Why Not

Why ?

Reducing your intake of meat can reduce the risk of a lot of diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes because reducing meat means a little less fat [sat] in your body. So, even if you don’t eat meat once in a week can help you :) . There’s millions reasons not to eat meat, but i am not convincing you to go vegetarian or vegan. But if you can be meatless for a day, your health will thank you :)

> Why Monday ? It’s the first day of the week for most of us, so let’s start a good habbit at the beginning of the week ! More info here

> Actually, this movement (yes it is!) start during the WW1 ! At this time it was because families needed to reduce their consumption of meat because of the war effort. More info here

MeatlessMonday.com if you want recipes and to know more about :)!

How ?

Seriously it’s not complicated to substitute meat for legumes, tofu, nuts or seitan. There’s a lot of food that contain proteins and nutriments yout body needs. You don’t need meat to survive so if you skip a day, you won’t die or be super tired or wtv.

A meatless/vegetarian meal should include a mix of legumes and whole grains. Add some of your favorite veggies and here you go !

VEGAN ALTERNATIVE :]

• If you have questions, worries, wonders why not eat meat, recipes to share, etc. Please tell me ! :)

Nutritional Guidelines

It’s easy to go meatless on Monday. In place of chicken, beef, or pork, just look for protein from beans, legumes, eggs, nuts and seeds instead.

Here are some general dietary benchmarks offered by the USDA:

• Eat 2-3 servings of lean protein
• Eat 4-5 servings of vegetables and 2-3 servings of fresh fruits
• Eat 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy or calcium-enriched dairy alternatives
• Choose whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa or popcorn, instead of refined grains like white bread, pasta, crackers and sugary cereals
• Limit added fats to 2-3 tablespoons
• Limit sweets, sweetened beverages, fried foods, salty snacks and foods made with hydrogenated oils

And here are a few easy substitutions to consider before going meatless:

• Instead of chicken soup ………………….. split pea or navy bean soup.
• Instead of pasta with meat sauce ……… pasta with cannellini beans.
• Instead of a hamburger …………………… a soy or veggie burger.
• Instead of chopped bacon on a salad … chopped nuts or sunflower seeds.
• Instead of a turkey sandwich …………… a peanut butter sandwich.
• Instead of a chicken enchilada …………. a bean burrito.

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~ I’ll post vegetarian recipes to inspire you, and maybe you will try those ! Enjoy ! ~

[ For vegan/vegetarian blog, go check here, down there’s a section of my fave vg blog :)! ]

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Cheezy vegan fondue dip
-inspired by Spark Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3/4 cup mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth.
• Place mixture into a medium sized saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Cook on low until thick (about 15 minutes). Be sure to stir often, so it doesn’t burn to the bottom of your pan.

And that’s it!

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Perfect Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup onion, diced 
• 1 large garlic clove, minced 
• Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl 
• 1 cup oats, processed into flour* (other flours might work) 
• 1.5 cups bread crumbs (I processed 3 pieces of Ezekiel bread until fine crumb)* 
• 1 cup grated carrots 
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly pureed or mashed 
• Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or fresh herb of choice) 
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred) 
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred) 
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce) 
• 1.5 tsp chili powder 
• 1 tsp. cumin 
• 1 tsp. oregano 
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp kosher salt)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (if baking). In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 mins while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place all ingredients (except spices and salt) into a large mixing bowl and stir very well. Now, add seasonings and salt to taste.
3. With slightly wet hands, shape dough into patties. Pack dough tightly as this will help it stick together. I made 8 medium patties.
4. Cooking methods: You can fry the burgers in a bit of oil on a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side. If baking in the oven, bake for 30-36 mins (15-18 minutes on each side) at 350F, until golden and crisp. For the BBQ, pre-bake the burgers for about 15 minutes in oven before placing on a pre-heated grill until golden and crisp on each side. Our preferred method of cooking was frying in the skillet!

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Vegan Moroccan Soup #2

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups water
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1. In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add spices and salt; cook 1 minute longer.
2. Stir in the water, squash, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and squash are almost tender.
3. Add zucchini and chickpeas; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Makes eight servings (three quarts) at 1 and 1/2 cups each. 172 Calories.

