The benefits of cutting back on meat in your diet, on Monday or any day , can add up for you..
It's a simple concept: Improve your health and the environment by cutting out meat just 1 day a week. The "Meatless Monday" movement has been quietly gaining a following since 2003, when it was launched by the John Hopkins School of Public Health. Because going meatless means eating more plant based foods, you're not only reducing your risk of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease but also helping save precious resources like water and fossil fuels. For meat and potato type people, it might seem daunting to scale back, but I will be writing this blog weekly to show you that meatless can also mean magnificent.
So, you are willing to try to go meatless at least one day a week but are concerned about getting enough protein? In truth, your bigger challenge might be giving up steak or pork chops for a day. Turns out that most Americans already consume more protein than necessary....almost twice as much as the USDA's daily recommendation of about 50-60 grams.
Meatless Monday Recipe: Vegan " Tuna" Casserole ( adapted from vegweb.com)
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
10 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup flour
2 cups veggie broth
1 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk (I use soy)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and mashed
8 ounces fusilli pasta
1/2 cup crushed plain potato chips
1/2 cup French fried onions
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare an 8x8" glass baking dish with a quick spray of cooking oil. Heat 1 tablespoon vegan margarine in a pan. Add onion, celery and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes. When mushrooms give off liquid, add soy sauce. Keep cooking until all vegetables are tender, turn off heat.
2. In a medium soup pot, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons vegan margarine over low heat. Stir in the flour and whisk for a few minutes. It will get thick. Start adding the broth bit by bit, whisking all the while and bring to a boil. Add the milk little by little and continue to stir and simmer.
3. Add the mushroom/celery/onion mixture and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Add the mashed chickpeas a spoonful at a time to break it up evenly throughout the sauce.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente, approximately 9 minutes. Drain and return it to the pot. Add the mushroom sauce to the pasta and stir gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Uncover the dish and sprinkle crushed chips and French fried onions on top and bake for another 5-6 minutes or so or until the top is browned and crispy.
Serves: 8, Preparation time: 20-30 minute.
Monday Motivator: Don't Let Diet Beat Us
Physical inactivity, obesity and high blood pressure are all risk factors that can lead to type-2 diabetes. November is American Diabetes Month, so reduce your risk by eating less, moving more and focusing on a healthy diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
Happy Monday and have a great week! Write to me and let me know what meatless dish you are cooking .
A better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!
Wishing you optimal wellness from the inside out,
Lisa
LQ WELLNESS
lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com
973-383-0955
"Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, We must do."
~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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