This Week for Dinner – Weekly Meal Plans, Dinner Ideas, Recipes and More!: eat less meat

Category: eat less meat

Wednesday, September 1

The Trick to Margherita Pizza

My favorite margherita pizza is from Bertucci’s, an Italian restaurant chain in the Northeast that also happens to have the best dinner rolls around. Mmmm…I need a roll. But I digress…for the last 11 years or so I’ve been trying to replicate their margherita pizza. I’ve come to terms with the fact I never will, but I did discover a little trick recently that got me closer!

Whenever I made margherita pizza (which is essentially just tomatoes and/or tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil), the basil never tasted like it does at Bertucci’s. I tried putting the fresh basil on top of the cheese, under the cheese, chopped, not chopped…but that flavor I love just wasn’t coming through.

Of course we went to dinner at Bertucci’s this last trip out East. When they brought my beautiful margherita out, the realization hit me like a pizza pie to the face! They add the basil AFTER the pizza comes out of the oven. That is why it always tasted so differently!

So there you have it folks. Throw your basil on AFTER you’ve cooked your pizza. It makes all the difference in terms of flavor. Mmmmmm….

Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:59 pm 13 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Friday, June 11

Grilled Crostini with Goat Cheese and ‘wichcraft Tomato Relish

Grilled Crostini with Goat Cheese and ‘wichcraft Tomato Relish
From Williams-Sonoma
- 1 baguette, sliced int 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 oz goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1 jar (8.8 oz) ‘wichcraft Tomato Relish
- 1/4 C fresh basil leaves

Lightly brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Preheat a Calphalon Unison Grill pan with Sear Nonstick over medium heat. Working in batches, place the baguette slices in the pan and cook until light golden brown and toasted on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. (If you don’t have a grill pan, you can bake in a 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, until nice and crispy.)

Transfer to a serving platter. Spread about 3 teaspoons of goat cheese on each crostini and top with ‘wichcraft Tomato Relish. Sprinkle with basil and serve. Makes about 24 crostini.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:58 am 4 Comments
Categories: simple side dishes
Grilled Radicchio with Orange & Balsamic

I’m so bummed. I totally forgot to photograph this recipe! And it was beautiful! Oh well. You can kind of see it in that bowl next to the small bouquet of pink roses.

Grilled Radicchio with Orange & Balsamic
From Michael Symon
- 6 heads of radicchio, quartered through the core (I think I used only 3 heads)
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Grated zest and juice of 3 oranges

Drizzle the radicchio with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Preheat Calphalon Unison Grill pan with Sear Nonstick over medium-high heat. (I actually did use the grill pan for this recipe…but you could use a regular griddle, too.)

Place the radicchio in the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side.

Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the radicchio with salt and pepper. Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, orange zest and juice together and drizzle over radicchio.

Once the radicchio were grilled, I salt and peppered them as directed, but then I cut out the hard piece of core near at the bottom and then sliced the radicchio. I then put the radicchio into a bowl and drizzled with the oil dressing.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:57 am 2 Comments
Categories: simple side dishes
Thursday, May 20

Simple Homemade Tomato Sauce

Today I made a quick homemade tomato sauce. Thought I’d share my “recipe” with you. This isn’t necessarily cheaper or faster than jarred tomato sauce from the store, but it is very yummy and fresh tasting. I especially love using this sauce with homemade pizza. Tonight I’m going to add a bit of cream to the sauce and serve it over tortellini.

The beauty of this sauce recipe is that you can change it up however you like. If you have canned tomatoes, use them. If you have a bunch of fresh tomatoes, use those instead! If you like onion, use more of it. If you like Italian spice seasoning, throw some of that in, too! There are no rules…just play around with the recipe and make it your own!

Here is what I did today. Other days it might be a little different, but I always follow this basic plan.

Homemade Tomato Sauce
– 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil (or canola oil if you’re out of olive)
- 1 shallot OR ~1/2 onion, chopped
- 3-5 cloves garlic, minced or use your garlic press
- 2 14.5-oz cans petite diced tomatoes (I like the petite diced a lot, but you could use regular diced. also, if you have lots and lots of fresh tomatoes, dice those up and use them instead! I would guess you need 4-6 cups)
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 – 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 7-10 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped (probably 1-2 Tbsp or so…if you like basil, add more!)
- If you don’t have fresh basil, feel free to use dried spices – but I would add them in before the simmering step instead of after. Oregano, Parsley and Basil are all great dried spices to add.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots/onions. Cook until soft, a few minutes. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to the point where the sauce still simmers. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. (While it’s simmering, you can smash the sauce up a bit with a ricer or pastry blender, to break up some of the tomatoes…although I do like my sauce chunky, so I just do this a little bit. Again, just figure out how you like it best and go with it!) Add fresh basil and mangia!

