All Entries For meat-free fridays
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark will feature a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins. This is the final blog in the Meat-Free Friday series. View the rest of the series here.
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the adage applies to food. When you know you can't or shouldn't have a food, do you crave it all that much more? Since Lent started, have you had any Friday cravings for meat?
Sure, I've offered plenty of meat-free alternatives, but what are you to do when a craving for a hot dog, chicken nuggets or a turkey sandwich hits? Must you hold off until Saturday?
Nope. You can indulge your cravings for all your favorites--pepperoni pizza, BLTs and even sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches--even when you're on a meatless diet.
Welcome to the wonderful world of… meat analogs.
Posted 4/10/2009 6:20:11 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 115 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark will feature a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins. Read the rest of the series here.
So I converted some of you to tofu lovers likers a couple of weeks back. Are you ready for your next assignment?
This week, I’m going to introduce you to tempeh.
What is tempeh (pronounced tem-pay)?
Tempeh is a fermented product made from soybeans that's especially popular on the Indonesian island of Java. Before you wrinkle your nose, know it's not pungent like sauerkraut, kimchi, or natto.
But before we talk about how it's made, let's look at how we eat it. Trust me, it's tasty!
Posted 4/3/2009 11:56:09 AM By: Stepfanie Romine : 101 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark is featuring a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins.
My boyfriend could live on black beans and rice. He actually said that Wednesday night. He got home late, and I had gone out to dinner with a friend. He opened a can of beans, doctored it with olive oil, garlic, curry and a strange assortment of spices and heated up some leftover brown rice. He added some smoked gouda and a handful of fresh spinach at the end (If I'm not eating it, I don't comment on the conglomerations he creates.) and his dinner was ready.
"I could eat this every meal of every day and still be happy," Fred said.
While I don't love black beans quite as much as my boyfriend does, I am very fond of these beans. They're cheap (I get a conventional 15-ounce can for 89 cents, an organic 15-ounce can for $1.29, and a pound of organic dried beans for about $1/pound.) I cook a big batch of dried black beans each week and we eat them throughout the week. We add a half-cup per serving to vegetable stir-fries, soups, stews and pretty much any other dish.
Posted 3/27/2009 4:06:37 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 101 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark is featuring a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins.
Few foods are as polarizing as tofu.
Say the word and watch as noses crinkle or mouths water.
I fall on the tofu lover side of the spectrum, but I think we might be of the minority.
Tofu, also known as soybean curd, is made by soaking, boiling, blending and straining soybeans, then adding a coagulating agent and pressing it. Think of it like this: Cheese is to milk as tofu is to soymilk.
Really whets the appetite, doesn't it?
Scratch that.
Think of tofu as the other white meat. Like chicken, it's a versatile protein, a blank canvas on which to test your culinary prowess. I substitute tofu in just about every chicken recipe I have.
3-4 ounces grilled chicken
3-4 ounces sautéed or grilled tofu
Ta-da!
I've got a few tofu tricks and tips. I'm pretty sure I can convert you. In fact, I bet you a SparkGoodie that you will at least like, if not love, tofu after you try some of these tips. (P.S. Did I mention that it's cheap? A 15-ounce package yields five servings for under $2! That's enough of a reason for this frugal foodie.)
Posted 3/20/2009 6:04:01 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 176 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark will feature a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins.
It looks a bit like cereal, but it smells saltier and tastes more savory than sweet. It's a cheap, versatile and incredibly easy to use protein source that is sometimes hard to distinguish from ground meat. It's TVP. Textured Vegetable Protein. (TVP is in the front of the photo of soy products accompanying this article.)
Let's demystify this vegetarian protein, which can be used in everything from chili and meatballs to tacos and shepherd's pie.
Posted 3/13/2009 3:01:01 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 129 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark will feature a different meat-free main dish. Whether you observe Lent or not, we can all benefit from learning about alternate, affordable proteins.
Lentils are a cheap and versatile protein source--I buy lentils for about a dollar a pound in the bulk bins at my local supermarket. On nights when I'm pressed for time, I throw some lentils in a pot, along with a bit of onion and garlic. I add twice as much broth as lentils and let them simmer for about 15 minutes. I steam some broccoli or spinach, heat up some brown rice (I precook rice in batches and freeze it in single portions) and drizzle on a bit of curry or tomato sauce. Dinner's on the table in less than 20 minutes!
Most people limit lentils to lentil soup, but these legumes have a lengthy list of uses.
Mix cooked lentils into meatballs, meatloaf or burgers. Add a cup of lentils and a cup of water when browning ground beef or turkey.
Add pureed lentils to chili, soups or stews to thicken.
Toss cooled French or green lentils with vinaigrette and some chopped peppers and onions for a quick salad. Or add lentils to your favorite pasta salad.
Substitute lentils for half or all the ground beef in your favorite pasta dish. In meat sauce, lasagna or stuffed shells, the texture is the indistinguishable.
A half-cup of lentils have 115 calories, less than half a gram of fat, and 366 mg potassium. They contain 9 g each of protein and fiber (about a third of your recommended amount of fiber), and 45% of your Daily Value of folic acid. Lentils are frequently included on lists of the world's healthiest foods.
Find out more about this healthy, cheap and versatile legume!
Posted 3/6/2009 5:52:24 AM By: Stepfanie Romine : 82 comments
Each Friday during Lent, the dailySpark will feature a different non-meat main dish. You'll find plenty of dishes to swap for your meaty favorites, all with far less fat, fewer calories and more nutrients than a fried fish sandwich, a ubiquitous choice during Lent.
Today marks the first Friday of Lent, meaning many Christians are abstaining from eating meat. Through the years, meat-free Fridays have become associated with fish fries and batter-dipped sandwiches at fast-food restaurants. Often battered, fried, and dunked in mayo-based sauces, fish is a versatile and healthy main dish!
Abstaining from meat for several meals a week, usually for health, environmental or personal reasons, is a growing trend. "Flexitarianism," as it's called, is a healthy way to eat, according to experts.
If you observe meat-free Fridays during Lent, use this as a time to experiment a bit with your menus. Instead of reaching for the same-old fried fish, choose another lean protein from under the sea.
Posted 2/27/2009 3:12:38 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 97 comments 
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