  3g fat / 174mg sodium / 34g carbohydrate / 8g fiber / 5g protein

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Vegetarian Chicken “Baseballs”

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots 
• 1 package vegan “chicken strips” (such as Morning Star Farms or Boca) 
• 6 ounces light cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (optional)
• 1 cup Italian cheese crumbles
• 2 packages low fat refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 1/3 cup corn flakes, smashed into crumbs

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots and chicken strips. Sauté 5 minutes or until heated through.
3. Place cream cheese and butter in large, microwave safe bowl. Heat at medium power until very soft, approximately 1 1/2 minutes.
4. Add vegetable mixture, rosemary, sage, thyme, pepper, dried cherries and cheese crumbles to bowl. Mix well.
5.  Open both crescent dough packages and divide each package into 8 squares. 
6. Place each square on baking sheet. Press lightly along perforations to assure dough stays together
7. Place 1/3 cup chicken mixture into the middle of each square. 
8. Gather the corners of the dough at the top to form a “bundle”. Twist ends together and press edges together to seal.
9. Brush melted butter over each bundle.
10. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon corn flakes crumbs.
11. Bake at 350°F approximately 20 minutes or until browned.

Makes 16 servings. Each “baseball” is 220 Calories each.

14g fat (8 saturated) / 16g Carbs (3g sugar) / 9g protein

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Eggplant Bruschetta

 

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Place eggplant slices in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before rinsing and draining well.
   
2. Coat each side with nonstick cooking spray and place on broiling pan.
3. Top eggplant with tomatoes, basil and cheeses and place in oven with broiler on
4. Broil until eggplant is tender and cheese is golden and bubbly (you HAVE to watch this)

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Mushroom Stuffed Eggplant

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms or 2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup soft breadcrumbs, DIVIDED
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F.

1. Halve the eggplant lengthwise. With a serrated spoon or a knife, scoop out pulp of eggplant, leaving about a 1/2” shell. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place shells on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes.
3. While eggplant shells are in oven, finely chop the eggplant pulp.
4. In a pan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add eggplant pulp, onion, parsley, salt, oregano, garlic and mushrooms. Cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until eggplant pulp and mushroom are tender — about 10 minutes or so.
5. Stir in parmesan cheese and HALF of the breadcrumbs.
6. Turn oven down to 350°F Remove eggplant shells.
7. Spoon mixture into eggplant shells.
8. Mix remaining half of breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle over filled eggplant.
9. Place filled eggplant shells back in the oven bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

Makes four servings, 180 Calories each.

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Pan Fried Tofu, Kale, and Stir-Fried Noodles
Serves Two

1 Package Extra/Super Firm Tofu
1 Head Kale, deveined and torn
5 oz. Dried, Wide Rice Noodles (Mine come in 10 oz packages)
Sugar
Soy Sauce

Tofu Marinade
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 Tbs Thinly Sliced Ginger (or minced)
1 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 Tbs Oil
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 tsp Mustard
1/4 tsp Sriracha or Hot Chili Sauce
Black Pepper, to taste

Dipping Sauce
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp Sriracha

Begin by pressing the tofu. I wrap my tofu in a single paper towel, then in a bar towel, and place a cast iron pan on top for 15 or so minutes. The paper towel prevents bar towel fuzz from getting on the tofu, while the terry cloth bar towel sucks out a ton of water.

While the tofu is pressing, whisk together the marinade. I used a mandoline to cut the ginger into paper-thin slices: that way some cooks with the tofu and you get mild bits of ginger on the finished tofu. You can mince the ginger if you don’t have a mandoline available.

Cut the tofu into 8 equal sized rectangles and let it sit in the marinade for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Meanwhile, boil the rice noodles and cook for 6 minutes, until just tender. Rinse in cold water and drain as well as you can, set aside. I also cut my noodles with scissors to prevent them from being too long.

Whisk together the dipping sauce, and set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the pan, just enough so the it’s shiny. Once the pan is very hot, add the tofu. If your pan is seasoned, you shouldn’t have any issues with the tofu sticking. Brown the tofu on one side, flip, and brown on the other side. I then spoon extra marinade over the tofu and flip every few minutes. In all, I cook the tofu for around 10 minutes, until it looks like the tofu will be burnt if I leave it on any longer. Remove tofu from the pan and let it rest while finishing the dish.