A note on garlic: I love my garlic press. I’ve heard from a few chef-types that they don’t like garlic presses because it damages the oils or something. I don’t notice a difference and the press is just so quick, so I pretend I’ve never heard anything negative about the technique. Also, I don’t put the garlic in with the onions at the beginning of cooking because it can overcook the garlic…I’ve ended up with deep fried garlic before, not exactly the flavor I’m going for in sauce.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:44 am 9 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Tuesday, May 4

Tuscan Bread Soup

Wanted to share a quick recipe with you today. It’s another one from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavors Fast. While the pasta dish I shared with you last week was definitely yummier than this one, I still really like this soup.

One quick note. You’re supposed to add 1-inch chunks of bread into the soup and simmer for 20 minutes or so. The theory is that the bread absorbs the broth and thickens the soup. We all agreed that the bread was too slimy. And I liked the broth soup before the bread supposedly thickened it. I think the best approach would be to make homemade croutons and top them on the soup when serving. If you really want to stay true to the soup, just make sure your bread pieces aren’t too big.

Tuscan Bread Soup
From Everyday Food: Fresh Flavors Fast
- 6 ounces country bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used only 1/2 of an onion)
- 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch thick pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste (I used 2-3 Tbsp)
- 1/2 head napa cabbage, halved lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (6 cups)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (I used vegetable broth to make it completely meatless. I also used about 1 additional cup than called for.)
- 2 cups water (I think I did an extra cup or so)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat leaf parsley leaves

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dry, tossing half-way through, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. (Jane note: Next time I make this I will toss the bread with some olive oil, salt & pepper, then toast as directed.)

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add onion, carrots, celry and garlic; season with salt & pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. Add cabbage, chicken broth, the water and toasted bread. (Jane note: Next time I will add about 1/3 of the bread pieces at this point in the recipe and reserve the rest as a topping for the soup when served.) Simmer over medium heat until soup is thickened, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, and stir in parsley.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:13 am 3 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Tuesday, April 27

Pasta with Arugula and White Beans

Sunday I made the Farfalle with Arugula and White Beans recipe from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavors Fast. I was very pleased with the outcome of this recipe. It was fresh. It was fast. It was mighty tasty. Not eating meat never tasted so good! We even had a major carnivore over for dinner that night and he loved it as well. I will definitely be adding this recipe to our regular rotation!

Here’s the recipe, with my various notes. Enjoy!

Pasta with Arugula (or Spinach) and White Beans
From Everyday Food: Fresh Flavors Fast
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 12 ounces farfalle (Jane note: I used Campanelle pasta from Barilla and REALLY liked the shape of this pasta…this is going to replace farfalle for me from here on out)
- 4 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or mashed through the garlic press Jane-style)
- 1 pound baby arugula (I had more like half a pound; I also think spinach would be nice in this recipe; and maybe even a mix of the two!)
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted, for garnish (BLECH. I left these out.)
– Jane addition – freshly grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top!

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta.

2. Add 1 Tbsp. butter and the garlic to the pot; cook over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in arugula; toss just until wilted.

3. Add beans, pasta and remaining 3 Tbsp butter; season to taste with salt and pepper (make sure you taste – I almost oversalted). Heat, tossing, until butter is melted and beans and pasta are warmed through, about 1 minute. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce to coat pasta (I think I added about 1/2 of the cup I had reserved). Mangia!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:00 am 15 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Tuesday, April 20

Simple Side Dishes: Roasted Cauliflower

Today I just have a healthy and easy recipe for you. It’s so easy, in fact, I hesitate to even call it a ‘recipe.’ This roasted cauliflower is to die for. Trust me. I’ve been popping these florettes like candy for the last two days. Yum!

Roasted Cauliflower
– Cauliflower, broken up into small-medium sized pieces
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Handful of fresh, grated parmesan cheese

Place cauliflower on a baking sheet or in a 9X13 baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower, then salt and pepper. Toss cauliflower to lightly cover all pieces with oil and seasoning.

