Meat? What Meat?

Today is one of those curl up on the couch and veg kind of days.  The sky is grey and gloomy.  The air is damp.  And it is c-o-l-d, cold.  Quite the contrast to last week’s 90 degree days.

  

I don’t mind days like these occasionally.  It feels great to put on a warm pair of fleece pants and a sweatshirt to just lounge around.  It kinda gives you a good excuse for being a little lazy 😉

I thought I’d dedicate this post to (hear me out before you ‘x’ out) meatless meals.

In past posts, I have described the benefits of going meatless for the environment,your health, and your wallet.  While I am not pushing anyone to give up meat, I want to provide a resource for those people who would like to reduce the amount of meat they consume, or for those who would like to become vegetarian.

A friend’s daughter has recently made the decision to go vegetarian.  We have had a few conversations about what she is eating, and how it’s hard to accommodate meat eaters and vegetarians under the same roof! 

For me, the first month of not eating meat was difficult.  It took a lot of research and cookbooks to find a meat free diet that was friendly for me and provided all of the necessary nutrients and vitamins.  I remember wishing there was a  go-to guide for vegetarian meal transformations.

So, here is a little table that lists meals with meat and how I make them meatless. 

 

Meat Meal	Go Meatless
Steak and potatoes	Marinade and grill portabella mushroom caps just as you would the steak.  The meatiness of portabellas make them wonderful replacements for most meat dishes.
Beef Tacos	Either find a veggie crumble like LightLife Original Smart Grounds and prepare filler as you would beef tacos. ~or~ Use black beans and brown rice cooked with part water, part salsa as a filler.  Sprinkle with cheese and top with sour cream.
Beef Burritos	Lightlife Original Smart Grounds work here also. ~or~ Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos. ~or~ Sautee mushrooms, green and red peppers, onions, and any other veggie fillers you like.
Burgers and Fries	Burgers Made from Real Veggies ~or~ Black Bean Burgers
Chicken or Steak Stir Fry	Dry Fry Tofu and add to rice and veggie mixture.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	Again ground crumbles work well here, but you could also try Veggie Spaghetti ~or~ Angela’s ‘Neat’ Sauce
Salads with chicken, beef, fish, etc.	Add beans such as garbanzo, kidney, or black.
Halupkies or Stuffed Peppers	Use Vegetarian Halupki filler.
Deli Sandwich	Stuff bread with hummus, sprouts, and your favorite veggies

 

This is just a very small list of possibilities.  I always keep portabella mushrooms, beans, tofu, frozen black bean burgers, Morning Star “Chik’n” Patties, and Morning Star Sausage Links handy as meat replacements.  Quinoa, bulgur, brown rice, spinach, and other leafy greens are also pantry staples in my kitchen.  By simply adding tons of grilled, sautéed or steamed veggies  you can transform any meal to a meatless masterpiece.

If you have any recipes you would like help transforming, please send an email at JenSanders52 at comcast dot net, and I’ll see what I can do 🙂

~Jen

Remember, Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be You!!!