Meatless Monday

     

     I'm excited to participate for the first time in the Meatless Monday blog hop, hosted by Stephanie at The Recipe Renovator  If you haven't heard about Meatless Monday, you can get the low-down here. Yesterday, I made the official pledge on the MM website to go meatless one day per week. I have made this choice because I want to do something that is helpful to our planet, our animal friends, and my own body. Something about the pledge energizes me, I love knowing that this simple act of going meatless for one day per week will make such an important difference; and imagine if I go meatless even more days per week than that. I often do, so that is making an even bigger difference. Yay for a healthy planet, healthy body, and happy animals!

     For some it might seem hard to wrap their heads around making a balanced meatless meal. It's really not hard at all though, I find that tossing some beans, nuts, or tofu into a dish is an easy way to meet protein needs. Not only that, but I have read several reports that a healthy plant based diet with plenty of whole grains actually provides all the necessary protein requirements.

     Below is a recipe that is super easy, quite cheap, and can easily be "beefed" up (bad pun) by tossing in some beans or nuts, both would be nice additions.

Easy Spinach Spiral with Tomatoes and Chard

1 lb. Spinach spiral pasta

1 bunch Swiss Chard

1-2 mid sized tomatoes

2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

1. Prepare pasta, set aside.
2. Coarsely chop chard. Slice tomatoes into chunks and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chard and saute until just wilted and tender.
4. When chard is nearly done, toss tomatoes in just until heated but still nice and fresh.
5. Add salt and pepper then toss veggies in with pasta.

Serve immediately as a side to a salad and/or meat substitute, or as a main dish tossed with slivered almonds, or garbonzo or white beans.

See, wasn't that easy?

Bon Appetit!

Tamar