Roast in a 400-degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking. Check for doneness with a sharp knife, to the point where you can pierce the cauliflower fairly easily but not to the point of mushiness. Remove from oven and toss with grated parmesan cheese.

Sit, eat and enjoy the simplicity and buttery goodness that is cauliflower!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:11 am 19 Comments
Categories: simple side dishes
Sunday, April 18

Week 169 Menu…and Earth Day Meal Planning!

I took the girls somewhere very special a few days ago. Can you guess where? This photo is offering up a very good hint. Stumped? No worries…I’ll do a post this week. And I promise it will be scrumptious.

Menu time! I’m going completely meatless this week in honor of Earth Day, which is Thursday, April 22! If you haven’t yet joined me on my New Year’s resolution journey, try taking a first, simple step this week…go without meat or processed food on Thursday. I know you can do it!

MONDAY:
- Tuscan Bread Soup (from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast)

TUESDAY:
- Farfalle with Arugula and White Beans (also from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast…I kind of forgot I had this great book, so trying out a few of their recipes this week)

WEDNESDAY:
- Leftovers

THURSDAY:
- Happy Earth Day! Plan a vegetarian meal in honor of Mother Earth! (Eat Less Meat is all about helping the environment. If you’re new to the blog, click here to read about my help-the-environment-through-food-choices New Year’s resolution)
- We’ll be having oh-so-delicious and very filling Kitchen Sink Quesadillas

FRIDAY:
- Breakfast for dinner (either waffles or an egg dish)

SATURDAY:
- Eat out

SUNDAY:
- Stuffed peppers (we had some amazing stuffed peppers at my friend Julia’s house – she emailed me the recipe, which I will certainly share with all of you. I think I might have even eaten three peppers that night…but who’s counting?)

As always, thank you for sharing your menus! I really do read through them every week for ideas…don’t know what I’d do without you! Let’s see what you you have planned this week!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:25 am 32 Comments
Categories: weekly menus
Thursday, April 15

Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers

Since we’re on a quest to eat less meat, I’ve decided that I need to find some good veggie burger recipes. Nate’s mom was raving about a vegetarian chickpea burger recipe, which she shared with me this week. I made them last night and they are Yum-O. (I just said that because it’s a Rachael Ray recipe. I promise never to say “Yum-O” again.)

These vegetarian chickpea burgers have really great flavor, and they are super easy and fast to make. As with many homemade veggie burgers, handle with care so they don’t fall apart on you. Last night we topped ours with lettuce, tomato, avocado and sauteed mushrooms. While the mushrooms were tasty, I think next time I’ll switch them out for thinly sliced cucumber and sprouts…and I won’t forget the cheese, which I did this time. Phooey. I will definitely be trying other veggie burger recipes as well and will let you know how they go!

Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers
From Everyday with Rachael Ray via my mother-in-law Pat
- 1 15-oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 4-oz can diced green chiles
- 2/3 C packed flat leaf parsley
- 2/3 C bread crumbs (Pat note: I use regular, flavored, Panko – whatever. Jane note: I used Panko last night)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lg egg
- 2 T veggie oil (Pat note: I have used olive too)
- 4 thin slices cheddar cheese
- 4 burger buns
- Ketchup, mayo or other toppings (Pat note: I never use these or the cheese or the buns. Jane note: she’s being totally serious here. ha!)

Now… In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, chiles and parsley till finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs and s and p to taste (Jane note: I only did ~1/2 tsp salt – should have done more). Stir in the egg and form the 4 patties, each about 2/3 inch thick.

Then… In a large skillet heat the oil over med low heat. Cook the burgers for 4 minutes then flip and cook for 3-5 minutes and add cheese if desired. Pat usually cooks till they are nice and golden brown. They smell so good! Pat note: Don’t forget, you can shape them into fun designs, like fake turkey legs or letters for your kids!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:56 am 17 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Friday, April 9

San Francisco Food Carts Visit Palo Alto

San Francisco has all these cool food carts with super tasty and interesting foods, and many of these vendors connect with their customers via Twitter and Facebook. How more Bay Area can you get – gourmet food from a cart that you learned about on Twitter? You gotta love it.

Magic Curry Kart and Crème Brûlée Cart ventured down the peninsula this week and visited us poor cart-starved people here in the Palo Alto area. I met up with one of my real life blogging friends Gudrun Enger (aka Kitchen Gadget Girl) in front of Moxsie (who got the carts down here in the first place) for curry and crème brûlée yesterday for lunch. It was really fun…we felt like we had escaped suburbia for city life, if but for a few small moments.

So, how was the food? It was really good! First let’s talk curry. I really liked the flavor of the sauce, the vegetables were yummy, and it was just the right amount of spicy. I ordered veggie because the line for chicken was too long…oh, and that whole new year’s resolution thing I’m doing. I don’t like tofu, but this was pretty good tofu, made even better by the sauce.

Now let’s talk crème brûlée. I shared mine with the girls and was wishing the whole time I had splurged and gotten one for each of us. Our chocolate crème brûlée was oh so tasty. And, too my surprise, there was peanut buter buried inside! It ended up being a very pleasant surprise, by the way. Well done, Crème Brûlée Guy, well done!

If you live in San Francisco and for some reason aren’t following these guys on Twitter (Magic Curry Kart and Crème Brûlée Cart), start following please. You need to get out there and enjoy their food for me.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:37 pm 8 Comments
Categories: travels
Thursday, April 8

Jamie Oliver Cookbook Giveaway Winner

We have a winner for the Jamie Oliver cookbook giveaway…the oh-so-lucky commenter is…

andrea p, who said “Tonight will be my first chance to watch Food Revolution. I’ve only heard the best comments about it. I’ve loved some of Jamie’s other projects. It’s great that he uses his celebrity to make a difference!”

Congratulations, Andrea! Andrea will receive a copy of Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. For the rest of you, you can buy the book right here.

If you haven’t signed Jamie’s petition yet, hop to it! Just click here, it’s easy! And thank you all for entering the giveaway…your comments were fabulous, I loved reading every one!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:47 am 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves
Friday, April 2

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (And a Giveaway! And Recipes!)

This giveaway is now closed. But please read the post anyway….it’s a goodun.

(Hey friends. This is a long post. Please stick with it. It’s a good one. Plus, there’s a giveaway tucked in there you don’t want to miss!)

When Nate and I were newlyweds, we loved watching The Naked Chef. (Now that is a good opening line for a post, no?) The Naked Chef was Chef Jamie Oliver’s first T.V. show. We loved it…the whole idea was to get the food naked, strip it down to the essentials. Jamie has stayed true to that philosophy over the years and has taken it to a whole new level, a “revolution” if you will. Have you heard about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? In Jamie’s own words, this is what it’s all about: “I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food.” That’s it folks. Simple, right? Nope. Unfortunately, it’s unbelievably complicated.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution on ABC, you can watch the full episodes on the website. So, get yourself caught up and make sure to tune in tonight for Episode 3. I love this show. It’s eye-opening. It’s frustrating. It’s inspiring. It’s touching. It’s downright awesome. I think what got to me most were the USDA regulations governing what food has to be served in the schools. The “health” guidelines are so misguided, and the red tape is stifling for administrators. Simply put, the system’s a mess. It all makes me a little crazy.

I received an email from Jamie’s PR firm a few months ago about the Food Revolution. Since I was a fan of Jamie, I actually read the email and then I hopped over to Jamie’s website, signed his petition and called it a day. Then I saw the premiere of the program on ABC two weeks ago and decided this was something I really wanted to share with all of you. So here we are!

If you’d like to sign the petition, which Jamie will take to the White House, click here! And please spread the word to get others to sign as well! Jamie was the catalyst for some great changes in the U.K. school lunch program. There’s no reason we can’t do the same thing here in America!

Oh! And I do have a giveaway for you! Leave a comment on this post to be entered for your chance to win a copy of Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. Post your comment by Midnight PT, Wednesday April 7. One randomly-selected winner will be announced on April 8. (Prize must be shipped to a U.S. address, thanks!) Big thanks to Jamie’s PR firm for the giveaway!

And, because this post just simply is not long enough (ha!), click ‘more’ for some simple & healthy salad dressing recipes from Jamie’s book!

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Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 287 Comments
Categories: side dishes
Thursday, March 11

Pasta with Peas & Ricotta…and a Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed. Winners will be announced on Thursday, 3/18. Keep reading this post, though – the book and the recipe are great!

The first recipe I made from my new cookbook was a success! The whole family loved this pasta with peas and ricotta last night. Looks yummy, doesn’t it? It was fast and only used one pan, which makes the recipe even better in my book!

Want to make it yourself? Well, I’ll share the recipe with you at the end of this post…but first you need to enter today’s giveaway! TWO lucky readers will each win a copy of Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast. Big thanks to Everyday Food for a very fab cookbook giveaway!

