In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, food safety, public health, frugal living, animal rights, global food crisis and the staggeringly huge contribution of meat/livestock production to climate change/resource depletion.
Of course, a total move to organic would not be possible without a drastic reduction in meat consumption.
Macca's Meatless Monday/Meatless Advocates is a solution oriented activist group, with solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time including: climate change, global food/water insecurity and public health. Here we don't just talk about the severity of the crisis. Armed with knowledge about how our actions can contribute we become part of the solution.
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 advantages of a less meat diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle music!
This time of year I love cooking hearty, comforting meals. I feel like Mama Earth in the kitchen cooking up satisfying, nourishing food with enough substance to protect us from the chilling outdoor elements. Of course, in my neck of the woods this season doesn't last very long so I have to take the opportunity to cook my favorite cool weather foods while I can. These meals usually include whole grains in some form whether as an addition to soups, as a nutritious side dish or as the main event because nutritionally whole grains are a great source of protein and a diet rich in whole grains is a fantastic disease preventer.
So many holidays so little time. In taking this time to write about whole grains I miss writing about one of my fave food holidays; Mardi Gras. So if you're looking for Mardi Gras or Cajun recipes I have covered them pretty extensively in previous Mardi Gras posts here and here. Yes, it's possible to have a delicious and healthy veggie Cajun/Mardi Gras dinner so check out those diaries including my all time fave New Orleans Red Beans recipe!
I've been wanting to post this recipe because I love celery especially celery soup! When I was a kid one of the few foods I would eat was Celery Soup. My fave came out of a can and was concentrated...just add a cup of milk. You probably remember it too.. this is so much better.
CHUNKY CELERY SOUP
Comfort to the max..serves 6
1 large onion
1 large russet potato
3-4 small -medium carrots
10 medium-length stalks of celery, washed well
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups of lightly-flavored, vegetable broth (or water)
2 cups cooked wild rice, brown rice, barley, or wheat berries
1/3 cup celery leaf pesto (optional, here's how you make it...1 cup tightly packed celery leaves, 1 large clove garlic, about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup olive oil..Whirl in processor for about 30 seconds)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)
Chop the onion, potato, carrots, and celery into pieces that are about 1/2-inch or smaller. Do your best to cut everything roughly the same size, this will keep cooking time across the ingredients somewhat uniform. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups of chopped celery.
In a large thick-bottomed soup pot over medium high heat combine the olive oil, onion, potato, carrots, celery and a few big pinches of salt. Saute for about ten minutes or until the onions and celery soften a touch and expel some water. Stir in the garlic and add the stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook for another 10 minutes or until the celery, carrot and potatoes are just cooked through - resist the urge to over cook them into mush. Stir in the rice a few minutes before the potatoes and carrot are cooked though. Remove the soup from the heat and ladle into soup bowls. Top each with a generous drizzle of the celery leaf pesto (opt) and/or some Parmesan cheese.
HEARTY SPICY VEGETARIAN CHILI
This delish, very economical chili has a bit of a kick and makes enough to serve 12 or more. So feel free to halve or freeze leftovers. H/T Heidi Swanson
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
8 small/med garlic cloves, finely chopped (or less to taste)
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons chili powder (you can mix your chili powders for good effect here...ancho, chipotle etc.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 chipotle pepper (from can or rehydrate), minced
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
10 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)
2 1/4 cups black, brown, or green lentils (or combo), rinsed and picked over
2/3 cup pearled barley or pearled farro
2/3 cup bulgur wheat
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (or to taste)
toppings (opt): a bit of chopped serranos, a bit of feta or dollop of thinned out salted yogurt, a drizzle of equal parts chopped fresh oregano and olive oil, chopped onion
In a large stockpot pot over medium heat add the olive oil, onion, and shallots. When the onions soften up and get a bit translucent, add the garlic, ginger, chili powder and cumin. Stir well and cook for a minute of so, until everything gets quite fragrant. Stir in the serrano pepper and chipotle pepper, tomatoes, and 8 cups of the broth. Now add the chickpeas, lentils, barley/farro, and bulgur - stirring between each addition. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Take a taste of the broth a few minutes into the simmer - you can make adjustments for salt here - if you're using water in place of broth, you can add a teaspoon of salt for starters and add more later if needed.
