Hey foodies,
Meatless Mondays are gaining more and more momentum recently and I want to do my part to spread the word. Going without meat one day a week is great for many reasons. First, it's better for your health. Meat can be a nutritious part of a balanced diet, if consumed correctly, but meat is also high is cholesterol and too much of anything ceases to be beneficial. Plus, it would stand to reason, if meat isn't the main star of the day, you'll have to substitute in something else - like maybe extra veggies or grains. You spend one day consuming less fat and cholesterol and upping your dose of nutrients & vitamins. Doesn't that sound nice?
The second advantage to a meatless day (Monday is optional btw) is it's really good for the planet! These movements are rather new and there is already evidence that the support of part-time vegetarianism is helping to reduce harmful greenhouse gases.
There are numerous advantages to supporting a meatless campaign one day (or a couple) per week. You can learn more about the movement at the Meatless Monday & MFM websites.
Now, since this blog is, in part, a source for finding recipes to stuff in your face, I will provide you with one of my favorite meatless recipes.
Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is a little grain that is very high in a lot of the good stuff your body needs. You can learn more about it on the interwebs, including here.
For my particular salad, you will need:
1 12 oz package of Quinoa
1 8 oz can of black beans (rinsed)
1 8 oz can of kernel corn (rinsed)
1 large & ripe avocado (diced)
1 large vine tomato (diced)
1 small onion (diced - dealer's choice on color)
The prep for this dish is probably fairly predictable, but I'll walk you through it anyway. It is highly recommended that you rinse the quinoa seeds before boiling to rinse away all residue. For a 12 oz package, boil in 3 cups of water. It should take approximately 15 minutes to cook thoroughly. Drain the now cooked grains and let cool. Once cooled, combine in a large bowl with the black beans, corn and diced veggies and add sea salt and black pepper. It's ridiculously simple and so full of nutrients, your mother will weep with pride.
I hope you'll try this and other meat free options once (or more than once) a week. Be good to your body and the planet and be excellent to each other (thanks Bill & Ted).
Love your 85% vegetarian blogger,
Melissa
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