Tag: Health
Monday seems to come around quicker these days. Planning for a Meatless Monday has turned out to be a little harder than I expected. For something that looks pretty quick and VERY tasty, check out this recipe for Cornmeal Cinnamon Pancakes from Domestic Divas. I love breakfast foods for dinner on occasion. However, you’ll need to watch your portions if you’re watching your weight. These sweet pancakes pack a calorie punch of 500 calories per serving!
December 28, 2009
Mmmmm. Veggie Burger!
I did it. I signed the Meatless Monday pledge.
Being from the South, it’s not unusual for me to throw dried white beans in a pot with a little onion, garlic and onions, partner it with some cornbread, and call it dinner! Eating meatless is not something I’m a stranger to. But, like most southerners from my generation (remember, I’m a boomer), sometimes I just naturally start thinking “meat” when it’s time to figure out the dinner menu. Discovering “Meatless Monday” has made it easier for me to literally “forget” the meat. Now, if your household includes a bunch of burly guys, going meatless may be a little more challenging than it is for me and my daughters. But, consider this: a meatless dinner every now and then usually means less time bent over the stove on a weeknight, it’s good for the earth, good for your health and its almost always cheaper! Personally, I love anything that’s a little more budget-friendly right now.
Here’s the part where you get to turn up your nose: for dinner this Monday night we had a veggie burger and a fresh salad. I first became aquainted with veggie burgers several years back when I was trying to drop some pounds with Weight Watchers. The rest of the family would be chowing down on grilled burgers, and I would stoically munch my veggie burgers. Veggie burgers are not bad, folks! Paired with a fresh salad, or some roasted potatoes they go a long way toward satisfying my occasional thirst for fast food burgers.
Regardless of whether you decide to brave the world of veggie meat substitutes, Meatless Monday is still a practice worth cultivating. Going meatless just one day a week has all kinds of benefits to you and the earth. Consider this for starters:
• Going meatless just one day a week may keep your body healthier, lower your weight, and possibly lower your cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease
• Reduce your carbon footprint. According to World Watch magazine, “recent analysis by Goodland and Anhang finds that livestock and their byproducts actually account for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide GHG emissions.” Hmm. That’s a mouthful.
Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative in association with the John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Health. Their goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15% for healthier population and a healthier earth. Check out the Meatless Monday website for more information on the impact that going meatless may have, meatless recipes and related articles.
P. S. – The veggie burger made for a really QUICK meal, something I’m often in need of on a week-night. Next week perhaps I’ll be more creative with Meatless Monday. Stay tuned. Also, I had this idea brewing…. maybe a Meatless Monday supper group once a month? What do you think?
November 23, 2009
Last Thursday night I stopped by Organic Harvest, a small, locally owned organic grocery in the south of town. I was late coming home from work and desperate to find an easy dinner that I could pick up and take home; preferably something already prepared. Preferably NOT a fast-food hamburger! I was pleased and surprised to find that this little family-owned grocery has added a small, all-organic cafe, apparently serviced by a part-time chef who has worked for Whole Foods, among others. A beautiful spinach and mushroom quiche sat in the glass case and called my name. My wish was granted. I bought the quiche, some organic pears and a slice of date bread, hopped in my car and headed home. Dinner was served. But, that is not what this story is about.
Also in the glass case was a bowl filled with roasted root vegetables. I looked at them wistfully. In an earlier post, I lamented over my lack of knowledge concerning Butternut Squash. Looking at that bowl full of beautiful veggies, in all their fall color, made me want to revisit the humble Butternut Squash. So I did. And more.
Butternut squash, it turns out, is not as vexing as it first appears. The kind folks over at Eating Alabama sent me a fab recipe for their own butternut squash soup. (thank you, guys, the soup turned out terrific!) The soup was not difficult and turned out to be delicious. But, still I yearned for a quick and easy prep method for this autumn staple.
Tonight, I roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash together. It was really, really good. But, I had to pretend to myself that the squash was local, when in reality it came from Michigan. (Again.) But, as I gain confidence in cooking seasonally, I’ll make more of an effort to find locally grown varieties. I simply tossed cubed squash and sweet potatoes lightly in olive oil, seasoned with fresh rosemary, and added a light sprinkling of sea salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. 30 minutes at 400 degrees to nirvana. Lordy, it was good!
Being on a root vegetable binge, I also decided to experiment with turnips. This is hard to believe, since I am from the south, but I have never (as far as I can remember) eaten a turnip. So, I bought 2 turnips (which turned out to be plenty for me and the other 2 people at my table), tossed them in a saute pan with fresh garlic, minced onion, butter and olive oil. I had peeked inside a cookbook by Maya Angelou and came across a recipe for turnips that called for cloves and butter. I figured if it was good enough for Maya, it was good enough for me. I sauteed the turnips, garlic and onion until the turnips were fork tender, then poured in a bit of white wine and sprinkled with ground cloves and sugar. Oh yeah! I think I’m getting the hang of root vegetables!
November 19, 2009
Oh!EcoMe Link
