Fulfilling My Purpose

I cook every night because I like to eat real food (food that is free of artificial colors, flavors, additives, and preservatives). The more I learn about the meat industry, the more skeptical I am of meat. I like to know where my meat is coming from, and when you go out to eat you don’t know where that meat came from or what’s in it.

Becoming a vegetarian is not my goal, but I am trying to serve more meatless dinners to my family. Eating less meat will make your grocery budget (and your body) happy.

Right now, we eat 1-2 meatless dinners each week. I’d like to increase that to 2-3 each week. Here’s what my typical meal plan looks like for the week:

• We eat beef once a week. [edit: Grass-fed beef is better for you. See the comments.]
• We try to eat fish once a week.
• Our meatless dinners are either a soup, a pasta dish, or a cheese (and mushroom) pizza.
• The rest of the week we eat chicken and ground turkey (about once a month we will have pork).

This is one of our new favorite salads. (Sorry for the blurry picture.) The beans and pasta make it hearty enough for a dinner. Sometimes I serve it with rice or couscous and rolls.

Greek Pasta Salad

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1 small pack of grape tomatoes (about a pint)
2 cups cooked penne pasta
bunch of romaine lettuce (about 9 oz.), shredded
1/2 cup reduced-fat olive oil vinaigrette (or reduced-fat italian dressing)

Adapted from Cooking Light 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook

Simple and healthy. You can make it healthier by using whole wheat pasta. After I took the picture, I also threw some steamed asparagus (cut up) on top, and that made the dish even better. Also, I might have sprinkled some parmesan cheese over everything, but don’t tell anyone.

16 ounces penne or ziti pasta
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with Italian spices (I use an all-natural brand: 365 from Whole Foods)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 medium zucchini (I used one green and one yellow)
4 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 cups steamed asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While pasta cooks, combine tomatoes and next 3 ingredients in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Mix in steamed asparagus. Spoon tomato mixture over drained pasta.

Yield: 8 (2-cup) servings.

Adapted from Cooking Light 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook