Meatless Meal of the Week

Green is in. And for good reason. Green leafy vegetables offer a wealth of nutritional value including vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Unfortunately, many of us fail miserably when it comes to getting the USDA's minimum daily recommendation of 3 cups of dark green leafy vegetables per week.

Here's a delicious recipe that you can use to prepare just about any type of green. Kale, collard greens, Swiss chard can be prepared quickly and you don't have to wait until Sunday to have them.

Smoked Greens with Sauteed Onions
4 cups chopped greens (kale, Swiss chard, collards, etc.)
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sliced red onion
2 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 cups water
2 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tbsp. Spike all-purpose seasoning
1/2 packet vegetable bouillon
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil on medium to high heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender. Add greens and toss in oil until covered and slightly wilted.

Add water and remaining ingredients. Mix well and simmer on low to medium heat, about 20-30 minutes until greens are tender.

Enjoy!

Meatless Meal of the Week

Tis’ the season for comfort food. Who doesn’t love a big bowl of soup to warm and nourish the body and soul? Here’s a simple, hearty, protein-packed soup recipe that does just that.

Curried Lentil Soup

1 cup green lentils

3 cups water

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ cup diced carrots

½ cup diced red potatoes

2 tbsp. chopped garlic

¼ diced onions

2 tsps. Curry powder

1 tsp. Spike all-purpose seasoning

salt to taste

Rinse lentils. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes.  Saute until potatoes and carrots are tender.

 Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low-medium heat until lentils are tender. Do not overcook as lentils will become mushy.

 Enjoy!

Meatless Meal of the Week: The Meatless Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s true. But sometimes our choice of breakfast items can be so heavy that we have to fight all morning to stay awake after eating it.

Here’s one of my and my family’s weekend favorites. It’s an egg and sausage alternative that is light, healthy and goes great with pancakes, home fries, toast or fruit. And you won’t waste your whole morning in bed.

Scramble Tofu

1 package of extra firm tofu

2 tbsp. chopped green bell peppers

2 tbsp. chopped red bell peppers

2 tbsp. chopped onions

½ cup cooked veggie sausage crumbles

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ tbsp. Spike all-purpose seasoning

2 tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. curry powder

Drain and crumble tofu into bite-sized pieces into medium sized bowl. Set aside.

Heat olive oil. Saute peppers and onions in oil until tender. Add tofu and remaining ingredients and fold together thoroughly. Serve warm. 

Meatless Meal of the Week: 3 Steps to the Perfect Tofu

There’s nothing worse than a bad tofu experience. No one likes to bite into a tasteless, watery, mushy food that isn’t supposed to be that way. It’s enough to turn you away from the healthy, protein-packed food forever. But here are three steps to preparing tofu that will make even the most loyal meat eater smack his lips.

1.   Freeze it: When unpacking your groceries, put the tofu container in the freezer and like meat, thaw it at room temperature several hours before cooking. Freezing tofu changes its texture dramatically, making it more dense and preventing it from falling apart when cutting.

2.    Squeeze it: This is a very important step in preparing tofu. Removing all water is essential in reducing the mushy consistency. Cut along the edges of the container, being careful not to cut into the tofu block. Once open, turn the tofu block over into two doubled paper towels. Gently press tofu, squeezing out excess water. Repeat this process with new paper towels, 2 or 3 times, to ensure all water is removed.

3.   Spice it up: Tofu has no taste until you add it. Be adventurous and add any spice you fancy. But go easy on the salt, as too much salt on anything isn’t good. In other words, treat it like chicken when it comes to seasoning.

Happy eating!

The Soapbox: Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

"I want to make a dent in the universe."-Steve Jobs

A few weeks ago, I got up early on a Saturday morning to take my daughter to one of the many activities she's involved in. As we rushed down a chilly downtown street to the building where the meeting was being held, my youngest daughter noticed a group of tents in a parking lot. "Mama! Can we go over there? I want to go camping, too," she exclaimed.

I glanced over and noticed a sign flapping in the breeze: "Occupy Dallas". I suddenly felt a wave of excitement. It was very quiet, before 9 a.m., and it didn't seem the protesters had awakened yet. Nonetheless, I was excited and proud to see that the movement even existed in the conservative state of Texas. I wanted to rush over and be a part of the movement that I felt was thousands of miles away on the east and far west coasts. But the ticking clock and presence of the children wouldn't allow me.

