Last Class - Shirley's Apple Salad

We're getting economical now with directions. Do the obvious with the following:

2 apples
1 cup wheat berries, cooked in 1 1/2 cup water for 1 hour
3 scallions
parsley, coarsely chopped
diced fennel
1/2 cup raisin or currants
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
dressing - olive oil, red wine vinegar, juice of 1 lemon

Last Class

The final round-up: Everyone's bringing something for a potluck vegetarian lunch.

Here's Ruth's dish:

Beans and Rice with Polenta OR Gazintas and Gozontas

Layer the bottom of a baking pan with rice and quinoa (or similar)
Put a layer of this mixture over the rice: beans, sautéed onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, black olives, ground cumin, chilli powder, chopped tomatoes, and salsa (or whatever you like).
Then put a layer of shredded cheese (cheddar, provelone, parmesean, mozzarella all good choices) over the vegetable mixture.
Finally, slice a polenta log and layer that on top with some more cheese. Then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so.
May be served with sour cream, salsa, guacamole or nothing.

So easy, and yet seems to be well-liked by all.

What's Next

I've asked seminar members to write down their thoughts about the seminar. Here's what Kathy Hazen says:

1) what if anything I learned about vegetarian cooking

It can be a lot more work than ordinary cooking, cutting up umpteen vegetables for instance, and take more time to cook some whole grains. But it’s worth the effort. Most vegetarian dishes taste great.


2) why I think it's important to eat a vegetarian meal now and then (assuming I do think so).
I think it’s important to eat most meals as vegetarian, making sure you get enough protein. By vegetarian, I mean cutting out red meat, keeping in fish, eggs, dairy products.


3) what I expect and hope to do in the future with respect to eating less meat.

Just that. Eat less meat. Make other things the central point of a meal.


4) what I would be willing to give up eating, and why.


I’m not willing to give up anything completely, not even beef. Except the fast food joints, MacDonalds, places like that—and I gave them up years ago. I believe it is healthy to eat a wide variety of foods, and not overdo anything.


5)anything else you would like to say on the subject of a "once-a-week vegetarian" eating habit.
 
This seminar has been a lot of fun, more people should try it—they would like it. Also, we should do a lot more experimenting with a broad range of spices and other exotic foods that place little emphasis on meat as an ingredient. For example Japanese, Thai, and Indian cuisines, and also the Mediterranean diet.

Seventh Class. Hmmm... good. That's What Kathy's Soups Are

This is her version of a soup she tasted at River Valley Market

Coconut Yam Curry Soup
Yield- 1 gallon

2 cups diced yellow onion
2 cups peeled diced carrots (I used 2 pounds of organic carrots because I like carrots)
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. minced garlic (more or less to taste)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
this part can be done ahead, and I would add the curry spices here (see cooking directions below)

5 pounds peeled and diced sweet potatoes I used only 3 lbs and boiled these to make them easier to peel and less wasteful as they were organic and very uneven etc. .

2 quarts vegetable stock or water I used water because I didn’t want to transport a half gallon of stock

1 12 oz can coconut milk (don’t use the ‘light’ kind, not enough flavor)
1 Tbsp. curry powder (I used Madras curry with a little extra turmeric)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste (I didn’t use any salt at all)

- Sweat the onion, carrot, ginger and garlic with olive oil and a bit of salt until the onions are translucent
- Add tomatoes and stir
- Add sweet potatoes and vegetable stock- the stock should just cover everything in the pot
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft
- Add coconut milk and curry, more salt too, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes (I followed these directions and think it would have tasted better if I had added the curry at the beginning and let it mellow overnight.)
- Adjust seasonings and it's ready to go
- You can also puree this for a smooth soup (It’s prettier pureed)
- You can substitute pumpkin puree for the sweet potatoes as well. (Haven’t tried this yet.)

Notes: a couple of days later the flavor had mellowed nicely, and I served the curry over white rice and I thought it tasted much better.

Sixth Class - Fannie Farmer comes for lunch

Shirley chose these recipes from a 2003 edition of the famous Fannie Farmer cookbook

Mushroom Potato Casserole

1 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup chopped parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. salt; pepper to taste
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
½ pound onions, sliced

grease a 11 x 14 baking dish;
mix until smooth the ricotta, parsley, garlic, thyme and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
place the potatoes in the bottom layer
spread the ricotta mix over the potatoes
top with mix of onions and mushrooms
sprinkle top with the remaining cup of Monterey Jack cheese
bake 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven


Hot Slaw

1 pound cabbage
2 egg yolks
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. butter
¼ cup vinegar
salt

shred the cabbage
mix the egg yolks, water, butter and vinegar in a large pan and cook slowly until thickened
add the cabbage and stir to coat
add salt and heat through

How About the Rest of the Week?

