earth week: meatless monday

round 2 of the bauer meatless monday adventure included "chicken" pitas and moroccan couscous.
there's a restaurant in athens that i'm obsessed with - salaam - and they have the best couscous ever (and their food is pretty awesome, too). but, since beau isn't as adventurous with his food choices as i am (although he's gotten a lot better over the past six years), he had no idea what couscous was. this recipe turned out pretty delish. it reminded me of salaam's version...just not as good. [warning: this couscous recipe makes a TON].
to go with the couscous, i made "chicken" pitas with homemade tzatziki sauce. but, since it was meatless monday, i clearly didn't use chicken. instead, i used smart tenders - savory chick'n. it's a meat substitute (veggie protein tenders is what is on the front of the box) that, if seasoned right, tastes very similar to the real thing. in fact, i bet if it wasn't meatless monday beau wouldn't have been able to tell the difference ;) i found these amazing wraps to use in place of big, bulky pitas too (and they're only 100 calories!)

so, enjoy:

moroccan couscous

1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped
salt/pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup raisins

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drain

1 (10oz) box couscous, cooked (i used instant couscous)
2 (8oz) cans mandarin orange segments (drain syrup)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

in a large sauce pan, heat spices over medium-low heat until warmed and fragrant. add the oil, pepper, zucchinis, and salt/pepper and saute for about five minutes. 

add veggie broth, orange juice, raisins and beans and bring to a boil. once boiling, remove from heat and add cooked couscous. mix together and let sit for five minutes. then, fold in orange segments, parsley and mint. 

we ate this warm, but salaam serves theirs cold. it's good either way :)

"chicken" pita with tzatziki sauce

1-2 boxes smart tenders - savory chick'n, cooked

whatever veggie toppings you want - i used red pepper, romaine lettuce and tomatoes

pita shells or flat out wraps

tzatziki sauce (recipe here)

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles


cook smart tenders according to package directions (skillet method is preferred). remove tenders from skillet and pat dry with a paper towel. spread tzatziki sauce on one side of pita/wrap. lay lettuce, tomatoes, pepper and feta cheese crumbles on the other side. place tenders on top of veggies and cheese and fold together. super easy, right? and super yum :)

meatless monday

last week's oprah show "harpo's vegan challenge" got me so inspired! i think beau and i eat pretty well as it is, but my choice of snack foods could improve a TON and i'd like to start thinking about what we eat, rather than just eating it.
by no means do i think i could ever become vegan (i love cheese and dairy wayyyyy too much), but why not be "vegan-ish" and lean into that lifestyle? oprah's staffers who took part in the challenge said that even though they might not 100% stick to a vegan diet, the challenge made them much more aware of what kind of food they were buying, where they were buying it from, and how they prepared it. (the sb farmers market will be seeing more of my pretty face, and i will definitely be purchasing kathy freston's book to learn more about being conscious of the way beau and i eat).
now, i don't eat red meat - just chicken, turkey and fish...no pork, nothing - so my meatless monday idea is much less of a challenge for me than it is for beau - my little indiana country boy, meat and potato lover is p-o'ed. buuut, i told him: "meatless monday, or starve". period. 

so, here's the first recipe in our meatless monday adventure - minestrone soup and tomato spinach pizza - not bad, right?! he's even taking leftovers for lunch today :)


minestrone soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup fresh (or frozen) green beans
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 (14 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (half a box) whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese or yeast flakes (to make vegan) - optional, for garnish

- chop everything up prior to heating stockpot
- heat olive oil in a large stockpot
- add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. cook for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned
- add in zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes. stir in vegetable broth and water. add beans, macaroni, oregano, and basil. simmer until vegetables and macaroni are tender - about 30-35 minutes
- season with salt and pepper and serve warm
- garnish with parmesan cheese or yeast flakes, if desired. serve with warm bread

tomato spinach pizza
one organic pizza crust - whole grain or whole wheat
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup (more or less depending on your taste) all natural marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (daiya cheese for vegan option)
1 roma tomato, sliced
5-6 raw spinach leaves - cleaned with steams taken off - tear into pieces
1/2 tbsp dried basil

- preheat oven to 450 degrees
- drizzle and brush olive oil on pizza crust. spread marinara sauce over the entire crust, leaving a 1/2" border along the edge to prevent spilling over in the oven
- sprinkle mozzarella/daiya cheese over sauce, layer spinach pieces over the cheese and place slices of roma tomato over the spinach. sprinkle dried basil over the entire pizza.
- bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted
- let cool for a few minutes, then slice into wedges.

cheers!