Embarking on the determined life goal to eat a diet without meat is a decision people make for many personal reasons. Whether it's for health reasons, the ethical treatment of animals, or as a statement about what things one values in life, it's vital to have a sound and nutritionally full diet to make sure all your body's needs are being met. Every issue, we're determined to help you add to your vegetarian repertoire with healthy, balanced, nutritious, and delicious recipes that will continue to build a good foundation for your vegetarian commitment. Cheers!
Vegetarianism is a life choice people make for any number of reasons ranging from it being a political statement to being a health consideration. The word "vegetarian" first appeared in modern use during the 1800s, replacing the bland term, "vegetarian diet." Cultures from ancient times to present day have practiced vegetarianism for as long as history has been recorded, although, interestingly, after the Christianization of the Roman Empire, it virtually disappeared for centuries. If you're a vegetarian, you would seem to be in rather good company. Some notables include Brigitte Bardot, Benjamin Franklin, Rosa Parks, brainiacs Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, Leo Tolstoy, Ozzy Osbourne, Prince, and, yes, Mr. Rogers.
Three squares a day, right? Getting your metabolism started early and right during the day is a key to optimal good health. Breaking the fast was just a part of every day living until the 15th century, when it was finally given a name. In ancient times, breakfast for the Egyptians was beer, bread, and onions. For the Greeks? Bread dipped in wine, figs, olives, and pancakes. In the 16th century, British doctors warned against eating breakfast as it would be bad for digestion, but the good ol' Americans popularized breakfast sandwiches, cereals, and hearty meals meant to sustain a pioneer culture through long days working the land.
Breakfast // Arugula & Ricotta Omelette
This easy and elegant breakfast is easily made from ingredients straight from the refrigerator. So flavorful and filling. The details: Calories: 167, Total fat: 6 grams, Protein: 16 grams, Carbohydrate: 6 grams. Prep and cooking time: 30 minutes. Go for it.
1 egg plus 2 egg whites, or 2 whole eggs
1 small shallot, chopped (2 Tbs.)
1 oil-packed sun-dried tomato, finely chopped, plus ½ tsp. oil from jar
1 cup arugula
1 Tbs. low-fat ricotta cheese
1. Whisk egg and egg whites with 1 Tbs. water in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Place shallot, sun-dried tomato, and reserved oil in small nonstick skillet, and heat over medium heat. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until shallot is softened. Add arugula, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until leaves are wilted.
3. Pour in egg mixture, stirring to distribute arugula and tomato bits evenly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 minutes, or until omelet begins to set. Dollop ricotta cheese on one side, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until omelet is set. Fold over omelet to cover cheese and form half-circle shape.
Lunch // Strawberry, Spinach & Quinoa Salad
Fresh strawberry salad featuring chopped spinach, quinoa, goat cheese and toasted almonds, tossed in lemon dressing. This salad is gluten free! Amounts listed below yield one big, dinner-sized serving of salad, so multiply as necessary. To make it vegan, you can skip the goat cheese (but, it's OH so good!) and you can vary the recipe with cherries, peaches, or apples, depending on your tastes and what's in season.
Salad
2½ cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
5 to 6 strawberries (to yield ¾ to 1 cup sliced strawberries), hulled and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
1½ ounces chilled goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Quinoa
¼ cup quinoa, rinsed under running water in a fine mesh colander
½ cup water
⅛ teaspoon salt
Lemon dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper
Cook the quinoa: In a small saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and ½ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, sprinkle in ⅛ teaspoon salt and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Let the quinoa cool, uncovered, for 7 to 8 minutes.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, honey and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper until emulsified. Set the dressing aside.
Toast the almonds: In a small pan over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring often, until they are fragrant and turning golden, about 5 minutes.
Assemble the salad: In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach, sliced strawberries, warm quinoa and toasted almonds. Crumble goat cheese over the salad. Drizzle in just enough dressing to lightly coat the spinach (I only used about half of the dressing) and toss.
Dinner // Pasta with Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts & Parmesan
This earthy and flavorful dinner dish calls for shallots. If you don't have shallots, you may substitute half of an onion. And yes, we debated on whether or not to include any kind of recipe featuring Brussels Sprouts. But, people tend to dislike this vegetable because they have been eating Brussels Sprouts that are old, large, and overcooked. Buying them frozen from the supermarket doesn't help. If you can get them fresh, please do. But, you may also buy them as fresh as you can from your grocer's fresh vegetable section. These sprouts are to be shredded or divided into individual leaves, so that might help you develop a taste for them. Prepared correctly, they're a beautifully textured and flavored vegetable.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound brussels sprouts, divided into individual leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces mixed mushrooms such as shiitake, button, cremini, and maitake
1 medium shallot, finely minced (about 1/4 cup)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon picked fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
1 pound dried orecchiette
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add brussels sprouts, toss to coat in oil, season with salt and pepper, cook without moving until well charred on one side. Toss and continue to cook until leaves are bright green and charred in spots, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until moisture has been evaporated and the mushrooms are well browned, about 4 minutes.
Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until shallots are softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add butter, lemon juice, and stock. Simmer until sauce is reduced and emulsified, about 1 minute.
Season to taste with salt and pepper (this may not be necessary if stock is store-bought). Set aside off heat.
Add orecchiette to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly al dente (about 1 minute less than the package instructions). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add orecchiette, half of Parmesan, reserved pasta cooking water, and a generous amount of black pepper to mushrooms. Cook, stirring, over high heat until pasta is fully al dente and liquid has thickened into a sauce that coats the pasta, about 1 minute. If sauce looks greasy or broken, add 2 tablespoons of stock or water and stir vigorously to bring it back together. Stir in brussels sprouts leaves and serve, topping with more cheese at the table.
Before you embark on a life-changing diet, though, we feel obligated to say that you should consult with your primary care provider to make sure you are making healthy choices with your meal plans so all your nutritional needs are being met.
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