I think by now we've internalized the central theme of this class – eating meatless meals one day a week. And that means no meat, poultry, fish or seafood. But what of the other six days?

Our seminar discussions have included some “true confessions” - the hamburger we enjoyed on Tuesday, a chicken tenderloin or slice of bacon last Saturday. That's okay – we're not trying to go cold turkey on animal protein. Nonetheless, we find that by design or chance, we are all eating less meat on those other six days. Healthy food patterns are always of interest, of course, and we recognize the need as we grow older for more conscious attention to what we put in our mouths. Many of us are finding that large servings of red meat in particular are almost indigestible and are becoming less attractive than they used to.

There has been talk of what is commonly known as the “Mediterranean diet”, a style of eating attributed to the traditional food practices of countries bordering on the mediterranean sea. Of course the climate and proximity to salt water dictate much of what is available and affordable. Health researchers in the USA have studied this diet and find it beneficial. What exactly is it?

There are variations of course, but basically the mediterranean diet is quite simple. The Mayo Clinic describes it as including a heavy reliance on fruits and vegetables, consumption of healthy fats such as olive and canola oils, the use of nuts, regular consumption of fish, along with eating very little red meat. For those who drink alcohol, red wine is also included (in moderation of course). This pattern of eating has been associated with lowered risk of death from heart disease and cancer. And a study cited by the Archives of Neurology points to a lower risk for mental decline for those on a mediterranean diet.

The British Medical Journal published the results of a study following over 13,000 healthy adults which compared their degree of adherence to a mediterranean diet with the incidence of diabetes and concluded that such a diet may indeed cut diabetes risk.

The Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust has devised a variation on the usual food pyramid, calling it the Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. The foundation of the pyramid is daily physical activity. The next largest building block, also a daily requirement, is a group of foods with bread, pasta, rice, couscous, polenta, and other whole grains and potatoes. Other groups to be consumed daily include fruits, beans, legumes, nuts and vegetables. Smaller blocks of the pyramid, to be enjoyed weekly are fish, poultry eggs and sweets. Meat appears at the top of the pyramid as a once-a-month food group.

(Ironically, while Americans have been quick to pick up on the benefits of this diet, the populations originally associated with it seem to be deserting their traditional food practices in favor of the sugary drinks and fast foods usually thought of as American. An article in the New York Times, 9/24/2008, describes the increasing incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol among children in a small town in Crete who have adopted these less nutritious foods while turning their backs on what their parents and grandparents were used to eating. Obesity seems to be growing along with the rise of supermarkets and convenience foods.)


With the promise of Spring coming we can anticipate the rebirth of local farmers' markets, fresh produce from nearby fields and lovely vegetables that have never been subjected to transcontinental travel. In 2007 there were 1,586 farms in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, according to an article in the Springfield Republican of 3/9/2009. Anchovies and olive oil unfortunately will never be local products, but many other “mediterranean” foods will be readily available - the fruits of labor from our farmer/neighbors who will bring delight to our tables seven days a week.

Mostly Plants

Here we are – halfway through our 10-week seminar. It's time to look back and admire our accomplishments. The premise of the seminar “Once-a-week Vegetarian” was that we could all benefit from eating a meat-less diet one day out of seven. And even more, our planet would benefit. We'd like to set an example for others – sharing with them our learning about vegetarian living and how easy it is to prepare meals based almost exclusively on plants. I'm reminded of an old advertising jingle which goes, “delicious, nutritious, makes you feel ambitious”. We've enjoyed our lunches and have felt well- fed, physically, and spiritually.

The class has had conversations about the detrimental impact that commercial meat production has on the environment. For example, calculations of greenhouse gases attributed to the total life cycle of beef consumption – raising the animal, slaughtering, transporting, and eating it – attest to the unsustainability of meat consumption at its current rate. And we are reading about world-wide trends toward increased meat production as countries like China with huge populations move away from their traditional diets and adopt a “western diet.”

While reasons for following a vegetarian diet vary from person to person and can be about choices that effect only the individual, the environmental implications of my meat-eating, and your meat-eating go beyond the personal. This is an issue that will effect everyone.

The motto for the seminar was taken from Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food:

Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.

