Meatless Meals!

The What, Why, and How of Cutting Down On Meat In Your Diet

By: Sadie Pierce-Mulligan

A little background on me: I grew up regularly helping my parent’s cook, which sparked my love for food, cooking, and nutrition. This helped lead me toward wanting to become a registered dietitian! I have also followed a vegetarian diet for over 22 years. I’m always creating new recipes that give me all the nutrients I need and keep me satisfied until my next meal! Which can be achieved through a vegetarian diet if done correctly. Before you stop reading, I’m not here to tell you that you should eliminate all meat from your diet. I just want to share some of the benefits and ways you can decrease the amount of meat you consume. 

 

Why Eat Less Meat?

 

Going meatless just once a week, yes, just 1-2 meals a week, can improve both your health and the environment! Decreasing meat consumption can lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. While high red and processed meat intake can increase your risk for these same diseases. Eating less meat improves the environment by decreasing the greenhouse gas emission and saving large amounts of water used to produce livestock. Cutting back on meat can also decrease your grocery budget. Building meals around beans, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains tends to be less expensive and more beneficial for health.

 

How To Eat Less Meat and What To Eat Instead

 

I realize that the concept of eating a meal without meat is hard for a lot of people to understand since it is a large part of the western diet. Meatless meals don’t just have to be about taking something out of your meal, it should be about adding more to it! Plant-based diets emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, and nuts. These dietary components are high in fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients that are good for your health.

There are also MANY satisfying substitutes for meat. There are beans and legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, black beans, soybeans, kidney beans, and more. There are other proteins such as seitan, tempeh, and tofu. Finally, there are products made out of combinations of these ingredients. Some of my favorites include Gardein products such as meatless meatballs and chick’n strips, and Morning Star Farms veggie burgers.

 

Will You Get Enough Protein?

 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends choosing a variety of proteins, including eggs, low-fat milk and products made from it, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. These sources of protein are higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat than meats such as beef. Many individuals concern is that without meat you won’t consume enough protein. This is a common misconception and most people actually eat too much protein on a daily bases. The average person needs about 50-70 grams per day. These needs vary based on body size, activity level, and other factors.

Plant proteins and other alternatives contain higher levels of protein than most people think!

Egg: 6g each

Chickpeas: 14.5g per cup

Black beans: 15.2g per cup

Soybeans: 28.6g per cup

Lentils: 17.9g per cup

Tofu: 22g per cup

Veggie Burgers: About 10-15g per patty

Meatless Meatballs: 14g per three meatballs

 

Now that you know how to concur your meals with a variety of different proteins, I think the question is: Why not eat more meatless meals!?

If you need some more inspiration on what to eat, here’s one of my favorite recipes:

 

Chickpea Tacos

Ingredients:

6-8 corn tortillas

1 can chickpeas, drained

2 cups Gardein beefless ground, frozen

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Taco seasoning:

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp black pepper

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Toppings:

Anything you like! My favorites are green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salsa

 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Drain chickpeas and place in a large bowl, add beefless ground
• Add olive oil and taco seasoning to the bowl and mix together
• Spread taco contents on baking sheet and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until slightly crispy, stir halfway through
• Warp tortillas in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until warmed
• Place about ½ cup of taco mix onto each tortilla
• Add toppings and enjoy!

 

The Chickpea: Beyond Hummus

By Emma Karamat

Quick, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say CHICKPEAS?! If you thought hummus, you’re probably not alone. The increasingly popular dish made with the famous little legume can be found in numerous restaurants (even those that don’t have a Middle Eastern influence), at parties, and in a multitude of homes now. I myself am a huge fan of the spread but even more I am a fan of the actual chickpea. 

        

This little tan marble is delicious, versatile, and good for you too. Chickpeas are a source of vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, and vitamin B6.  Additionally, they are packed with fiber and protein meaning they help keep your gut and your body healthy! Here are some ideas for incorporating chickpeas into your diet more often beyond spreading hummus on everything!

Roasted Chickpeas

Craving something crunchy and full of flavor? Try simply roasting chickpeas with whatever seasoning you desire. This dish is easy and delicious!

• 1 (12 oz) can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried or 12oz of rehydrated chickpeas (check out the *Buying Tip below)

• 1 Tbsp of olive oil 

• Salt

• Cayenne Pepper

• Ground Cumin

1. Preheat oven to 450oF. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. In a bowl, toss the chickpeas with the olive oil until well coated. Sprinkle with the seasoning: salt, cayenne pepper and ground cumin to taste, coating the chickpeas well. 

3. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes or until crispy. Toss or stir the chickpeas occasionally to ensure even roasting.

Peanut Butter Chickpea Energy Bites

Quick and easy to make and take on the go! Chickpeas add a protein punch to snacks, cookies, or other recipes. Add or substitute ingredients like flax seed, nuts, or dried cranberries to suit your liking.

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas  cooked

• 1/2 cup  peanut butter, smooth

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 1 1/4 cup ground dry oats 

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Place chickpeas, peanut butter, and honey in a food processor and blend for about a minute on high or until the mixture is smooth.

2. Add cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, and ground oats, and pulse until combined. At this point your dough should be similar to cookie dough consistency. If mixture is too dry, add more peanut butter, if too wet, add more ground oats.

3. Add in chocolate chips and pulse until combined.

4. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll between your palms to form a ball. Repeat. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe adapted from: https://pulsepledge.com/recipe/peanut-butter-chickpea-energy-balls/

Chana Masala

This hearty main dish is full of flavor and can be adjusted to your spice level preference.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

• Two 15- to 16-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 to 2 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoons grated ginger

• 2 large tomatoes, diced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, or to taste

• Salt to taste

• Hot cooked grain (rice,                                                                                             quinoa, or couscous), optional

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

2. Add the chickpeas, garam masala, turmeric, ginger, tomatoes, lemon juice, and about 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. This should be moist and stewlike, but not soupy; add a little more water, if needed.

3. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt. Serve on its own in shallow bowls or over a hot cooked grain, if desired.

Recipe from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chana-masala-368470 

If you want more recipe ideas, I recommend checking out one of the following websites and searching “chickpea”:

http://pulses.org/

http://www.eatright.org/

Have fun exploring the chickpea outside of a hummus dish!

*Buying tip

Chickpeas are available in cans or dried both of which have their own pros and cons. 

Canned chickpeas are already hydrated and ready to cook or eat making for ease use; however, they could be packaged with salt (which we don’t need more of in the diet) to preserve them. If you buy canned make sure to give the chickpeas a good rinse before using in recipes or eating to remove the extra salt.

Dried chickpeas have the benefit of usually being the cheapest option for a lot of product. The drawback to dried chickpeas is that they have to be rehydrated before use which takes some time and planning. If you choose this option, here’s a somewhat quick method for rehydrating the chickpeas: 

1. Place the dried chickpeas in a pot and cover with water

2. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute

3. Cover the pot and remove from heat

4. Let the chickpeas sit for 1 hour

5. Drain, rinse, and use!