tagine!
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cup pitted dates, halved
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup chopped cilantro
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 10 minutes, or until starting to brown, stirring often. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon, and sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and 1/4 cup water; simmer 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toast couscous in small saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add 1 3/4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Stir dates and lemon juice into tagine, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve over couscous or brown rice, sprinkled with cilantro.
THAI TOFU PUMPKIN CURRY
Perfect seasonal curry fix. Serves 4
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons red or yellow curry paste
1-2 Thai chilis, minced
1 can coconut water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup Fresno peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 8 ounce block extra-firm tofu, cubed
3/4 cup pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves or regular basil
1 lime, cut into wedges
Place the oil into a large wok or fry pan over medium-high heat. Season with the curry paste and Thai chilis. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the spices become fragrant.
Whisk the coconut water, sugar and lime leaves into the wok. Cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Add the green beans, bell peppers, Fresno peppers, tofu, pumpkin and vegetable stock to the wok. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through.
Add the Thai basil to the wok. Stir and remove from heat, top with a squeeze of lime and serve over brown rice if desired.
ROMANESCO BROCCOLI ROTINI
2 heads Romanesco broccoli or use regular broccoli, cut into florets
2 cups whole wheat rotini
a little extra-virgin olive oil, for preparing the pan
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons capers
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup asiago or parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated or use vegan grated cheese
Note: Romanesco broccoli is a green variety of cauliflower found in the produce sections of some grocery stores or farmer’s markets. Traditional broccoli or cauliflower can be used if Romanesco broccoli is not available.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Prepare an ice bath by filling a separate large bowl with ice water.
Add the broccoli or cauliflower to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the florets are just tender, but have retained a slight bite. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and immediately place in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Keep the broccoli cooking water boiling on the stove.
After 1 minute in the ice water, place the cooked florets on a bed of paper towels to drain. (I usually omit this step and just saute broccoli per directions below.)
Add the whole wheat rotini to the boiling water used to cook the broccoli and cook according to package instructions, or until the pasta is cooked al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, place a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and capers and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic begins to become fragrant.
Add the blanched florets and sun dried tomatoes to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli has warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove the pan from heat.
When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta’s cooking water. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and stir in the broccoli tomato mixture.
Add the lemon juice, mint, parsley and cheese. Stir to coat the rotini thoroughly, adding the pasta’s cooking water as needed until the sauce reaches desired consistency and serve.
SKILLET GNOCCHI with CHARD and WHITE BEANS
This is a lovely go-to one dish meal.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I use vegan Daiya mozz)
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (I use vegan or omit)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.
"Slow Down" The Beatles
"Mother Natures Son" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatles music here!