We have been experimenting a lot this year with meatless or vegetarian cooking, and this month we'll be sharing some of our favorite recipes. We developed several of them in our own kitchen as we tried to use what we had and keep our food budget low. Many of the recipes are gluten-free, non-dairy, or vegan.
Getting most of the meat out of our freezer has been refreshing. Our food keeps longer (including leftovers) and we waste less. I always forget to set meat out to thaw the night before, and I hate dealing with raw meat in my kitchen. Good riddance! However, I have traded that in for remembering to soak the beans!
Usually the most common response when we mention that we consume little meat is concern about getting enough protein. In the U.S., most people actually eat around double the recommended daily value of protein, which is about 40-60 grams per day. As you start to eat less meat, you do need to be concious of eating protein-rich food in the right way. Most non-animal foods contain only some of the 9 essential amino acids (protein) making them incomplete proteins. But pairing them with complimentary foods throughout the day provides complete protein sources in your diet. Pair legumes and beans with whole grains (rice and beans), or nuts and peanuts with whole grains (peanut butter and jelly sandwich). Eating protein sources with dairy also helps to complete the protein.
If you want to learn more about our reasons for going meatless, check out these earlier posts: Goal #1: Eat Less Meat and Would the Good Shepherd Use a CAFO?
A Month of Meatless! hyperlinks will be updated as we post recipes
Warm Quinoa Salad with Garbanzo Beans
Egyptian Kushari (Lentils and Rice)
Black Bean Enchiladas with cilantro-lime rice
Red Lentil Coconut Curry
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Easy Pasta Dinner with Lentils
Red Lentil Sloppy Joes
Happy meatless eating!
No comments:
Post a Comment