Please add a comment to this post by Midnight PT, Wednesday March 17 to enter! Two random winners will be announced March 18. To enter, share your favorite Everyday Food recipe with us (links welcome!) in the comments section…or just comment about anything! (One entry per person and the prize needs to be shipped to a U.S. address.)

Good luck with the giveaway! Time for the recipe!

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Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:40 am 258 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Tuesday, February 16

Creamy Potato Leek Soup (without the cream!)

I haven’t mentioned my Eat Less Meat Challenge lately, so thought it was time for a quick update…along with a recipe! The challenge is going very well! We’ve definitely been eating less meat overall and we are not feeling deprived one bit. I think knowing we can still eat meat occasionally really makes the whole challenge realistic for us, and we still feel like we’re making a difference. I’m so happy that I set this resolution and, for those of you who have joined along in the challenge, I hope you’re having an equally positive experience!

Last week I made Creamy Potato Leek soup, adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe. Our whole family enjoyed the soup, especially our 2 year old! The soup has a nice creamy texture without having to use cream. It’s a nice mild soup yet still full of flavor. I love leeks and pretty much love any soup that has them in the recipe. Without further ado…

Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe
– 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped, white and green parts
- 2 minced garlic cloves (I used my garlic press)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Appx 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add leeks, cook while stirring until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender, ~30 minutes.

Blend soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Makes 4-6 servings.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:40 am 2 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Monday, January 18

Pesto Tortellini Soup

I received this recipe from Sarah Arnett, one of my lovely readers! She said that it’s a hit every time she serves it and I can see why. I made this soup last week and it was fantastic! And, I must admit, this was the first time I have cooked with vegetable broth. I’ve always been a bit suspect that the flavor would not be as robust, but it was. I was very pleased with the results.

Bonus – this is an EASY recipe. You’re going to love it.

Pesto Tortellini Soup
From Sarah who got it from a friend who got it from a vegetarian cookbook…we apologize to the cookbook for not knowing who you are!
- 1 small onion (Jane note: I did 1/2 a small onion)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp butter

Saute together. (Sarah note: I do it in my large soup pan to not dirty more pans than necessary. I also usually throw in a little EVOO.)

Add to pan:
- 5 C vegetable broth (you can use chicken, too)
- 1 9 oz package tortellini

Boil until tortellini is done. (Jane note: I boiled it a few minutes less than done since it continues to cook for a bit during the next step.)

Add:
- 2 C frozen mixed veggies (the baby California mix is Sarah’s fave, that’s what I used too)

Simmer until veggies are heated through.

Add:
- 1/4 C prepared pesto at the end. Garnish bowls with parmesan cheese.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:12 am 23 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Friday, January 15

“Food Matters” Giveaway Winners!

I absolutely loved all of your comments on my New Year’s resolution post. I mean, I’m pretty sure the giveaway had something to do with the comments. But regardless, you shared so many wonderful thoughts, helpful information and support, and some of you are even joining the Eat Less Meat challenge!

If you are not one of the lucky people to win a copy of Food Matters by Mark Bittman, don’t despair. You can purchase the hardback here and the paperback just came out. Neither one is very expensive and worth every…last…penny.

Sales pitch over. Time for the winners!

Total Fit Girl, who said “I’d love to win a book! I’m trying to eat less meat as well and would love to learn more and get some new recipes!”

Patti, who said, “I’m making the switch to less meat. I’d heard Bittman interviewed about this book, would like to read it.”

Peter, who said, “As a HUGE meat eater, married to a loyal Jane Maynard fan and fellow traveler, my heart sinks a little upon reading this. But, alas, truth is on your side. I salute you.”

Jessica, who said, “Great new years resolution”

Jessica, who said, “As a long time menu-sharer, you may have noticed we don’t eat an excessive amount of meat. We started eating less meat a couple years ago, and the more I read and learn about the state of our food policies in this country, the less I end up eating it. We started out just cooking with it less, and have moved on to buying local grass-fed meats or organic meats when we can’t get what we need locally. Because these products cost more we eat even less meat now, but feel much better about it when we do. I’ve been a fan of Michael Pollan’s for many years now, and definitely recommend his books on this subject. Food, Inc. was also very eye opening, not just on the meat issue, but on the food industry in general. There is also a good video of Mark Bittman on TED discussing the topics in his book. Happy Veggie New Year!” (I don’t know Jessica personally, but she HAS been posting menus on this blog almost from Day 1! I guess all that loyalty finally paid off!)

