As a flexatarian, my diet dictates that most days are meatless, nut just Mondays. However, I realize that eating meatless even one day a week will be a big lifestyle change for some of you.
The 5 W’s:
Who?
Well that was easy. You! And me, of course.
What?
Skip eating meat once a week, on Mondays.
Where:
Doesn’t so much matter, wherever you want to eat. I think home is great, but many ethnic offerings are meatless by design, so restaurants will be an easy choice.
When:
Weren’t you listening? I said Mondays! According to MeatlessMonday.com, there are some great reasons to go meatless, both for your personal health and the health of the planet. Read all about it!
Personal Health:
1. Beans, peas, lentils, seeds, and nuts have little to no saturated fats. That can help keep cholesterol in the appropriate range!
2. Meat has no fiber. Fiber helps keep you feeling full, so you eat less.
3. Beans, peas, lentils are high in fiber, protein, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
Environmental Health:
1. You’ll reduce your carbon footprint. The meat industry generates about 20% of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
2. You’ll minimize usage of potable water. It’s estimated that 1800-2500 gallons of water is needed to produce a single pound of beef.
3. You’ll help reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Feed lot beef requires almost twenty times as much fossil fuel energy as plant-based proteins.
Why Monday?
Monday is the first day of the week for most of us, the day that we look to with dread. I like what Muffin batter is universal, so if you don’t like cranberries and orange, switch it up. I’m a fan of lemon and blueberry, and I absolutely love banana muffins, too. Recipe modified from Serves 4
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium beets, boiled, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 large Bartlett pears (about 1 pound), quartered and thinly sliced
2 heads of Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
In a large bowl, whisk together the apple juice concentrate, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
Add the cooked beets, pears and endive, then toss to combine.
Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top and enjoy.
Chili is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes, I never miss the meat with the heartiness of lentils, the richness of tomatoes, and the gentle heat of cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. This recipe from Ingredients:
One pound of dried lentils, any color
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups diced onion
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional, and only for those who like really spicy chili)
8 cups vegetable broth or other broth
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low to low-medium heat until lentils are tender – takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
Enjoy this delicious, protein-rich chili on its own, or with a bowl of rice, quinoa, or potatoes.
Don’t like my recipes? No worries, here are some others to check out!