So how are we doing? Looking back at our five weeks of vegetarian lunches, I list the following plant foods that we have used:

tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, peas, asparagus, carrots, spinach, pasta, quinoa, couscous, polenta, tortillas, wheat berries, tofu, mushrooms, oranges, avocados, cranberries, pistachios and pine nuts, parsley, cilantro, red and yellow onion, shallots, scallions, black beans, olives, millet, brown rice, lentils, barley, apples, blueberries, walnuts, peaches, bulgur .... I'm sure I've left some out.

The animal-based foods we've had to date: eggs, cow's milk, parmesan and ricotta cheese, honey.

Doesn't this make your mouth water?. You can join us without being a member of the seminar by reading through the rest of this blog. Try some of the recipes, read a few of the suggested articles. Read Michael Pollan's book , mentioned above, or Mark Bittman's new book Food Matters. You don't need a vegetarian cook-book as such although there are a lot of good ones. If you're an experienced cook, you can put into practice vegetarian cooking principles without reference to a recipe. We're not suggesting a radical change in your lifestyle. Remember, our aim is once -a- week, eat plants, not animals. The globe will thank you for it.

Fifth Class --Charlie's Serving Breakfast!

The once-a-week vegetarian needs to think about the whole day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now we have some vegetarian dishes suitable for breakfast to look forward to this week. Here are Charlie's recipes.

Recipes – Charlie March 12, 2009
Burritos
2 cups beans (black)
1 cup brown rice
4 (large) whole wheat tortillas
2 > 4 cups salad greens
2 cups salsa
Cook rice (45 minutes +/-), warm beans (nuke 25 seconds), warm tortillas, 300 3-5 minutes
Serves four

Breakfast bread pudding
3 eggs
1 cup (whole) milk
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon cardamom (or cinnamon)
Pinch salt
4 medium large apples, cured, pealed
1/ 2 cup cranberry raisins (raisins)
1/ 2 cup blueberries
1/ 2 chopped walnuts
8 slices whole grain bread, 1 inch cubes, 3 cups
Beat eggs, milk, honey, cardamom and salt; stir apples, cranraisins & nuts
Bread cubes in 8” square dish, let sit, soak 20 minutes
Bake in oven 350, 40 to 50 minutes, allow 10 > 20 minutes to sit, before cutting
Serves four

Peach Salsa
3 firm peaches
1 tablespoon – lemon juice (or one lemon)
2 medium ripe tomatoes
6 scallions
1 tablespoon canned jalapeno peppers, chopped (alternative)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro
1/ 4 cup high quality olive oil
6 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Put peaches in boiling water for moment or two, then peel skins, cut in half, remove pits, cut into thin
strips
Skin tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, cover for five minutes and remove skin; peel and cut
into long strips
Gently mix peaches, tomatoes, scallions, pepper and cilantro
Whisk oil, vinegar and honey; then pour over the other ingredients; leave salsa for 30 minutes

Omega-3 follow-up

Having read about plant sources for omega-3 fatty acids, a necessary nutrient, I was curious to try flaxseeds. I found a large package (about a pound) for a few dollars at a local store which were described as golden roasted flaxseeds. During our class we tried a few and decided the taste is similar to popcorn. Not noticeably greasy and quite tasty. Flaxseeds are high in omega-3's and another useful nutrient, lignan. You can easily find more about flaxseeds from many sources on the web if you're interested.

This morning I made french toast with a sourdough multigrain bread that already had its own seeds and sprinkled about a half-teaspoon's worth of flaxseed on one side. It added crunch and flavor to an already crunchy experience. Let me know if you've tried flaxseeds or flaxseed oil and what you thought.

Catch-up (no, not the tomato stuff)

I neglected to post the recipes from Class 1 on the blog. Here they are:

Recipes for February 12 both from The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by
Robin Robertson


Couscous with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries


2 tablespoons olive oil 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add
2 large shallots, minced the shallots, cover, and cook, stirring a few times,
2 cups quick-cooking couscous until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the couscous
½ cup dried cranberries and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the cranberries
3 cups vegetable stock, brought to a boil and hot stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to
½ tsp ground cardamom low, stir in the cardamom and cayenne and season to
1/8 tsp cayenne taste with salt. Cover and cook until the water is
salt absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes.
½ cups pistachio nuts 2.Remove from the heat, stir in the nuts and parsley and
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley serve. Serves 6-8


Savoury Vegetable Bread Pudding

1 pound spinach, tough stems removed and washed well, or one 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
1 pound soft tofu, crumbled
2 cups regular or soy milk
1 ½ tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp minced fresh marjoram leaves or ½ tsp dried
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese or soy mozzarella, shredded
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into thick slices.

