Posts Tagged ‘Vegetarian’

A tower of polenta with vegetables and a creamy tomato coulis

Friday, February 19th, 2010

You can really make a meal magical by adding a coulis. Sauces bring any dish up to a new level of greatness by adding another layer of flavor. In this dish, there is a creamy tomato coulis. A Coulis is a form of thick sauce used from strained or pureed fruits and vegetables. They are great over meat and vegetables. Here, it provides the foundation on which the polenta and vegetables rest. Once you break into the tower and everything falls in the sauce, the result with fill your mouth with flavor.

polenta14

You can find polenta at your local grocery store. Polenta is pretty bland on its own. However, if you cut it into slices and grill it, the crispy outside and the creamy inside provides a perfect texture to so many dishes. Here, it is layered with cheese and vegetables.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW

Polenta and vegetable tower with a creamy tomato coulis:

Creamy tomato coulis:

3 C. tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce

˝  bottle beer

˝ tsp. thyme

2 Tbsp. cream cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauce pan, combine the tomato sauce and paste with the chili sauce. Mix well over medium heat. Add the beer and thyme. Allow to simmer for ten minutes to cook the alcohol out and leave the flavor in. Add the cream cheese and mix in until blended well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Form a layer on the bottom of the plate with this sauce.

Polenta and vegetable tower:

4 wooden skewers

1 package of polenta (in a tube), sliced

Tomatoes, sliced in half

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 C. mushrooms, sliced

1 C. onions, sliced

1 C. celery, chopped

1 C. peppers, sliced

4 slices of cheddar cheese.

A few sprigs of parsley

Grill the polenta for about ten minutes each side. For the last ten minutes, grill the tomatoes. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, pour in the olive oil. Sauté all of the vegetables until the onions become clear (about ten to fifteen minutes). Place four slices of cheese on four slices of polenta and let the cheese melt.

Place one slice of polenta on the sauce. Layer on the vegetables. Place another layer of polenta (with the cheese on top). Top that with a tomato half. Add another layer of vegetables. You will want to place the skewer into these to keep them from falling down. Add another polenta and you are finished. You can add a sprig of parsley on top to make it pretty.

You may also enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Food, Health, Nutrition, recipes | 1 Comment »

Vegan diet: hearty black bean soup

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

November is vegan month. There are many reasons why people choose to maintain a vegan diet. The obvious reason is to avoid killing another being for consumption when there are alternatives. Another is to eat a healthy low fat diet and avoiding the health risks associated with ingesting too much meat. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, legumes and fruit is beneficial to longevity. Shopping for a vegan diet is also cheaper. These reasons focus on the individual and their health, finances or values.

vegetables from my garden

vegetables from my garden

There is a bigger picture associated with eliminating meat and dairy from a diet: eating a vegan diet can help our planet. Even cutting down on meat and dairy consumption, people will lessen the harmful impact livestock production has on our environment.

a calf

a calf

Studies show, the consumption of meat has increased human being’s carbon footprint on Earth. Livestock eat grain which causes them to secrete methane into the atmosphere. The grain grown to feed these animals needs plenty of fertilizer. The fertilizer turns into nitrous oxide which is poisoning our water supply. Because we need so many fields of grain to accommodate our livestock, we have fewer forests. Forests are necessary to provide oxygen and keep our air clean. Here is a video with more information on the subject:

                                 

Of course, some people are still going to want to eat some meat. However, by cutting down and substituting a few vegan meals per week, we as individuals, can help the health of our planet. Furthermore, meat lovers will be surprised to find how easy it is to substitute vegan meals for the meaty alternatives. Here is a substitution for a meat filled chili.

Hearty black bean and vegetable soup
Serves 2
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stocks celery, chopped (with leaves)
1 carrot, chopped
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
˝2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
 tsp chili powder
˝ tsp paprika
˝ tsp cayenne
˝ tsp cumen
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. cilantro, chopped

Pour olive oil into a sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic for five minutes (until onions are clear and soft). Add the beans and tomatoes and mix. Add the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper. Let this simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Pour into bowls and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Food, garden, Health, Nutrition, recipes | No Comments »

A Healthy Vegetarian Diet

Monday, October 26th, 2009

If you are a vegetarian or are considering a meatless diet, there are several nutritional tips you should follow. You can meet the nutritional guidelines and still be a vegetarian. The key is to consume a variety of foods and make a plan. It is essential that people get the nutrients a body needs to function properly. Vegetarians run the risk of being deficient in the following sources of nutrition:

Protein: Taking the meat out of a diet means getting rid of a lot of protein. Protein is essential for healthy skin, bones, muscles, and organs. Vegetarians can replace the loss of meat protein with eggs and dairy. Vegetarians and Vegans can eat soy, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains to replace the protein in their diet. It is not a good idea to substitute meat protein with tons of high fat cheeses.

Calcium: This is necessary for strong teeth and bones. You can get calcium from low fat dairy products. Calcium is also found in dark green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli. You can find calcium fortified tofu, fortified soy milk and in fruit juices.  

Vitamin B12: This vitamin produces red blood cells and helps to prevent anemia. Vitamin B12 is found in milk, eggs and cheese. If you are Vegan, you will need a supplement.

Iron: This mineral is useful in the development of red blood cells. Some terrific sources of iron are found in beans, peas, lentils, cereal, whole grain, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit. It is necessary to assist the absorption of non animal sources of iron by combining these foods with food containing vitamin C. Good examples of foods with vitamin C are strawberries, citrus fruit, tomatoes, and cabbage. These must be eaten together with the high sources of iron.

Zinc: This mineral is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in the formation of proteins. You can get zinc by eating whole grains, soy, nuts, and wheat germ.

In addition to being certain you are not deficient in any of the above mentioned nutrients, you also have to pay attention to the amounts of different foods you intake. For example, you should eat eggs and sweets weekly. You should eat nuts and seeds, egg whites, soy and dairy, and plant oils daily. Finally, you should eat fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and beans with every meal. If you follow these guidelines, you should be a very healthy vegetarian.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Food, Health | No Comments »