Congratulations to our winners! And stay tuned as I continue on the Eat Less Meat journey.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:27 am 3 Comments
Categories: eat less meat
Tuesday, January 12

Pasta Primavera from Moosewood

Have you heard of the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks? If you have a vegetarian friend (or you are a vegetarian) who likes to cook, then you probably have. I can’t believe how many vegetarians in the last week have recommended various Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks to me. I think it’s time to go cookbook shopping. (Click here to read more about this interesting restaurant.)

My friend Nikki made Pasta Primavera for us one night and it was divine. I couldn’t wait to get the recipe and she happily shared. It’s from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook, which she said is her favorite of their books. If you want to buy it, click here.

Let me warn you, this dish is a labor of love. Chopping all those vegetables takes time…especially if you add more vegetables than the recipe calls for like I did. But it is an excellent dish, is super healthy, and if you’re only feeding 4 people like me you will have tons of leftovers. Blanching the vegetables as indicated in the recipe makes for perfectly cooked veggies.

One more quick tip…I had some Tuscan Tomato Soup leftover when I made this pasta. Pouring a bit of that soup over the pasta was oh so good.

Pasta Primavera
From the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites (with Jane and Nikki notes)
- 6 garlic cloves (Nikki sometimes uses more)
- 2 tsp olive oil (Nikki sometimes uses more, I think I did more like 2 Tbsp.)
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 – 1 tsp salt (I’ve added this because it definitely need more salt, and if you add at this point with the sauce I think it will diffuse through the ingredients better than seasoning at the end)
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil leaves (slice them crosswise)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
- 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch matchsticks (Nikki leaves this out, I kept it in)
- Handful snow peas, cut in half width-wise (Nikki & Jane addition)
- Handful sugar snap peas, cut in half width-wise (Jane addition)
- Handful green beans, cut into 2-inch lenth pieces (Nikki and Jane addition)
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 2-inch matchsticks (Nikki likes summer squash better)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound fettuccine or butterfly pasta (farfalle)
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Bring a covered pot of water large enough to accommodate a colander or steamer basket to a boil (neither Nikki nor I have one of these setups, so we use a slotted spoon to scoop the veggies out of the hot water when it’s time). Meanwhile, saute the garlic and oil in a saucepan for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and salt and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the basil and red onions, cover, and remove from the heat.

When the water is boiling, blanch the vegetables. (If you prefer to steam the vegetables, allow 3 minutes between each addition of vegetables). Put the carrots in first. After 1 minute, add the asparagus and bell peppers (if doing snow peas, sugar snap peas and/or green beans, toss them in at this point). After another minute, add the zucchini (or summer squash) and peas. Cook for 1 minute more and then lift out the colander and all of the vegetables and set aside to drain. Reserve the pot of boiling water for cooking the pasta. Stir the vegetables into the tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper (if needed). Cover and set aside.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the reserved cooking water and 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese. Top with the tomato-vegetable sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:49 am 19 Comments
Categories: main dishes
Friday, January 8

My New Year’s Resolution: Eat Well, Heal the Planet
The giveaway included at the end of this post is now closed. But please keep reading because there’s a LOT of wonderful information here I don’t want you to miss!

I am SO excited to share my new year’s resolution with you. And I’m SUPER excited about today’s giveaway (there will be 5 winners – sweet, eh?). So let’s get to it, shall we?

Years ago I read the article “Unhappy Meals” by Michael Pollan in the New York Times. Combined with other reading and many discussions with people in “the know,” I have since been very interested in what eating healthy really means. As a result, I rarely buy processed foods and read all food labels with great skepticism, especially the ones with health claims. (Go read the article if you haven’t already. It’s awesome.)

I also think about the environment a lot. No matter where you stand on the issue, it is clear that we humans need to take steps to heal our planet. My dear friend Emily (who you can thank for the existence of this blog, by the way) recently recommended to me the book Food Matters by Mark Bittman (a writer for the New York Times and cookbook author whom I love – p.s. he’s not vegetarian). Food Matters talks extensively about the environmental impact of the way we eat. It’s astounding. In fact, I can only read the book in small snippets because I get too frustrated with the state of things. But it is an inspiring book and has over 75 recipes to get you going. (The NY Times article Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler by Mark Bittman is a great article and introduction to the issue. At the very least, read that article. You can also get information on Mark’s website, where you can officially become a lessmeatarian!)

