Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

A day minus meat

For the Earth, and personal health, even hard-core carnivores might find "Meatless Mondays" easy to swallow.

There's nothing like a new year to bring out the reformer in all of us, but making drastic changes to your family's diet overnight can lead to failure and mutiny.

I've thought of banning bacon, but instead, I'm putting my faith and energy into "Meatless Mondays," an increasingly popular mantra that is just what its name implies.

For better health - not just weight and fat loss - and an enhanced environment, the three carnivores in my home will start each week with meatless meals.

Compared to other "diets," the plan is neither extreme nor hard to pull off. In fact, if you are the parent of children, you probably have had many "Meatless Mondays" or other days in the form of cheese pizza dinners.

Unlike many formulas for health, the "Meatless Mondays" idea isn't extreme; it merely asks that carnivores reconsider the notion that a meal is not a meal without animal protein at its center.

The plan, initiated by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and supported by a wide range of public health groups and animal environmental activists, also has the backing of people known for adoring meat: the orange-clogged, pig-loving chef Mario Batali, for example.

Batali, who lost about 40 pounds by eating more vegetables, joined the Meatless Monday campaign in May, adding two vegetarian courses to the Monday menus of his 14 restaurants. They are marked with the label "MM."

"Meatless Mondays" is only one of many drives now that encourage plant-based dining.

At last count, 34 U.S. hospitals and health-care institutions had signed onto the Balanced Menu Challenge, a commitment to reduce meat purchases by 20 percent within a 12-month period. The program is one of many projects coordinated by the advocacy group Health Care Without Harm.

The programs do not push the exclusion of meat from American diets. Still, they have the meat industry up in arms.

For example, in the Baltimore City public school system, the Food Service Director Tony Geraci has found fame for his dogged attempts to revamp lunches for 82,000 students. After he instituted "Meatless Mondays" with offerings of red beans and rice, hummus, and vegetarian lasagna, for example, he got an angry letter from meat industry lobbyists.

There are other handy food phrases being bandied about that go hand-in-hand with this concept.

One, "eating clean," is a concept that has been embraced for a while by body builders, personal trainers, and others who have health in the forefront of their minds. Basically, it refers to eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. It means lots of fruits and vegetables and nary a Big Mac or doughnut.

Another, "power foods," involves centering a diet on foods that have either been identified as antioxidants or are linked to various health benefits: broccoli, avocados, blueberries, salmon, pomegranates, spinach, nuts, brown rice, and so forth.

On "Meatless Mondays," then, I guess you could say my family will be eating "clean power foods."

In the scheme of things, it's not extreme. I'm certain my family will never become a vegetarian one.

But "Meatless Mondays" in 2011, well, that's something even a bacon lover can handle.

The recipes here are plant-based with the exception of the "power food" Salmon in a Bengali Mustard Sauce. The Spicy Pad Thai Salad and Warm Spinach Salad with Fig-Balsamic Glaze can be made ahead except for dressing them with their vinaigrettes. Leave that for the last minute. And, in case you need an alternative to bacon and eggs to start the day, the Hearty Spinach and Chickpea Soup is just as good for breakfast as it is for lunch or dinner.

Spicy Pad Thai Salad

Makes 4 servings

EndTextStartText

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (1-inch piece)

2 garlic cloves, minced

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or chili paste

For the salad:

1/2 pound flat rice noodles

1/4 pound snow peas or sugar snap peas, stem ends and strings removed, and blanched

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned (about 2 tablespoons)

1/4 head of savoy or napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 cup unsalted peanuts, roasted and finely chopped

2 ounces bean sprouts or pea shoots (about 1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or chile paste)

EndTextStartText

1. To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, soy sauce, olive oil, ketchup, sugar, ginger, garlic, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

2. To make the salad: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and immerse the noodles in the hot water. Let the noodles stand in the hot water for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but still firm. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water, and drain well. Turn the drained noodles into a large bowl.

3. Julienne the snow peas and toss them into the bowl with the noodles. Add the ginger, cabbage, scallions, cilantro, chives, half of the ground peanuts, half of the sprouts, the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle with the Pad Thai Vinaigrette and toss gently, taking care not to break the noodles. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining peanuts and sprouts.

Per serving: 354 calories, 13 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams sugar, 23 grams fat, no cholesterol, 1,016 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.

EndText

Hearty Spinach and Chickpea Soup

Makes 6 servings

EndTextStartText

11/2 cups water

1/2 cup short-grain brown rice

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cleaned and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

6 cups homemade or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

10 ounces baby spinach

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)

  EndTextStartText

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a rapid boil. Stir in brown rice and return to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat.

3. Stir rice and chickpeas into broth mixture; return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and continue cooking 5 minutes more to allow flavors to blend.

4. Stir in spinach and cook, uncovered, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Add ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste, and season with pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated Parmesan and drizzled with more oil.

Per serving: 359 calories, 17 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams sugar, 8 grams fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 971 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.

Salmon in a Bengali Mustard Sauce

Makes 2-3 servings

EndTextStartText

For the fish:

 3/4 pound skinless salmon fillet

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon ground mustard

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons mustard oil or extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon each: whole brown mustard seeds,

whole cumin seeds, whole fennel seeds

2 fresh hot green and/or red chilies, slit slightly

EndTextStartText

1. Cut the fish into pieces that are about 2 inches by 1 inch and rub them evenly with the salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to 10 hours.

2. Put the ground mustard powder, cayenne, turmeric and salt in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and mix thoroughly. Add another 7 tablespoons water and mix. Set aside.

3. Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and set over medium-high heat.

4. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to pop, a matter of seconds, add the cumin and fennel seeds. Stir once and quickly pour in the mustard paste. Add the green chilies, stir, and bring to a gentle simmer.

2. Place the fish pieces in the sauce in a single layer. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through, spooning the sauce over the fish all the time. Serve with plain basmati rice.

Per serving (based on 3): 314 calories, 24 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, 23 grams fat, 67 milligrams cholesterol, 458 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.

Warm Spinach Salad With Fig-Balsamic Glaze

Makes 4 appetizer or 2 main course servings

EndTextStartText

Vegetable oil, for frying

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup fig preserves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

8 cups lightly packed baby spinach

 EndTextStartText

1. Line a plate with paper towels. In a medium skillet, add enough oil to measure 1 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, adjusting the heat as needed so that they do not burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to the plate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil and return the skillet to low heat. Whisk in the fig preserves, vinegar, and soy sauce until combined. Stir in the spinach, one handful at a time, and cook until it is slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the shallots and serve. Serve with fresh crusty bread. Serves 2 as a main course.

Per serving (based on 4): 165 calories, 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams sugar, 10 grams fat, no cholesterol, 184 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber.