Good morning and welcome to Meatless Monday’s…
Meatless Mondays here is just for scheduling purposes it can be any day and not just one day a week…I am gearing up for 2 days…
Food choices are very personal and learned behaviour can be very difficult to change… there is so much evidence now around our food choices that I believe it is vital for me and my family to make some changes…
Why you may well ask… we have a healthy diet anyway…but for a sustainable future not for me but for my kids and their kid’s action should be taken now…
The fact and it is fact that it will make us healthier makes it a no-brainer really…
How is introducing more plant-based meals going in your kitchen… Going well or meeting with some opposition?...
I am meeting opposition in my family they love their meat and are very resistant to change…they try what I make and generally like it BUT see it as just that…
This means I am going to have to rethink…I am going to be sneaky and am going to be using meat for flavour thus am gradually cutting down the meat I use in chilli for example and ramp up the vegetables…that part is easy as we are a family who loves all veg so if they see more mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and other vegetables they won’t think it’s strange.
I will use the same process when making burgers and meatballs by gradually making vegetables the biggest portion.
My mother always used to make a huge pot of soup/stew using a ham hock or a turkey leg she would add split peas, butter beans add potatoes, make dumplings or serve with freshly baked bread…when all my kids were young I used to do the same and they still talk about that big pot of deliciousness even now…
Pesto is a good one for me…as it can be used with your favourite pasta, topping for roasted vegetables, wrap/sandwich spread, or dip for veggies and crackers. Nutritious and delicious, this recipe is sure to be a Meatless Monday favourite.
100% plant-based it uses ingredients that are in my store cupboard…
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts, pan-toasted
- ¼ cup shelled, roasted, unsalted pistachios
- ¼ cup shelled hemp seeds(optional)
- 2-3 large garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp lime/lemon juice
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast flakes…this is a new one for me and so far so good they haven’t commented on this addition they just see as an additional flavouring…told you I was sneaky…lol
- ¾ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Cooks Tip: we love the zest of limes/lemons and for an extra zing I add a little zest…
Easy to make just blitz all of the above and enjoy!
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional Yeast is a versatile pantry staple that can be used in soups, salads, over popcorn(not tried that one) and even in noodle dough…it also happens to be vegan and replaces parmesan…when you are looking for a cheesy, nutty flavour, in a salad dressing perhaps, or to season roasted vegetables.
It has been around for a while and I have always passed it by in the grocery aisles…one the cost and two I didn’t know much about it…I now have my first packet and am exploring I think it goes a long way so maybe not as expensive as I originally thought.
Also called “Nooch” its structure means it can alter a food’s texture in addition to adding umami flavours.
Yeast geneticist Sudeep Agarwala, who’s a program director and biological engineer at Ginkgo Bioworks, explains, “We know how to control the yeast breathing, so inside of fermentation containers, it’s like a yeast yoga class. They’re all inhaling and all exhaling at the same time.”
Once the yeast matures, which can take up to two weeks depending on the amount of yeast and other factors, it’s heated, pasteurized, and dried, which kills it. (Eating active yeast results in dietary distress!) As its cells die, the proteins that made up its cells break down and amino acids like glutamic acid, which is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables, are released. It’s this glutamate that gives nutritional yeast its cheese-like umami flavour. (Nutritional yeast has no added monosodium glutamate or salt.)
The drying process toasts the yeast, which gives it a nutty flavour and leaves it in thin, flat shards, which are broken down into flakes or a powder and then packaged. Sealed airtight and kept in a cool, dark place, it can last up to two years.
As always I like to know everything about what I am using and so far it seems to be safe to use…This article explains some more about nutritional yeast
That’s all for today on my journey into eating more plant-based meals on a Meatless Monday……Thank you again to everyone who is suggesting recipes I will try them all…xx
Thank you for reading this post If you have enjoyed this post please leave a comment and any tips or recipes you want to share… I love to chat and share recipes…Love Carol xx
Retired? No one told me! 