1)Lightly steam the spinach, or cook the frozen spinach. Drain well and squeeze dry. Set aside.
2)Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook, stirring a few
times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook, uncovered until the mushrooms release their liquid and it begins to evaporate, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and set aside.
3) In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, milk, mustard, marjoram, nutmeg and salt and
pepper to taste and process until smooth. Stir this into the vegetable mixture, along with the
cheese.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Arrange the bread slices in the dish. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread, using a fork to distribute the vegetables evenly. Let soak a minimum of 20 minutes.
Bake the pudding for 30 mins. Then increase temperature to 400 degres and bake 10 minutes more, about 10 mins. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8

Week 4 - Bobbye's lunch

Fruit and Nut Tabouli

1 cup bulgur
2 ¼ cups boiling water
2 seedless oranges*
¼ cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup minced onion
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 ½ cups chopped parsley
½ cup chopped mint
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
¼ cup currants**
½ teaspoon salt, or more, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

* I used 4 clementines
** I used golden raisins

Put the bulgur in a medium bowl. Pour boiling water over. Cover the bowl, and let the bulgur sit for 20 minutes. Drain

Meanwhile, section the oranges. Cut the sections in half, and add to the bulgur. Then add lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, onion, cucumber, parsley, mint, walnuts, and currants, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the tabouli at room temperature or warm.


Curried Lentil Stew

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 pinches ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rounds
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1¼ cup water
½ cup dried brown lentils
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ cup sherry
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add carrot and potato, then water and lentils. Cover the pan, and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sherry, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 5 -10 minutes more, until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Serve the stew over mounds of millet or rice. Garnish with the cilantro.

Crumbs

Having concluded our third class out of a series of ten, it's time to start sweeping up some crumbs that have been left on the table – questions and minor issues that have come out of our discussions.

Kathy asked about omega-3 fatty acids and questioned whether a diet that never includes fish will provide adequate levels. My research turned up an article provided by the Harvard School of Public Health on-line: www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/omega-3.

The type of omega-3 fatty acid of primary concern is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which needs to be consumed every day as the body cannot manufacture it. Vegetarian sources include soybeans, canola oil, flaxseed and walnuts, some green vegetables like brussels sprouts, kale and spinach. In our discussions, I remind us all that the once-a-week vegetarian need not be overly concerned with compensating for important nutrients normally consumed with an animal-based diet, because, as the title says, we are (at this point) aiming for a 1/7th vegetarian diet. Whether or not individuals take further steps to reduce their animal consumption is up to them.

Another related question is how to get enough protein if you're not eating meat. We know that many plant-based foods contain protein and there is plenty of information available to give amounts for commonly consumed vegetables. The Institute of Medicine recommends about 64 grams of protein per day for a 160 pound adult. Their formula is a minimum of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight – you do the math!!

Ruth's quinoa dish got rave reviews. If you didn't already know about quinoa, this was a great introduction. An article in the New York Times last November (Martha Rose Shulman, 11/2/08) tells us that quinoa contains all the essential amino acids and as such is a superior source for protein compared to other grains. If you buy quinoa, check to see if it has been pre-washed; otherwise soak and rinse it before cooking as it has a bitter coating (to protect it from birds – isn't nature smart?).

Third Class - Here's What Ruth is Feeding Us

Recipes from Ruth Wade

Red Quinoa Salad

2 cups red quinoa
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup golden raisins
2 teas. orange zest
1 cup scallions, sliced
¼ teas. ground cumin
½ cup brown rice vinegar
½ cup orange juice
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

Rinse quinoa until it runs clear, bring vegetable broth to a boil, add the quinoa. Reduce heat to low and simmer the quinoa, covered for 20-25 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Once the quinoa is cooled, add raisins, orange zest, scallions, cumin, vinegar, orange juice and chopped cucumber. Toss everything gently and serve chilled (but not cold).


