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It's National Vegetarian Week and we've learned that going meat-free isn't just about sparing animals so that we can have our protein -- going veggie also benefits the environment. Plus it can mean cooking up some pretty delicious dishes.
The Vegetarian Society tells us that diets containing meat require up to three times as many resources as a vegetarian diet. And it's not only about clearing forests for feeding livestock and the humungous amounts of methane farmed animals -- cattle in particular -- let out every day. Logically, adding on another level to the food chain will require more energy and resources. Animals consume more water than plants do and need a lot of land to live on, not to mention the fact that both meat processing and transportation are very energy-intensive.
To celebrate both the ethical and the green side of letting the chops stay on the pig, we'd like to share our five favourite veggie recipes with you. The more local, seasonal and organic ingredients you can get hold of for these recipes, the lower the meals' carbon footprints will be.
May dish: Warm New Potato and Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:
700g baby new potatoes (cut in half if more than 4cm)
25g walnuts, roughly chopped
16-24 asparagus spears (at least 6 spears per person if thin or 4 spears if asparagus is thicker)
80g young spinach leaves
100g soft vegetarian goat’s cheese log, thinly sliced (or 75g vegan soft cheese)
6 large radishes, sliced
Season to taste
Dressing:
50ml olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice
2 good tsp runny honey
2tsp wholegrain mustard
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to Gas 6/200C/400F. Parboil the potatoes for 15 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and cool for 5 minutes before placing in a roasting pan.
2. Mix the dressing ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper if desired, and pour half over the potatoes, mixing well. Roast for approximately 25 minutes until soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Sprinkle the walnuts on a separate baking tray and dry roast for 3 to 4 minutes to intensify their flavour. Do not let them burn!
3. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears and discard. Steam the asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes (depending on size) until tender. Place in a dish and pour over the remaining dressing.
4. To assemble the salad: cover the base of a large, wide salad bowl with spinach leaves; place the potatoes on top followed by the sliced goat's cheese (which will melt slightly), and then by the asparagus. Finally sprinkle with the roasted walnuts and garnish with the radish slices.
18 June 2008 10:53pm
You don't need the extra step and pan to steam the asparagus--during the last 5-8 (up to 10 depending on thickness) put the asparagus in the roasting tray with the potatoes. Also, toast the walnuts in a pan on the stove; better control, less washing up. I'm trying this tomorrow.
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