Heat a little more oil in your pan, add the kale. Once softened, add the noodles and toss. If they stick, that’s okay. Use a metal spatula to remove them; the crispy bits are tasty. Add more oil, enough to coat the noodles, if needed.

Flavor the noodles lightly with a sprinkle of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar. Plate the noodles and kale. Slice the now firmed (but still warm) tofu and place on top. Serve with dipping sauce.

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Mac and Cheeze
Serves 2-3

1/3 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 1/2 Tbs Low Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Lemon Juice, fresh
1 Tbs Sweet/White/Mellow Miso
1 Tbs Tahini
1 Tbs Tomato Paste (not sauce!)
1 1/4 Cup Soy Milk
1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1 Pinch Salt
Black Pepper, to taste

Begin by heating a sauce pan and adding the earth balance. Once melted, add flour and whisk vigorously until a smooth paste forms, called a roux. Be careful not to add flour to a pan that is very hot, or your roux will be lumpy and you’ll need to start over. If you mix in the flour as soon as the margarine is melted and you should avoid any problems.

To this paste, add tamari, lemon, miso, tahini, and tomato paste and whisk until well incorporated. The mixture should still be paste-like. Then slowly pour in the soymilk, whisking constantly, until it is completely incorporated. Add the yeast and mix well. Cook the mixture until it thickens, whisking often. This should take approximately 5 minutes, but it’s flexible. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli
Serves one

Dried Fettucini, enough for one
2 tsp Olive Oil, to start
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Broccoli Florets
1/4 Cup Sliced Sundried Tomatoes (oil packed)
1/2 tsp Hot Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice, or more to taste
1-2 Pinches Kosher Salt, or to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Lemon Zest, for garnish, optional

While the pasta is cooking in well-salted water, chop the broccoli florets in to small pieces (about the size of a nickel). Slice the sundried tomatoes. When pasta is nearly finished cooking, heat a wok over medium-high heat until it’s quite hot. Add oil and broccoli and toss to coat, adding more oil a little at a time if needed. After 1-2 minutes, add tomatoes and pepper flakes.

Let cook undisturbed for another two minutes, then toss. Repeat this process until broccoli and tomatoes have some color on them, and the broccoli is bright green and becoming tender. Drain pasta very well and add to the wok, adding just enough oil to coat the pasta (if needed). Add lemon juice and salt and taste, adjusting if necessary. Plate and grind fresh black pepper over the top, adding lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.

This also makes a nice room-temperature pasta salad, so it’d be great for picnics, work lunches, or potlucks.

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You need

• 250 gr. cooked green lentils
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 50 gr. shelled pistachios
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• Sea salt

Directions

1. Peel the cucumber and slice thinly with a mandolin.
2. Wash and dice the tomatoes.
3. Chop the pistachios.
4. Prepare the dressing in a bowl, mixing the olive oil, vinegar and salt with a fork. Add the lentils, diced tomato, sliced cucmber and pistachios. Mix and let stand 20 minutes.
5. Serve.

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pizza toast (can be vegan)

pizza toast was and still is one of my favorite foods. when i was little, my mom used to make it for me all the time. of course, it wasn’t exactly the healthiest. you know, with mayo, ham, cheese, and all that stuff. but seriously, you don’t need all of that to enjoy pizza toast!

ingredients:
-100% whole grain bread
-tomato sauce (no sugar added, low sodium)
-fresh cut veggies
-a light sprinkle of low fat cheese or vegan cheese

directions:
1. toast your bread. i like my toasts crunchy and if you don’t toast your bread….then….it just doesn’t taste good. ok?
2. when it’s done toasting, let it cool for a little bit, about a minute (so it doesn’t get soggy).
3. spread tomato sauce and make sure you get EVERY BIT of your toast covered! not just the middle. yeah that’s right. i’m one of those people.
4. lay your cut veggies on top, then sprinkle with cheese.
5. put it under the broiler until cheese is melted! don’t have a broiler? microwave is fine too!

my favorite combination is with garlicky tomato sauce with green bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and GOAT CHEESE!

