Meatless Monday

 Meatless Monday goes gourmet- Try this recipe tonight for Carrot Osso Buco served over Soft Polenta!

Carrot Osso Buco 

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound red pearl onions
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 very large carrots, cut crosswise 1 inch thick at the wide ends and 1 1/2 inches thick toward the narrow ends
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon dried porcini powder (ground porcini mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 cups prepared mushroom broth
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the pearl onions and cook for 1 minute. Drain and trim the onions, then peel them. Wipe out the skillet.
2. Return the skillet to the heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the carrots in a single layer, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Add the pearl onions, sprinkle with the curry powder and cook, stirring a few times, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Add the porcini powder and mushroom broth and bring to a boil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and braise the carrots for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning once, until tender.
3. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the carrots, onions and sauce into shallow bowls. In a bowl, toss the parsley with the lemon juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley leaves over the carrots and serve. 

*Recipe taken from Food & Wine Magazine 

Soft Polotena 

Ingredients

• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup whole grain yellow cornmeal (such as Arrowhead Mills)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Gradually add cornmeal, stirring with a whisk. Bring cornmeal mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

*Recipe taken from Cooking Light

Nutrition Information: 

Serving size: 1/2 cup Carrot Osso Buco over 3/4 cup polenta

• Calories: 321
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrate: 40 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Fiber: 5 g

  

Meatless Monday

In case you missed the hundreds of Facebook posts from your vegetarian friends, a very recent study has linked all red meat consumption to increased risk of death. Pretty morbid right?  The prospective study concluded that red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of both cardiovascular disease & cancer, and that substitution of other healthy protein sources for red meat is associated with a lower risk. 

The most practical take away? Moderation, moderation, moderation.  Substituting just one meatless meal a week and looking for other source of protein besides red meat is a great way to to cut back on your meat intake. It doesn't mean you have to become a full-blown vegan, but getting some variety in your diet can do a lot for your health!  Here is a meatless recipe for you to try out tonight- serve with a side salad to get in some extra veggies! 

Asparagus Champagne Risotto

Asparagus stalks are boiled in broth, while savory shiitake mushrooms are sautéed simply on the stove. The Arborio rice is cooked briefly in Champagne to celebrate the coming of spring.

Serves 8

Ingredients 

• 4 -5 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 15 – 20 stalks asparagus
• 4 tablespoons non hydrogenated margarine
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 1/2 cup Arborio rice*
• 1 1/2 cup champagne
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• salt and pepper, to taste

*An Italian short grain rice found in the grain section of most grocery stores. 

Directions 

Place the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and add the asparagus stalks. Let cook for 3-4 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Turn the stock down to low.

When asparagus have cooled, slice them into bite sized pieces.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the margarine to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and let cook for about 2-4 minutes, or until soft.

Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes glossy. Pour in the champagne, stir and cook 2-3 minutes more, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the stock ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates. Keep adding stock and stirring until evaporated for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender with just a small amount of crunch.

While the rice is cooking, place the remaining 2 tablespoons margarine in a separate sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until browned to preference.

When the rice has completed cooking, stir in the sautéed mushrooms, sliced asparagus and grated parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Recipes taken from Meatless Monday http://www.meatlessmonday.com/ 

Nutrition Information

Servings per Recipe: 8

Calories: 284
Total Fat: 8g
Total Carbohydrates: 38g
Dietary Fiber: 4.1g
Protein: 8.8g

Meatless Monday

Beans are an excellent substitution to make your meatless meals packed with protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.  Black beans in particular have shown to improve digestive health and lower risks of colon cancer (1). This is due mainly to their indigestible fraction (IF)- the part of food that is not digested or absorbed in the small intestine but rather goes to the colon.  Here, it serves as a substrate to help form the protective bacteria in the colon known as fermentative microflora (2). For black beans, the IF allows for the production of  butyric acid. The serves as fuel for the cells lining the inside of the colon to help keep the lower digestive tract functioning properly (1).

Black beans also back an abundances of antioxidants and phytonutrients, two compounds help protect against various cancers and inflammation.  In just one cup of cooked black beans, (1/2 cup dry) you can meet 1/3 of the daily value (DV) for protein and 2/3 of the Daily Value (DV) for folate, one of the most important B vitamins for decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease (3).  

So swap out beans for meat in a variety of your favorite dishes to pack in extra nutrition while cutting back on calories and saturated fat.  In addition to the recipe listed below, you can try substituting beans in almost any Mexican entree, or in soups such as Vegetarian Chili. 

Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 3/4 cup chopped onion 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, undrained
• 1 (8-ounce) package seitan (wheat gluten), finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 taco shells
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, garlic, and jalapeño; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sherry, soy sauce, beans, and seitan; bring to a boil. Cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Sprinkle with black pepper.
2. Prepare taco shells according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into each shell; top each taco with about 2 1/2 tablespoons lettuce and about 2 1/2 tablespoons Avocado Salsa.

Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped tomato $
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro $
• 1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado $
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion $
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice $
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Nutritional Information:

Serving: 2 tacos 
(Totals include Avocado Salsa)

• Calories: 283
• Fat: 9.3g
• Saturated fat: 1.2g
• Protein: 20.4g
• Carbohydrate: 30g
• Fiber: 7.6g
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg
• Iron: 2.8mg
• Sodium: 792mg
• Calcium: 58mg

*Recipe taken from Cooking Light 

1. Hernández-Salazar M, Osorio-Diaz P, Loarca-Piña G et al. In vitro fermentability and antioxidant capacity of the indigestible fraction of cooked black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), lentils (Lens culinaris L.) and chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.). J Sci Food Agric. 2010 Jul;90(9):1417-22. 2010.

2. Saura-Calixto, F. & Goni, I. (2004). The intake of dietary indigestable fraction in the Spanish diet shows the limitations of dietary fiber data for nutritional studies. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 58(7), 1078-1082. shows the limitations of dietary fibre data for nutritional studies.

3. Zhou, Y., Tang, J., Wu, M., Lu, J., Wei, X., Qin, Y., Wang, C., & Xu, J. (2011). Effect of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 6(9), e25142.