Tuesday's Q & A in Lafayette LA - 8/26/14

If most everyone in your family in Lafayette LA is a meat-lover, then chances are you have never given a thought to providing your family a purely plant-based dinner at least once/week. Well, what if I gave you 5 reasons to help you consider cutting back on meat-based dinners slightly during the week? And I don't mean "buy a box of frozen veggie burgers"! I mean fire up the pit, plug-in the George Forman or pre-heat your grill pan because this week's recipes are plant based grilled dinner ideas.

The first GREAT reason to limit the amount of poultry, pork or beef you consume during the week reduces your risk for heart disease (which is still the number-one killer of women!) "Fatty red meats and many processed meats are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases risk of coronary heart disease," says Dr. Rachel K. Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and professor of Nutrition and Medicine at the University of Vermont. Studies, including one of more than 500,000 people published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, have shown that eating high quantities of these meats (e.g. a small steak every day) also increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The second excellent reason, scary or not is CANCER. It's becoming increasingly clear that a meat-cancer connection exists. In one study of more than 35,000 women published in the British Journal of Cancer, those who ate the most red and processed meat were found to have the highest risk of breast cancer. Other research has linked meat consumption to colon, prostate, pancreatic, and gastric cancers as well. One theory, according to non-profit group: The Cancer Project, is that foods with high levels of fat artificially boost the hormones that promote cancer (I'm here to tell you that not one of us needs to boost cancer promoting hormones, folks!)

The third reason is for environmental protection. Eating a plant-based meal for lunch instead of a burger saves 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 133 gallons of water, and 24 square feet of land, according to the people over at the PB&J Campaign. They've calculated that in just three lunches, you'll have saved more water than you'll save by switching to a low-flow shower head! Crazy! I think we all can do a better job of protecting our resources for the generations that follow.

The fourth awesome reason is: WEIGHT LOSS in Lafayette. Sure, subbing a veggie burger for a hamburger is a no-brainer way to save a lot of calories. But the meat-weight relationship goes beyond calorie math. A large-scale 2010 study from Imperial College London found that those who ate about 250 grams a day (the size of one half-pound steak) of red meat, poultry, or processed meat gained more weight over five years than those who ate less meat, even if they consumed the same amount of calories overall. Everyone likes to tease vegetarians that they are too skinny, but in reality - they are far healthier than we give them credit for!

The fifth and final reason is simply for the love of animals. According to the USDA, 9.1 billion cows, chickens, turkeys, ducks, pigs, and sheep were slaughtered for food in 2011. And these animals often suffer greatly in tiny cages, crates, and pens, before enduring frequently cruel slaughter practices. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that if every American cut out meat just once a week, about 1.4 billion animals could be spared each year. So, on that note, how about a little inspiration for that "one night" during the week you and your family enjoy a plant-based meal?

---

1. Kebabs

Who doesn't love a kebab? It's so versatile - you can fill a skewer full of seasonal veggies (think zucchini, chunks of onion, tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms), or chunks of fruit like these strawberry kebobs:

Ingredients

1 small bunch organic basil
2 tablespoons organic honey
2 teaspoons organic balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon organic vanilla extract
sea salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon organic sunflower seed oil or grapeseed oil

Directions

Preheat your BBQ grill. Clean your strawberries and let them soak in water for about 5 minutes. In a small bowl whisk the honey, balsamic vinegar, vanilla and sea salt to taste. Once the strawberries have soaked cut them in half lengthwise and slide them onto your skewers one by one, with one large or two small basil leaves in between each half. Brush some safflower or grapeseed oil onto the cut surfaces of the strawberries and grill each kebab for about 30 seconds per side and place them skewers on a plate. Use a pastry brush to coat the strawberries with the honey and balsamic vinegar glaze while still hot. Slide the berries and basil off the skewers and toss them into a salad or serve them as a side with grilled veggies. To serve the berries with dessert, slide them off the skewers and directly onto the ice cream, sorbet or cake.

---

2. Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, magnesium and chromium; they're a good source of vitamins C and A, folic acid, biotin and manganese, niacin, riboflavin and potassium, too. And, they are the delicious when grilled:

Ingredients

2 large ripe globe artichokes
water
½ cup olive oil mixed with the juice of one large lemon
1 large lemon, wedged
optional: crushed red pepper flakes, minced garlic, fresh rosemary sprigs or parsley
Kosher salt & black pepper

Directions

Preheat your BBQ grill. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rapid boil. Add rinsed and trimmed artichokes to water and let boil for 15-20 minutes, then, drain and let cool. Next, slice the artichokes lengthwise down the center (be careful of the petal points if you have not trimmed, they can stab you!). You'll need to remove the fuzzy part from the center-what looks like a clump of dense, but very fine hairs. Cut just below there and scoop them out, leaving the outer leaves, heart and stem. If the hairs get all over the place, rinse the artichoke in water - you do not want to eat those. Once you have a nice artichoke half, brush on the lemon-olive oil mixture on both sides and sprinkle with the coarse salt and pepper and other herbs if you're adding them. Lay the artichokes cut side up on the grill close to the center heat for 10-15 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 on the cut side. Garnish with more olive oil, and/or a lemon wedge.

---

3. Eggplant

Eggplant is an amazing veggie to grill because it can take on most any flavor exceptionally well (and it fills you up!) You can marinate it pretty much any style you like Italian style, Asian, or even slathered in your favorite barbecue sauce. A favorite way is to grill it is with a simple dressing of olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper and then serve it as a salad for your main course:

Ingredients

7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch wide slices
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Extra Virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat your BBQ grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

---

4. Portobellos

Most any mushroom will grill up deliciously, but if you want that "meaty" experience, go for a whole Portobello cap. These also marinate well - in whatever flavors you like - for a few hours and you'll have a juicy, sizzling meatless "burger" that doesn't stick or crumble:

Ingredients

4 large portobello mushrooms
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive Oil
1 (8-ounce) container hummus
Feta cheese

Directions

Preheat your BBQ grill. Pop out the stem from all of your portobello mushrooms and season both sides of mushrooms. Start by drizzling olive oil (not too much, just a slight drizzle), some salt and fresh black pepper. Cook mushrooms over a hot fire for about 4 minutes on each side. Plate the mushroom burger with a tablespoon of hummus and a chunk of feta cheese right in the middle and serve alone or with a side salad.

---

5. Grilled KALE?!

Yup, nature's most powerful superfood is just as delicious grilled as my other favorite way to eat Kale - as CHIPS (ask me for this recipe if haven't tried it!) This Grilled Kale Salad is so delicious - and ridiculously nutritious:

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 medium peaches, halved, pitted & sliced
12 large or 16 small curly kale leaves
12 ounces of Goat Cheese

Directions

Preheat your BBQ grill. Whisk 3 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, thyme, and honey in a medium bowl, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add peaches and toss to coat; transfer peaches to a plate. Brush kale leaves with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt. Grill kale, turning once, until crispy and charred at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface; let stand until cool enough to handle. Grill peaches until golden brown and cooked through: about 2-3 minutes per side. Once cool, remove large center stems of kale with a knife and discard. Divide larger kale leaves into pieces (leave smaller leaves whole) and place leaves in a large bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Divide leaves among plates. Top with peaches and crumble goat cheese across the top. Finish with a drizzle of remaining vinaigrette.

---

By Francesca Marino D.C.