In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, animal rights, global food crisis, food safety, public health, frugal living and the immense contribution of meat/livestock production to climate change/resource depletion.
A vegetarian in a hummer produces fewer carbon emissions than a meat eater in a Prius. But, a vegetarian on a bike is much better
The situation is becoming more dire yet not much has been accomplished to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. But, here at Macca's Meatless Monday we have been offering a solution that does not require 20 years of tortuous talks. And that is to reduce consumption of meat. Meat production is one of the greatest contributors to climate change and reducing the consumption of meat and animal products is the easiest, most cost effective and most rapid way to reduce the greenhouse gases of climate change
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney(Macca) who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We not only discuss the many advantages of a less meat diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle/McCartney music!
This just in! Meatless Monday is at 50% awareness nationally!. Awesome news! This is a powerful grassroots movement mitigating the effects of climate change and creating a healthier nation one meal at a time!
The easiest way to reduce meat consumption is with great meatless recipes so here on MMM each Monday(in this case Tuesday lol) we offer delicious, healthy recipes to add to your cooking repertoire. Today I am showcasing one of my all time favorite foods the mushroom. And how appropriate to be munching on the most psychedelic fungus while listening to the groovy Beatles!
GOAT CHEESE STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
Whether it’s just you, you and a date, or you and an entire party, this elegant dish let’s you feel like you’re really doing something special. Yet it’s so easy!
Ingredients (for each mushroom):
Large Portobello Mushroom
Soft Herbed Goat Cheese Log (Small log serves two)
One Roasted Red Pepper
Baby Spinach Leaves or mixed greens
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly spray the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray.
Clean and remove the stem from each mushroom.
Cut the log into small rounds, so that you have at least 4 slices for each mushroom. (Example: If you’re using a small log for two, cut the log in half, and then cut each half into 4 slices.) Place four rounds of the goat cheese on each mushroom in a diamond formation. Slice one roasted red pepper into long 1/4-inch thick slices, and lay them on top of the goat cheese and mushroom, almost completely covering the goat cheese with red peppers.
Place in the oven and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until the goat cheese is soft and warm and everything is heated thoroughly.
In the meantime, pour 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar per mushroom into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and immediately reduce to medium low so that it’s only lightly simmer. Reduce the balsamic down to about 1/2 of what you started with, or until it has a light syrupy texture.
Place a mound of spinach leaves on a large plate, and put the mushroom in the middle. Drizzle the balsamic reduction all over the entire thing.
MUSHROOM BOURGUIGNON
You won't feel deprived. You can have this luscious, rich, iconic entree and still save the planet! Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (cremini work as well)
5 carrots, finely sliced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups organic vegetable or mushroom broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled or if frozen thawed
Egg noodles or rice, for serving
Sour cream or vegan sour cream (I use tofutti) and chopped parsley, for garnish
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over high heat. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from the pan.
Lower the heat to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrots, onions, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.
Add the wine to the onions and carrots, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat up to high and reduce the wine by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly combined, and not clumpy. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five more minutes.
In the meantime, prepare egg noodles or rice.
Then combine the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir the butter mixture into the stew. Simmer for 10 more minutes. If you feel like the sauce is too thin, boil it down and reduce to the right consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over a bowl of egg noodles or rice, dolloped with sour cream (optional) and sprinkled with parsley (optional).
ASPARAGUS, SHITAKE MUSHROOM and TERIYAKI QUINOA SALAD
I'm finding some delicious fresh asparagus in my market and this super healthy salad is the perfect use for them. 2 servings
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tablespoon oil
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 pound asparagus (cut into bite sized pieces and steamed)
1/4 cup edamame (blanched)
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)
1. Simmer the quinoa in the water until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a pan.
3. Add the shiitake mushrooms and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add the teriyaki sauce until it is absorbed, about 1-3 minutes.