Pesto Primavera

1 cup water
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. instant vegetable bouillon cubes, slightly crushed
1Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
8 oz. fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium carrots, very thinly bias-sliced (1 cup)
6 oz. pea pods, halved
2/3 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup snipped fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 1 ½ tsp dried basil, crushed
¼ tsp pepper
6 oz linguine or other pasta, cooked (2 ½ cups)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, stir together water, cornstarch, and bouillon granules; set aside. Preheat a wok over medium-high heat; add oil. Stir-fry garlic for 15 seconds. Add asparagus and carrots, stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes more. Add pea pods, nuts, parsley, basil, and pepper. Stir-fry about 1 minute more or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetable mixture from wok.
Stir cornstarch mixture; add to wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Return vegetable mixture to wok; toss to coat. Heat through. Spoon vegetable mixture atop pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Second Class

Gazintas and Gazontas


The dishes we enjoyed at our second class do not have recipes as such. I “created” them based on a simple principle of piling a variety of ingredients on top of some basic foundational food (that's the “gazontas” - foods that go on top – the “gazintas” are what goes in.).

The salad starts with wheat berries (from Whole foods) – 2 cups – which were slowly boiled with water to cover for about 45 minutes. (There were no gazintas - just water and wheat)
Watch carefully so they don't dry out. Add water as necessary, and test a few wheat berries to determine if the consistency is what you'd like. They should have some resistance to the teeth, but not enough to cause dental damage. I cooked them the day before so they were cool to start with. Additional ingredients (the gazontas) were red onion, avocado, dried cherries, parsley, raspberry vinaigrette and a sprinkling of pine nuts. The pine nuts had been toasted in a dry frying pan to bring out the flavor and aroma. Be careful not to let them burn.

The hot dish was polenta which was cooked in vegetarian broth. I used 1 cup of dried polenta meal (again from Whole Foods) and 4 cups of broth. I heated 3 cups of the broth and stirred the polenta into one cupful cold broth to make a “slurry” which was then slowly added to the hot broth. The idea is to prevent the polenta from clumping. (I think I was successful with this). Another gazinta was about a teaspoon of butter (more would have been even better). The polenta cooked up rather quickly and was poured into a round cake tin to set while I made the tomato topping.

The tomato-based sauce started with a small amount of chopped shallots sauteed in olive oil. Then chopped red pepper, a can of (rinsed) ready-cooked black beans, a large can of diced tomatoes, a handful of chopped black olives, cumin, adobe chili powder and some oregano were added (amounts to taste). This all simmered together for ten or so minutes and then was set out to be spooned on top of wedges of polenta. Extra “gazontas” were chopped cilantro, chopped jalopeno pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Other ideas for ingredients in the polenta are diced reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, shredded spinach, shredded pimentos, parmesan cheese. Yummy.

The principle is easily applied to create many other dishes based on polenta, whole wheat pasta or some other staple food that can support the weight of the sauce. Other toppings could be braised greens like kale, spinach or chard with a dollop of balsamic vinegar and possibly nuts. Sauteed onions and mushrooms would be good, as would pureed squash with ginger, or green peas with celery, sauteed broccoli with shredded cheddar cheese. Alternative “gazontas” for the wheat berry salad could include cold beets with feta cheese, cherry tomatoes with basil and mozzarella cheese, cranberries and walnuts. Experiment with different salad dressings. You get the idea. Remember you're saving so much money by not buying meat you can splurge on the extras like pine nuts and cilantro.

Now it's Ruth's turn. I can't wait.

This looks tasty

The following recipe is similar to the couscous dish we had last week

The Nutrition Source
Whole Wheat Penne with Pistachio Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
Recipe courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America
Serves 4
8 ounces pistachios, unsalted, roasted, shelled (about 1½ cups)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup pecorino cheese, grated fresh (1 ounce)
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup silken tofu, reduced-fat (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole wheat penne pasta, hot, cooked (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup pasta cooking water, reserved
Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor and process until finely minced. Add tofu and lemon juice. Process until smooth. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute, and process until well blended. Reserve.
Combine penne, cherry tomatoes, and pesto in a large bowl; toss gently. Use pasta water to thin as needed.
Calories: 630 ⁄ Protein: 26 g ⁄ Carbohydrate: 62 g ⁄ Fiber: 14 g ⁄ Sodium: 270 mg
Saturated fat: 5 g ⁄ Polyunsaturated fat: 9 g ⁄ Monounsaturated fat: 19 g ⁄
Trans fat: 0 g ⁄ Cholesterol: 5 mg
Copyright © The Culinary Institute of America
web resources: Mayo clinic--- mayoclinic.com; meatless monday

Getting Started

Welcome Class
1/22/2008

I will be providing information and especially references to web sources for the benefit of the seminar participants. To get started, please read up on what's called "flexitarianism". Newsweek has an article entitled "Part-time vegetarians" which describes us, at least for the purposes of our seminar.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/161559

Another article on the same subject is found at http://www.greenallianceohio.org/pdf/9%2029%20flexitarian.pdf