Meatless Monday

Happy Monday everyone.  I hope that you all enjoyed your weekend and your Mother's Day! Well, it's Monday again, so what do I have up my sleeve today?

The most common question I get asked about being vegetarian is "How do you get enough protein?"  It is quite funny to me that people automatically question my eating habits, which are usually, WAY healthier than the person asking. Sometimes, I feel like being cheeky and responding "How do you get your fiber, Vitamin B, C, etc.?"  But of course, I am a lady of etiquette, so I would never be so intrusive! The reality is, most American get WAY more protein than needed. Why?  Because our country's biggest farms produce- Meat & Dairy.  So of course they would like us to eat a lot more protein. But what most people really are lacking is one of the most important nutrients--Fiber! And where can you absolutely NOT get fiber from? Meat and Dairy!  


Dietary Fiber is ONLY found in plant-based foods. 


Here is why fiber is SO important: 
{1} Fiber lowers the risk of developing many diseases and conditions that can put your life in danger - heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and certain cancers.
{2} Fiber can help lower cholesterol by absorbing fat and cholesterol from food. 
{3} Not only does fiber prevent fat absorption, it also helps you feel fuller longer. Filling up on high-fiber foods means you'll have less room for high-fat and highly caloric low-fiber foods. 
{4} Some researchers have calculated that if Americans doubled their intake of fiber, they could cut 100 calories from their daily diet - which could shave off 10 pounds of yearly weight gain.
{5} Fiber helps with intestinal health and regularity.


So, for today's Meatless Monday-- EAT MORE FIBER!  And I mean natural fiber (No fiber supplements!)- EAT fruits, vegetables, whole-grains (whole wheat breads  & pastas, brown rice, bran, oats), beans, seeds and nuts. Added Bonus- most of these will also give you protein! (FYI! :))
Enjoy!

Meatless Monday!

It's Monday again, and that means more health tips and less meat! (actually- NO meat!) Today, I have a fast and delicious dinner.  
Here's what you need:


4- Tilapia Fillets (I use the frozen ones from Costco, Target also makes a good one)
Tony's Creole seasoning
1- Can of Black Beans
1- Can of Diced Tomatoes
Smart Balance Cooking Oil
Israeli Pearl Couscous (Costco again!)
Sea Salt
Smart Balance Buttery Spread
Parsley (optional)
Fresh Vegetable of your choice- I go with broccoli


Tilapia:

• Thaw the tilapia according to package directions (Do nothing if fresh!)
• Preheat the oven according to package directions
• Fill the bottom of a glass baking dish with a thin layer of the cooking oil
• Coat the fillets on both sides with the Tony's seasoning (This is a bit hot- so use more or less depending on your tolerance for hot food)
• Place in baking dish
• Bake for 15 minutes
• Take fish out of oven and cover with drained & rinsed black beans & diced tomatoes (not drained!)
• Cook for an additional 15 minutes

Couscous

• Cook according to package directions
• Add SB Buttery spread, sea salt & parsley to taste

Vegetable- steamed 

Voila!!  Everyone that I have made this for has LOVED it. And it is SO easy to keep all items on hand and make a meal in 30 minutes! 

Health Tip: A plant-based diet revs your metabolism, causing you to burn calories 16% faster than you would on a non-plant-based diet for at least 3 hours after meals! 
Veganist, Kathy Freston

Meatless Monday- Lunch!

LUNCH!

And here is my much anticipated lunch!!

1- La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Tortillas (80 cal., 3g fat, 12g fiber, 8 g protein)

Sabra Hummus- any flavor! (I used pine nut, but garlic is also yummy!)

Del Destino fire roasted red peppers (rinsed & sliced)

Black Olives (rinsed & sliced)

Spinach (I was actually out of spinach today- gasp!)

cantaloupe slices

ALL items were purchased from my favorite- Costco. Next Monday- Dinner!

Enjoy!

p.s. I rinsed the peppers and olives to cut down on sodium!

Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative by The National Meatless Monday Campaign partnered with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future. 

They provide information and recipes needed to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives. The goal is to help people reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet.  Meatless Monday is just that- NO meat all day on Mondays, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I am inspired by the Meatless Monday idea to share recipes and meal ideas for anyone who wants to try being vegetarian, just for a day!  


For breakfast I will have my usual:

3/4 cup slow-cook oatmeal
1/4 cup blueberries (I use frozen, helps cool it down, too!)
a handful chopped walnuts 
cinnamon
coffee!


Health Tip:
You can cut your chance of cancer by 40%, heart disease by 50% and Type 2 diabetes by 60% by switching to a whole foods, vegetarian diet!
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine


Check back later for lunch!