Some interesting tidbits that caught my attention (just a few among many):
- 40 calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of beef protein.
- Meat consumption would have to fall 3 oz. a day to stabilize greenhouse gasses produced by livestock (which, by the way, produces more greenhouse gases than transportation)
- In the late 1970s, the government nutrition recommendations were going to be “eat meat sparingly”…that is until the lobbies found out. The verbiage was switched to “eat less fat,” which changed everything and had multiple negative impacts (read the book for details!)
- It’s not just about eating more organic dairy and grass-fed meat. If all of us switched to grass-fed beef today, we’d have to destroy most of our farmland and forests to create enough land for the cows to graze. There is simply too much demand. (Our consumption of meat per person has increased significantly over the last century.)
Bottom line: Eat less meat. Eat less junk food. Eat more whole foods. We need to, for our own health and for the planet. Which leads us to the new year’s resolution portion of the program…

I am going to cook and eat less meat going forward. I’m not eliminating it, I’m not becoming vegetarian or vegan. But I am going to increase my consciousness about the impact my food choices have on the environment and try to do something about it. I’m going to buy more local produce and meat, probably even join a CSA. I’m not going crazy but taking it one step at a time. I want the change to be sustainable because it has to be. We only have one earth. This is one meaningful way I can help save it.

What does this mean for you? Two things.
1. I’m going to explore vegetarian cooking (recipes, tips, etc) and share the journey with you. (No worries, for the carnivores…meat will still make appearances on the blog. Hello, Swedish Meatballs. But we will be eating less of said meatballs.)
2. A GIVEAWAY!
FIVE lucky random winners will each win one paperback copy of Food Matters by Mark Bittman. I wish I could get a copy for each and every one of you. It’s a fast read with wonderful info and recipes. You can buy it here…and of course you should enter the giveaway by adding a comment to this post by Midnight PT, Thursday, January 14. Good luck!

Eat well, friends. Your body will thank you. So will Mother Earth.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:43 pm 307 Comments
Categories: musings
Tuesday, January 5

Tuscan Tomato Soup

My aunt recently sent an email to my extended family inviting everyone over for “amazing tomato soup you don’t want to miss,” or something to that effect. Well, I didn’t want to miss the soup, but I had no choice since I live nowhere near any family! I knew I had to eat this soup one way or another. Thankfully she shared the recipe, saving me a few hundred dollars in airfare.

This Tuscan Tomato Soup is very yummy. And easy to make! Quick disclaimer before you start thanking me for sharing a healthy recipe to complement your New Years diet resolutions. Um, yeah, there’s cream in it. But cream has protein and calcium, right? Are you with me, health gurus?

Tuscan Tomato Soup
Prepared by Chef Kent Andersen from Chef’s Table in Orem, UT- modified by Jane Maynard (that’s me!)
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, Small dice
- 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes (original recipe: 5 Cups Diced and Seeded Tomatoes)
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1.5 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Basil Pesto (Auntie Barb likes Target’s pesto better than Costco’s; I used Trader Joe’s, which was 1 oz short of a cup but still tasted great; you could always make it, I suppose)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a medium large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors.

Add whipping cream. Add pesto.

Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender. (Barbara reserves a little bit of the soup un-blended so there are some chunks.) Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:08 pm 18 Comments
Categories: side dishes
Tuesday, December 1

Cranberry Orange Sauce

I know I already shared this Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe within the last week, but I finally took a picture of the final product and it’s just too pretty not to share again! Besides, I don’t think cranberries are only relegated to Thanksgiving, right?

I also know that I already posted a photo of this pie, but I just love the leaves on top. The picture has been BEGGING to make an appearance on the blog. I have acquiesced. I promise to stop putting fall-ish pictures up now that Thanksgiving is over and we are all roasting chestnuts on an open fire.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE (in case you missed it the first time!)
A recipe I found online somewhere, easy to make and very very yummy alternative to normal cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving
- 1/2 lb cranberries
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/4 C orange juice
- zest of 1 orange
- 4 oranges separated, pith and membranes removed

Bring 1/2 C water to simmer. Add cranberries, sugar, OJ and zest. Simmer & stir until sugar dissolved and berries begin to pop, ~15 mins. Remove from heat – add orange segments

Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:44 pm 6 Comments
Categories: thanksgiving prep