More from alice here

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Pistachio Arugula Pesto with Penne and Sauteed Broccolini
Serves 2

8 Stalks Broccolini
2 Cups Dry Penne
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Pepper
1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Pinch Salt

Pistachio Arugula Pesto – Serves four
1/2 Cup Roasted, Unsalted Pistachios
2 Tbs Sweet White Miso
1 Pinch Salt
2 Cups Arugula
4-5 Tbs Olive Oil
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Start heating your water. Place pistachios in the bowl of a food processor with salt and miso and pulse 4 times for 1 second per pulse. Roughly chop arugula and add it to the top. Drizzle in olive oil. Do not finish processing until pasta is completed.

Cook your pasta. A few minutes before pasta is finished, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan until over medium until fairly hot but not smoking. Trim any dry ends off the broccolini but leave a long stalk. Add it to the hot pan with a pinch of salt. Let cook on one side for 1-2 minutes, or until browned, then turn with tongs to cook another side. When broccolini is bright green and tender crisp, turn off heat and add vinegar, tossing vigorously to coat.

Blend the pesto until well combined, but you should still be able to see chunks of pistachios and arugula.

Drain and toss pasta with 1/2 cup of pesto (you’ll have some left over). Plate and layer broccolini stalks on top. Serve immediately.

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INGREDIENTS
(for 8 rolls)

• 8 lasagnas, preferably whole wheat
• 125g low fat mozzarella cheese

SAUCE

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ eggplant, finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup red lentils
• ¼ cup green Du Puy lentils
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 100g spinach, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In large saucepan, cook onions, celery, garlic and bell peppers over medium heat until fragrant and the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add zucchini, eggplant, seasonings and lentils and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, then add tomatoes and water. Bring to the boil then lower heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 25 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
3. Remove from heat, stir in spinach and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before you start rolling your lasagna.
4. Preheat oven to 375F
5. While sauce is cooling, cook lasagna per package instructions. When cooked, lay them flat on a towel and pat them dry.
6. Spread a little bit of sauce at the bottom of a baking dish. Set aside.
7. Place lasagnas in a plate, one at a time, and spread about ¼ cup of sauce on the entire length of the pasta. Carefully roll and place in the reserved baking dish. Repeat with the remaining lasagnas.
8. Top each lasagna roll with a little bit of sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and starts to color slightly.

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Slow-Cooked Tofu in Pineapple Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce contains no refined sugar and is lower in sodium than packaged barbecue sauce. If you’re used to highly salted foods, it may taste bland unless you add more salt. I recommend you do this after it’s cooked so you’ll have a good idea of how much is needed.

Ingredients

• 2 14-ounce packages extra-firm tofu, frozen and defrosted
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 2.5 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cup crushed pineapple in own juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 fresh hot chile peppers, chopped
• 2 inches ginger-root, peeled and minced (about 3 tablespoons minced)
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons tamari or lite soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• generous grating of black pepper
• Salt, (optional), to taste

Instructions

1. At least 1 day before you plan to cook, place two packages of extra-firm tofu (water-pack style, not silken) into the freezer. Freeze at least 24 hours. Remove from freezer and allow to defrost in the refrigerator or use a quick defrost method (microwave or hot water bath). When tofu is completely defrosted, cut each block into halves horizontally and cut each half again vertically. Take each piece of tofu between your hands and gently press over a sink to squeeze out as much water as possible. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Saute the onion in a non-stick pan (or on the browning setting, if your crock-pot has one) until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Scrape the onion/garlic into a blender and add all remaining ingredients except tofu and salt. Blend on high speed until sauce is a uniform consistency.
3. Place the tofu into the slow cooker (sprayed with non-stick spray or canola oil, if necessary) and pour the sauce over it. Stir very gently to make sure all sides of the tofu are covered. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Check seasonings and add salt and extra lime juice as needed. Serve over salad greens.

Oven directions: Combine tofu and sauce in an oiled casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 for a half hour. Remove cover and bake for 15-30 minutes, until sauce has thickened.

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Cajun-spiced Dirty Rice
Re-printed from Quick-Fix Vegan with publisher’s permission

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 celery rib, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
1 ½ cups red beans or 1 (15 ounce) can, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a three-quart baking dish and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cover and cook to soften, five minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and Cajun spice blend. Stir to combine and cook until softened, two minutes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir in the rice, beans, broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and cook in the oven until the rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Serve hot.

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~ More recipes to come ! :) ~