Simmer away for about 35- 45 minutes or until the lentils and grains are cooked through. You will likely need to add the rest of the water, a cup at a time, if the chili thickens up too much. Before serving do your final adjustments - add more chipotle, salt, or whatever you think it needs and enjoy!
BAKED BROCCOLI BROWN RICE CASSEROLE
2 cups long-grain brown rice
5 cups water
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 cups broccoli, florets and peeled stalks
4 ounces low-fat cream cheese or neufchatel cheese or use Tofutti vegan cream cheese
freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the rice, 4 cups of the water and ¼ teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and simmer the rice for about 40 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is just barely tender. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly oil a large shallow casserole dish.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the celery and onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
Add the broccoli, stir to combine, add the final cup of water and cook for another 3 minutes or until broccoli is not quite tender.
Add the cheese to the skillet, breaking it up and stirring it to make a slightly thick, creamy gravy that coats the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Scrape the vegetable cheese mixture into the bowl with the rice and toss to mix well. Season the casserole with the basil.
Transfer the mixture to an oiled casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot.
MUSHROOM KASHA BURGERS with CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE
These are some of the best burgers ever!
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup coarse kasha (whole roasted buckwheat groats)
1 pound portabella mushrooms, stems discarded
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use Vegannaise..much better!)
1 tablespoon Tabasco chipotle sauce, or to taste
8 large oval slices rye bread, cut into 4 1/2-inch rounds if desired, lightly toasted
Bring water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in kasha. Cover and reduce heat to low, then cook until kasha is tender and water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool.
Break one third of mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 batches of mushrooms, transferring to bowl.
Cook onion and bell pepper in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, then stir in kasha, parsley, soy sauce, and 1/2 cup bread crumbs until combined well. Cool 10 minutes, then stir in egg until combined well.
Line a platter with foil. Spread remaining cup bread crumbs in a shallow baking dish.
Form one fourth of mushroom mixture (about 3/4 cup) into a 3/4-inch-thick patty (3 1/2 inches in diameter), then dredge in bread crumbs, knocking off excess, and transfer to platter. Form and dredge 3 more patties, transferring to platter. Chill patties, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 1 hour.
Heat oil in cleaned 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then fry patties, turning over once, until deep golden, about 4 minutes total. Transfer patties to paper towels to drain (patties will be soft).
Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise and chipotle sauce.
Spread bread with chipotle mayonnaise and sandwich each mushroom patty between 2 slices.
note: Patties can be formed, without bread-crumb coating, 12 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
MILLET POLENTA with SWISS CHARD and SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO
In rice cooker, place
1 cup millet
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
and click on.
note:If you don't use a rice cooker put 1 cup millet into 3 cups boiling veg broth, cover reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes
Wash Swiss Chard leaves and scissor up in measuring cup to make 2 cups shredded chard. Set aside.
In blender combine…
3.5 oz sun dried tomato ( you can soak them in the water first or not.)
1 cup water
1/4 cup almonds
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Puree and set aside (to eat now) or refrigerate (to eat later).
When millet clicks off, stir in the chard. It will wilt. Eat now with pesto on top or spread millet into glass loaf pan and refrigerate overnight.Then you can slice it and pan fry in olive oil for cripy outside and then assemble dish
KALE & EVERYTHING MUFFINS
What can I say these are awesome! Take a look at the ingredients! These are fantastic little healthy bites of goodness...
Makes 16 Medium or 12 extra large Muffins
1 ½ cups chopped kale
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey
1 egg, slightly beaten
½ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup carrots, shredded
1 mashed banana
½ cup wheat-germ
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup white flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
8-10 dried apricots slivered
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp quick cook rolled oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350’F. Prepare muffin tin with paper cups.
Steam the kale until tender. Transfer to a blender or food processor and process with 1-2tbsp of water until the kale has been chopped up fairly well.In a large bowl, beat together oil, honey, egg, milk and vanilla. Add the carrots, banana and the kale puree, and stir until well mixed.In a separate smaller bowl, mix flours, wheat-germ, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda,salt, dried cranberries, slivered apricots and chocolate chunks.Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just moistened. Pour into greased or paper lined muffin tins.In a food processor, combine butter, rolled oats, brown sugar and cinnamon to create crumble topping. Place a teaspoon of topping on each muffin. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
CARROT OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
"You Really Got A Hold On Me" The Beatles cover of Smokey Robinson song
"Eleanor Rigby" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Planning on a Mardi Gras feast? Please share your recipes and fave Beatle music here!