Seasons eatings!
I have always wanted to say that for some reason. I know its lame and I don't know why I felt compelled to do it today but those are the privileges that accompany having your own blog. So take that haters.
With the new year, I am hoping to accomplish a few things with the blog.
First, I hope to post a lot more. I'm sure I am the only blogger in the world to say that. Hopefully my renewed zest will last longer than the noobs that are currently clogging up the gym.
B, I am hoping to post lots of recipes. I got 2 good veg cookbooks for Christmas and I am hoping to share the good and the bad with you. We also have a super shiny new Whole Foods in town so I can get some more exotic ingredients.
4, I want to provide more information about why eating fewer animals and animal products is good for your health, the environment, the animals, and global hunger. I am reading the China Study which has some great information that I will be sharing. I also found out that our local library pays for digital subscriptions to lots of magazines that you can read on your computer, iPad, Kindle, etc. So know I can read Vegetarian Times, Eating Well, and Natural Health free of charge. Def check to see if your library does the same.
So here's to the New Year. If all vegetarian is too much for you, try being a weekday vegetarian and limiting your meat eating to the weekends. It can make a big difference in how you feel. Beth and I started preparing are bodies for our trip to St. Thomas with a fresh berry salad and delicious lentil soup. Soup was warm and very filling and I got to use my smoked sea salt from Whole Foods which gave it some depth usually garnered from ham or bacon.
Spinach and Berry Salad - Family Sized
6 oz bag of baby spinach
Handful of fresh raspberries
Handful of fresh blackberries
Handful of dried cranberries
3 oz of feta cheese
handful of roasted sunflower seed kernels
balsamic dressing
Lentil Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion - finely diced
2 medium carrots - finely diced
2 celery stalks - finely diced
4 garlic cloves - minced (less or more to your taste)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp dry tarragon
1 tbsp dry parsley
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (careful if you are going vegan, lots of these have anchovies in them)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (I used honey dijon and it was fine)
2 cups of lentils (I used a tri-color mix from Whole Foods but any lentils will do)
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked salt (use more sea salt if you don't have smoked salt, might consider a dash of liquid smoke to give it some depth)
Tabasco and black pepper to taste
1. Saute the veg in the oil for about 7-8 minutes over medium high in a large pot. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 more minutes.
2. Drop in the tomato paste, herbs, Wor sauce, soy sauce, and mustard. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the lentils, broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30-35 minutes. When lentils are tender, hit it with as much or as little tabasco and black pepper as you like. Enjoy.
Thought You Should Know
At the beginning of the 20th century, the average American consumed 120 lbs of meat in a year. In 2007, the average was 222 lbs in a year.
