January's Challenge: Meatless Meals!

If you’re anything like me, the concept of becoming a vegetarian seems like a very good idea...in theory. With benefits like helping to reduce cruelty to animals, improving your health and helping the environment, it seems like a no-brainer.   However, it's a transition that is very difficult for meat-lovers to make. 

My husband and I aren’t ready to take the 100% vegetarianism plunge quite yet, but we have been making a legitimate effort to eat less meat in our household, and to eat organically grown meat whenever possible.

There are more and more families who are becoming “part-time vegetarians”, choosing to opt out of meaty meals one or several times per week. As a single woman becoming a vegetarian seemed like a much more attainable goal, but I married a man who loves his steak. We only eat red meat once in awhile, and I don’t know how we’d survive Saturday mornings without our bacon...so I reduce the amount of meat we eat by cooking and serving meatless meals at least once per week, and usually more.  Several of our very favourite dishes are meatless these days.

Trying to rid yourself of those extra holiday pounds? Going meatless is a great way to reduce the fat intake in your diet, and could help you attain your weight loss goal more quickly.  If reducing the amount of protein in your diet is a concern for you, consider replacing meat with other high-protein food items such as beans and tofu.  Your colon will thank you!

January’s challenge at BlogHers ACT Canada is to eat one meatless meal per week.  Throw out the meat and potatoes and bring on the beans and greens!  If you’re not a full-time vegetarian, going meatless on occasion is a good alternative.  Do you go meatless? Share some of your favourite vegetarian meals here in the comments section throughout the month of January.

This week’s meatless meal in our household is Moroccan Chick Pea Soup.  My husband and I eat this about once a month, it’s just that good.  Don’t let the word “Moroccan” in the title scare you off...I have written about this recipe on my own blog before, and I offer up the recipe to any friend who will listen.  The recipe calls for chicken stock, but to really go meatless, you could substitute it for vegetable stock.  I first saw this dish cooked on FoodTV Canada, and found it later online.  The printout is soggy and messy now, I’ve used it so many times.  It’s high in protein, an excellent source of folate, lycopene (a heart disease and cancer fighter) and antioxidants and I promise, the smell of garlic, cinnamon, cumin and paprika simmering away on your stove is simply irresistible.  Give it a try and let me know how you like it!

Comments

[SciFi Dad]

When I'm trying to go meatless in soups (for my sister... I'm a complete carnivore) I use the McCormick brand all-vegetable stock cubes. They have a chicken, a beef, and a vegetable flavour. Just as an alternative to using vegetable stocks...

As for meatless dishes, I'll do minestrone (italian vegetable soup) which is basically: cut up whatever veggies you like, or use cubed frozen ones (go name brand though... there's a difference) such as beans, zucchini, squash, peas... add to pot with water, some stock (your choice), a couple bricks of frozen spinach, and a can or two of tomato sauce. Simmer a few hours or more. Noodles optional (although traditional minestrone doesn't use any).

[Her Bad Mother]

Actually, DON'T throw out the potatoes. Just the meat. Potatoes are central to my diet. That, and it's the year of the potato this year, according to the UN, and they never set anybody astray. Just sayin'.

[Assertagirl]

I actually don't think I could live without potatoes, either. The Year of the Potato! Now that's a concept I can get behind.

[Sandra]

Ooooh yummy recipe - must try. Tonight.

As a vegetarian I am already meatless. I didn't go meatless for the environment originally (I did it for health). But I am shocked that more of the high profile environmentalists don't advocate for vegetarianism or veganism. There have been so many studies and reports that say if there is one solitary change you could make in your lifestyle that would have the biggest impact on global warming, it would be to eat less meat. More impactful than giving up your car, recycling, saving house hold energy, the works.

It is a tough change. I am married to a hard-core carnivore so I get that. But even 1 or 2 meatless meals a week and buying local organic meat for the other meals can realllly, realllllly help.

Great post Assertagirl. You rock!

[Debra]

I eat meatless and simple a 3-4 days a week. (I like it, wikipedia calls it flexitarian!). I really go simple: roasted and steamed veggies and some bulger or brown rice. But when I'm cooking for the spouse, too, these two from Eating Well work well.

Sweet potato, corn and black bean hash: http://tinyurl.com/3d5mnr

Soutwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash. I simply use a Tbs. of olive oil and poultry spice and skip the turkey sausage. But soy crumbles would work, too.
http://tinyurl.com/yqe3ba

[Gabriella]

Just wanted to add that the McCormick stock cubes are great because they have no MSG unlike the other brands out there!

[Naomi (Urban Mummy)]

We eat meatless between 4 and 6 nights of the week. I was a vegetarian for many years before I was married, and my kids are not huge meat eaters. (Okay, the little one would eat a whole chicken, half a cow and 12 fish if I let him!)

I keep a blog where I post vegetarian recipes and our weekly meal plans, among other stuff, as a sister site to my regular blog. I've linked it here if anyone wants to visit!

[Beth]

We have gone 98% meatless in our house. I had eaten very little meat for a long time as an adult, then my husband gradually started as well. Add in our two kids with exteme food allergies and vegetarianism started offering a realistic way to make one meal for all our of us.

~Beth

[Acai Powder]

Nice bog you have here. I pretty much lurk the internet when I'm bored and read all I can about the organic lifestyle, but I really liked you view on things. I'll bookmark the site and subscribe to the feed!