So it seems that we are becoming a vegetarian family. We have all been heading that direction for a while, but it is becoming more formal now. I have said for some time that I am an "almost" vegetarian, just because I often don't like meat. Now I have children who are committed to the lifestyle, but we don't know anything about it. What nutritional concerns should we have? How do we maintain balance in our diet? Where do you find recipes? How many of my own recipes can I modify to be delicious and nutritious?
Well these are some of the questions we will begin to answer. I am eating vegetarian, but I am not ruling out fish and occasional meat, even though the kids are not eating any meat.
I have not been super successful in finding good recipes with variety and balanced nutrition. So that is part of my quest. Tonight I begin by adapting a recipe I created to see if it works no meat. Begin by sauteing a few cloves of garlic in olive oil. Then add 2 cups of sliced carrots and cook until soft and slightly caramelized. Add moisture be pouring a cup or so of vegetable broth. Add a cup or two of chopped onions. When they Are warm add two cups of chopped celery and two cups of chopped green peppers. Cook until all vegetables have softened most of the way. At that point pour in two cups of cooked brown rice. Fill the pan with broth to cover the rice and let simmer for 15 minutes or so. Once you have completed the simmer add a cup of savory BBQ sauce (you don't want a sweet sauce, I prefer KC Masterpiece or Cattlemans). The final ingredient is adobo sauce. You can purchase chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a can in the Hispanic section of the store. You neednto prepare it by putting it in a food chopper or blender and make it into a paste. You will want to add to your taste. We like pretty spicy foods so I generally use about two tablespoons per batch. I would recommend starting with a couple teaspoons to one tablespoon and then add more to taste.
So what is the change or adaptation? I usually use beef broth and add a pound of ground beef or turkey. So I am going all veggie! Let's see how it goes!
The thought for the day: This is a lifestyle change and those are hard. Will we make it? Why are those changes so difficult? What are the barriers to making positive changes in life that will ultimately lead to happier, healthier living?