5. Add the sesame oil and remove from heat and let cool a bit.
6. Mix everything and serve.
STUFFED PORTOBELLO with SPINACH and ARTICHOKE HEARTS
I love stuffed bellos..they are just so cute! This entree or appetizer adapted from Rachael Ray
Portobellos:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, a drizzle
5 medium portobello mushroom caps
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Stuffing:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow skinned onion, chopped
1 pound fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 can, 6 to 8 count, 15 ounces, artichoke hearts in water, drained well on paper towels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
3 slices Italian bread, toasted and chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or vegan cheese, a handful
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and the portobello caps. Season caps with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook 3 minutes on each side. Add balsamic to the pan and allow the vinegar to cook away as it coats the caps. Transfer balsamic glazed caps to a cookie sheet. Return pan to the stove and add oil, garlic and onion. Saute onions and garlic 3 minutes, add spinach to the pan and let it wilt. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts in the food processor and add to the spinach. Season veggies with salt and pepper and thyme. Add chopped toast and dampen stuffing with vegetable stock. Combine stuffing and sprinkle in a little grated cheese. Top each mushroom with 1/5 of the filling. Set mushrooms in oven for 5 minutes to set the filling. Cut each mushroom into 4 pieces or leave whole if serving as entree and transfer to serving dish.
TRIPLE MUSHROOM STROGANOFF
Another iconic entree adapted to meatless...absolutely delicious! Serves 6
1/2 pound fresh button mushrooms, halved
2-2/3 cups sliced fresh baby portobello mushrooms
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
3 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free sour cream or vegan sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the mushrooms and shallots in olive oil for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Stir in 1-1/4 cups broth, mustard, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine flour with remaining broth until smooth; gradually stir into mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; gradually stir in sour cream (do not boil). Drain noodles; serve with mushroom sauce over noodles or rice. Sprinkle with parsley.
Shallot Substitutions
Shallots are part of the onion family and have a mild onion-garlic flavor. In place of 3 to 4 shallots, use 1 medium onion plus a pinch of garlic powder or (if you like the taste of garlic) 1 minced garlic clove.
BLACK BEAN TACOS with SMOKED PAPRIKA SHITAKE MUSHROOMS
A healthy light taco!
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 teaspoon neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon pimenton dulce (sweet smoked paprika) (this is so good..try it if you can)
1 chile pepper, seeded and minced (I used a Thai bird)
1 clove garlic, minced or grated with a microplane
1 (15 oz) can of whole black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano (I used Mexican)
4-6 leaves of Napa cabbage, washed and dried
a handful of cilantro, washed, dried and torn
1 green onion, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
kosher salt and black pepper
-Trim off and discard the shiitakes stems (or save them to use in making stock). Brush any dirt from the mushroom caps and thinly slice them.
-Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to a hot skillet or saute pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are golden brown. Toss them with the smoked paprika and a good pinch of kosher salt and remove them from the pan.
-Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil to the pan with the chile and garlic. Cook over low until fragrant, just a few seconds.
-Add the beans, cumin and oregano to the pan along with a good pinch of kosher salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Warm the beans and smash a quarter of them. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. Remove the pan from the heat.
-Serve each leaf of cabbage with some of the beans topped with the mushrooms, cilantro, and green onion. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the "taco" before eating.
LIME FLAVORED HONEYDEW POPSICLES
Because it's getting to be popsicle weather here.
1/4 cup superfine or regular granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 (3 1/2-lb) ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
Special equipment: 6 to 10 Popsicle molds and sticks
Dissolve sugar in water by stirring if using superfine or by heating in a small heavy saucepan if using regular granulated (then cool).
Blend half of melon and half of lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and remaining melon and lime juice and purée until smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure or bowl, pressing on solids and then discarding them.
Pour mixture into molds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.
Insert sticks, then freeze Popsicles until completely hardened, at least 6 hours.
"Magical Mystery Tour" The Beatles
"The End" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatle/McCartney music here!