Since then, the Occupy movement has picked up steam and caused quite a stir. Some protests have gotten quite violent while many remain peaceful. Although the Occupy movement is still in its beginning stages, it has had a profound affect on this country, much like the civil rights movement. Because of these protests, banks have rescinded on their plans to charge people to use their debit cards. Also, Occupy Wall Street has given rise to other protests such as Occupy Rooftops (advocating the use of solar power). Needless to say, many citizens are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Sick of complacency, tired of being victims, sick of feeling taken advantage of by banks and politicians, tired of feeling powerless.

As I watched the video below, I felt inspired. This movement has the potential to make a dent in the universe. It made me think: since I can't physically be a part of the Occupy movement, how can I make a difference in what I feel is important to this world?

Recycling. Water conservation. Composting. Saving energy. Preserving our rivers and streams. Buying local. Buying organic. Carpooling. Driving as little as possible. And teaching my children how all of these things will one day impact their world. I want to make a dent in the universe. So I will Occupy Earth by honoring and respecting it in every way that I can. What are you sick and tired of?

Eat right, exercise, die anyway

As I drove through traffic last week to pick up my daughter from school, I saw a van in the lane to my right. It's bumper sticker read, "Eat right, exercise, die anyway." It was a great laugh in the middle of a busy day. As I think about it, I still chuckle inside. But when I really think about the logic behind it, I realize that many people feel this way. I've had plenty of friends and family members who make that same observation in our conversation about health. The conversation usually begins at a holiday gathering or any gathering with food. When folks who don't know me see me and my children's plates filled with fruits, vegetables and sometimes meat alternatives, I'm asked the infamous question: "You don't eat meat? Why?" I admit that a vegetarian living in the BBQ capital of the U.S. is a rarity. But add to that a Black vegetarian, and I might as well be an alien landing in the middle of downtown Dallas in broad daylight.

As I ponder that bumper sticker, it's easy to agree with it at first. Why bother with the hassle of buying organic, cutting out tasty traditions, and sweating out your hair on a treadmill? It can be a lot. And we all have to die sometimes. But it's still all worth it. Better quality of life is the benefit. I think of it this way: If I'm going to die, I don't want to die from something that I could have changed or prevented. And having children makes me realize that I'm no longer living just for me.

I have the energy to handle my babies and my job without aching at the end of the day. I can do more push ups than some 12 year-olds (I was a substitute P.E. teacher at a middle school once.) I can climb 3 flights of stairs carrying a car full of groceries to my home without having to stop. I can do an hour step routine with my daughter and not pass out. And I can cradle my 9 year-old in my arms and place her in her bed when she falls asleep on the couch on Saturday night. So I proudly banish the pork, beef, chicken. I'll happily eat right, exercise and yes, die anyway. But my life is so much sweeter.

Earth Day: Another Useless Day on the Calendar?

As I look at the calendar sometimes, I wonder just how some observances got their own special days in the first place. There are days for ground hogs and fools. What is the criteria for getting a day and what are we celebrating?

A little history about Earth Day. If you didn't know, Earth Day was started April 22, 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, focusing on helping the environment in the U.S. It is now celebrated in more than 175 countries globally.

But despite its growth, I don't think enough people take Earth Day very seriously. With the odd changes in the environment and some of the most powerful storms many have seen in their lifetimes, who wouldn't? And although some environmental changes are completely natural, it is safe to say that we humans have and continue to take advantage of what the planet offers us, throwing it off of its delicate balance and doing very little to change our habits.

I went to a grocery store today to pick up a few items and decided to ask what the store was doing to acknowledge Earth Day. I assumed there would be a grand event because this unidentified store is the largest, most profitable natural grocer in America (WF (clearing my throat)). My jaw dropped when not one employee had an answer to my question. Granted this store does do more for the earth than the average grocery store. But if it weren't for Earth Day, would these kinds of stores even exist?

Should the earth occupy a space on our calendar? I'd say yes, but Earth Day should last beyond 24 hours. It should be a lifestyle, part of everyone's everyday life. If you don't recycle, start now. Encourage family and friends to do so. And most importantly, teach our children about helping to preserve our planet. Go online to find a wealth of information on how to live in unison with the environment. Make every day Earth Day.