Celebrate Earth Day with 4 Delectable Plant-Based Recipes

Guest post by Camile Sardina

Eating meat contributes to global warming, pollution, the destruction of forests, overuse of grain

and fossil fuel.

According to Farm Sanctuary’s site Plate to Planet:

“The majority of global warming is caused by the gases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

According to the 2006 United Nations report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, animal agriculture generates

18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, including 9 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 37 percent

of methane emissions and 65 percent of nitrous oxide emissions worldwide.”

Animal agriculture wastes water, land and much more.

It takes an estimated 4,000 gallons of water to produce one day of animal-based food for the

average American. One day of plant-based food only requires about 300 gallons.”

 

“Decreasing our consumption of meat

 can make a significant impact

on the environment.”

 

The evidence is clear.

Decreasing our consumption of meat can make a significant impact on the environment.

If we each pledged to eat meat free meals throughout the week, we’d not only be healthier

individuals but the earth would benefit as well.

It is with this in mind that these four food experts below keep their food meat-free.

They are saving the earth one meal at a time.

Harvest Kale Salad

Celebrate Earth Day with 4 Delectable Plant-Based Recipes - Harvest Kale Salad

This kale salad from Blossom on Columbus on New York City’s Upper West Side combines so

many items from the Earth.

From the kale to the beans to the peppers this dish not only tastes good, but will make you

feel good about the truly natural from-the-earth ingredients.

Ingredients:

Kale Salad 
3 bunches of Lacinato kale
1/2 lb wax beans
3 medium-sized avocados
2 red bell peppers
1/2c dried cranberries

Dressing
1 cup almond butter (unsalted)
1/2 cup Grade A maple syrup Juice from 3 medium-sized lemons
1” sq ginger (peeled)
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:

Dressing

Combine almond butter, maple syrup, water, lemon juice, ginger, salt/pepper in a small blender

or food processor.

Blend until creamy.

Salad

• Bring 4 cups water to boil.
While water is boiling, prepare a small mixing bowl filled with ice water.

• Blanch wax beans in the boiling water (about 1 minute) then stop the cooking process by putting
them in the ice water.
Set aside.

• Tear kale into bite-size pieces with hands, place in large mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Dice peppers finely, and add to kale.
• Slice avocados.
• Drizzle most of the dressing (reserve a bit for topping) into the kale and peppers, and mix with
a spatula–or hands, if you don’t mind getting a bit messy!

• Plate the salad, and top with sliced avocado, cranberries, and wax beans.
Top with an extra drizzle of dressing, and you’re all set!

Dr. Mike’s Spinach Dahl

Celebrate Earth Day with 4 Delectable Plant-Based Recipes - Dr. Mike’s Spinach Dahl

Dr. Mike Fenster says “for Earth Day, Be a Dahl and make this recipe”.

The cardiologist who penned “The Fallacy of the Calorie: Myths, Misdirections and

Machinations of The Modern Western Diet” has also hosted his share of cooking shows.

He not only likes his recipes to be heart healthy, but also in tune with the earth.

With lentils, turmeric, seasonal veggies and more this recipe sure fits the bill!

Ingredients:

8 oz lentils
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable nage (vegetable broth/stock)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp fresh ground ginger
5 oz baby spinach
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 cup fresh seasonal vegetable (like tomatoes, spring onions, carrots, etc.)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp shallot, thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 hot chile, thinly sliced

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the lentils (after rinsing) to a boil with the water,
nage, turmeric and ginger.

• Reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

• Add the spinach, cilantro and vegetables and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

• In a small pan, heat the oil and add the garlic, shallot, cumin, mustard, coriander, curry and hot pepper.

• Cook over high heat for 2 minutes to release the flavors.

• Add this to the lentils, stir season with salt and pepper and serve with warm naan bread over rice.

French Beet Soup with Basil

Celebrate Earth Day with 4 Delectable Plant-Based Recipes - French Beet Soup with Basil

Is there any vegetable that seems more in tune with the earth than the beet?

This recipe from the health-based cooking school, Natural Epicurean Academy of the

Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas is not only perfect for Earth Day, but also perfect for the

still cold April nights.

Ingredients:

5 cups cooked beets
3 cups of vegetable stock
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
standard bouquet garnis (thyme, parsley, and bay leaf)
Garnish:
2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into chiffonade

Directions:

• Place the beets, vegetable stock, salt, sugar, pepper, and oil into a 3 quart saucepan.
• Drop in Bouquet Garnis.

Cover the pan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
• Remove soup from heat.
Puree or mash beets to desired consistency.

• Garnish with basil chiffonade.

Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

Celebrate Earth Day with 4 Delectable Plant-Based Recipes - Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

In between his many TV appearances, Chef Mark Bailey is a private Chef to the stars

and everyone in between.

He is often asked to make his menus full of veggies.

This mushroom stuffed pepper recipe is one he loves to make for clients on Earth Day.

Ingredients:

3 yellow peppers, tops cut and seeded
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
10-12 white mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1-2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
Dash of cayenne pepper
salt and ground pepper

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

• Bring large pot of water to boil over high heat.
Add peppers to pot and boil for 4-5 minutes.
Remove peppers from water and set aside.

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.
Add onions and garlic and sauté until ingredients become fragrant.
Reduce heat to medium.

• Add additional tbsp of oil and mushrooms.
Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until mushrooms become tender.

• Stir in tomato sauce, rice and parsley.
Season with cayenne pepper, salt and ground pepper to taste.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.

• Using a spoon, stuff each pepper with mushroom/rice mixture and stand upright
in baking dish.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

About the author
Camile Sardina is a publicist, freelance writer and lifestyle lover living NYC. Follow her on Twitter @CamileSardina or Instagram @sardinac.

 

Have you decreased–or considered decreasing–your meat consumption?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

 

 

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