Meatless Mondays

When I was growing up, the occasional meat-free meal seemed so odd – like something was missing. How times have changed! Now I only eat meat (including poultry and fish) a couple of meals a week. Eating less meat is healthy for me, healthy for the planet and has the potential to improve the lives of animals.

If you plan your menus around meat, poultry and fish, and are just a little intrigued by the vegetarian diet, Meatless Mondays are a great way to try it out on a small scale. Gone are the days of all or none: you can eat meat some of the time and eat vegetarian some of the time. It is a fun and healthy experiment to find out what you like and how delicious meals can be when vegetables are the focus.

The Meatless Monday campaign (learn more about it at http://www.meatlessmonday.com) is the initiative of a non-profit group in association with the John Hopkins School of Public Health. Their goal is to help Americans make healthier decisions at the start of every week.

If you want a little more incentive beyond your own health, think about the planet. A geophysicist at the Bard Center and professor of geophysics from the University of Chicago estimate that cutting back meat consumption by 20% a week would lower greenhouse gas emissions as dramatically as every American switching to an ultra-efficient hybrid vehicle. That’s impressive.

Sounds good, but how do you get started? When I first started down-sizing the role of animal protein in my diet, I got a couple cookbooks and a subscription to a vegetarian magazine. As you try different recipes, keep a file of the ones you like the best. Even with just one meal a week (and it doesn’t really matter which day that is), over time you will learn a variety of new tricks and techniques.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Beans and Rice: Cook up a pot of brown rice. I use a rice cooker and add 50% barley or wheat berries to boost the fiber level. Quinoa is a good alternative. The beans can be canned (the brand Eden is low salt and the cans are BPA-free) or home cooked (I use a pressure cooker.) Beans and rice become exciting when you add tasty toppings. My favorite is salsa, but I also like topping beans and rice with kale, pickles, chutney and/or salad.
• Frittata: Frittatas are a great way to use vegetables. Frequently I’ll sauté a big bunch of greens and shitake mushrooms, and then scramble a couple eggs in. A more traditional frittata is to sauté assorted vegetables. Add eggs beaten with a little parmesan or feta cheese and cook it slowly until the bottom half is set, then finish it under a broiler.  Frittatas are particularly good served over quinoa.
• Veggies and Pasta (or rice): You can roast, sauté or barbeque vegetables and serve it over whole wheat pasta or brown rice. Add tofu or tempeh for added protein. This time of year try roasting tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic for an intense and amazing pasta sauce.
• Bean or lentil soups and casseroles: Bean and barley soup. Split pea dahl. Lentil soup. Garbanzo bean masala. The options are endless , and these are often fast and easy to make. I have posted a number of recipes on both my website and blog.
• Greens over mashed root vegetables or polenta: Tierra Vegetables sells fresh ground cornmeal that makes a fabulous baked polenta (I have posted this recipe in the past on my blog). Or steam a mixture of root vegetables (potato, yam, turnip, rutabaga, parsnip, onion, grated beets, carrots, etc) in water or broth. Mash when tender; it doesn’t need any added fats. Top with braised onions, mushrooms and greens (examples include spinach, cabbage, kale, collard greens, and dandelion greens).

The more you do it the easier it gets. Get into the “Meatless Monday” habit and have fun experimenting. Who knows what could happen; soon you might be enjoying meatless Wednesdays and Fridays as well.

Kathy Nichols is the Healthy Habits Coach. Kathy blends her background as a registered dietitian with life coaching to help you create healthy and sustainable habits. Contact Kathy at 707 431-7524, Kathy@HealthyHabitsCoach.com or www.HealthyHabitsCoach.com. Blog: www.HealthyHabitsCoach.wordpress.com