Easy Meatless Recipes for Greener Eating

By: Danielle Shelp and Nicole Daley

If a vegetarian diet is followed properly it can have many benefits to the environment and people. This cookbook explores the many reasons why a vegetarian diet can lead to a better life. The meat and dairy industries produce high levels of greenhouse gasses which harm the environment. Also the meat and dairy industries are depleting valuable food sources to humans to feed the livestock. The recipes in this book offer easy to make nutritious meat free dishes that even a college student would be able to make.

Cutting meat out of someones diet all together has a bigger impact on the environment and helps improve the green movement more than most people realize. Many people do not know that by cutting meat out of their diet they can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Meat and dairy production creates more global warming than all forms of transportation in the world combined. For example if every American gave up one chicken meal a week it would be equivalent to taking one half of a million cars off the road. The reality is that meat and dairy industries are the number one cause of the methane and nitrous oxide that create global warming. It is the main reason for the excess green house gasses. Nitrous oxide is 300 times more potent than CO2 and the meat industries are responsible for 65% of the nitrous oxide in the environment. To add to the issue, the methane gas produced by animal digestion is more than 20 times more powerful than CO2 for trapping heat and big surprise, animal agriculture is the number one source of methane.

Not only do the meat and dairy industries contribute to global warming by releasing greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, they are also stripping the earth of natural resources and land. It takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce just one pound of meat. Also 50 out of every 100 gallons of water needed for irrigation cannot be replenished. 60% of the water used for irrigation is lost through evaporation in sewage. It is very harmful to humans because the more freshwater that is pumped from the ground the greater the imbalance between fresh and saltwater becomes. If there is too much saltwater and not enough freshwater the salt water will start to contaminate the freshwater. Once all the freshwater supplies are contaminated there will be no more sources of safe drinking water and people will die of thirst.

A vegetarian diet may be a partial solution to ending world hunger. Grains and cereals that could be filling the bowls of hungry people all over the world are being fed to livestock, which will eventually end up on the plates of many well off

consumers. In the US every year 157 million metric tons of cereal, legumes and vegetable proteins suitable for human consumption are fed to livestock to eventually produce 28 million metric tons of meat. That means 129 million metric tons of food goes to waste. It takes 4.8 pounds of cereal to produce one pound of meat, so every time a person eats an 8-ounce steak, all the cereal and legumes that the cow had eaten prior to being killed could have fed 50 starving people. Another way that meat and dairy production takes food away from people is that the land required to grow food for the livestock could be used to grow food for people. 80% of the world’s hungriest people live in places that have a surplus amount of food however most of it is exported and fed to animals. For

example, in Ethiopia thousands of people are dying each day of starvation. Most of the agricultural land in Ethiopia is used to grow cereal for livestock in Europe. Many people seem to think that grains like cereal would not have any nutritional value for humans and that we need meat to get protein however the truth is that an acre of cereal produces more than five times the amount of protein than an acre of livestock.

However for people to convert to vegetarianism some knowledge on healthy eating and nutrition is necessary. Vegetarians can either lead a healthier life style than meat eaters or they can end up lacking nutrients the body needs and stock up on empty carbohydrates. That is why it is important to fallow a strict vegetarian diet. If done properly a vegetarian diet can lead to a lower chance of having diabetes, heart attacks and cardiac problems. Also vegetarians have steadier blood sugar levels so the chance of becoming a diabetic is reduced. If a vegetarian diet is not done properly a person may end up eating too many carbohydrates and fatty foods like pastries. If protein intake is not monitored then a person may develop serious bone issues because of a protein deficiency. This cookbook is intended to help college students maintain a healthy vegetarian diet without having to put in to much more effort than an average student who eats meat.

SUNY Fredonia is located near a Wal-Mart where all the ingredients for these recipes can be found. However most of the ingredients can be found right here on campus! Most of the recipes call for things

like green pepper, carrots, onion, spinach and cheese. These ingredients can be found in the Eire dining hall at the salad bar. If a student were to bring a re-closable container in a backpack to the dining hall, they could fill it up with all the vegetables and cheese needed, this will save them plenty of money.

Going vegetarian is one of the many ways you can contribute to the green movement and improve your overall health at the same time!

Entrees

Barbecued Tofu Sandwich

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Time: 45 minutes

Tools:

Colander Paper towels Knife Large frying pan Spatula

Ingredients:

1 pound extra-firm tofu 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1-1.5 cups of barbecue sauce 4 sandwich rolls

Directions

Drain the tofu, squeeze out excess water, pat dry and cut into ¼ inch slices

Heat the oil in the frying pan, add the tofu slices and fry until golden brown (3 to 5 minutes). Flip and repeat

Pour the barbecue sauce into the frying pan and stir so that each tofu slice is coated. Turn off the heat and let marinate for 30 minutes

This dish can be served either hot or cold. If you want a warm sandwich put the desired amount of tofu in a bun and microwave for five minutes. If you would like the tofu sandwich cold, place it into the refrigerator until desired temperature is reached.

It is important to make sure your body is receiving enough protein. Vegetarians have to work harder at this because of the lack of meat. This recipe is good because tofu is full of important nutrients that the body needs, especially protein. It will also give your taste buds the illusion of a real barbecue sandwich because of the seasonings.

Veggie Burgers

Makes: 8 to 10 burgers

Time: 1 hour

Tools

Saucepan with lid Wooden spoon Small frying pan Large bowl Blender Small bowl

Ingredients

1 cup dry lentils, well rinsed 2 ½ cups of water ½ teaspoon of salt 1 tablespoon of olive oil ½ medium onion diced 1 medium carrot diced 1 teaspoon soy sauce

(optional) ½ teaspoon pepper ¾ cups rolled oats, finely ground ¾ cups bread crumbs

Directions

place the lentils, water and salt in saucepan, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes until water is almost gone and lentils are soft.

Sauté the onion and carrot in oil until soft, about 5 minuets Mix the lentils, onions, carrots, pepper, and optional soy sauce in the

large bowl, then mix in the ground oats and bread crumbs.

While still warm form the lentil mixture into patties, which can now be frozen, refrigerated or cooked immediately.

Cooking

Option one: in a frying pan heat a bit of oil, place burger on top and fry until brown, 1-2 minutes, repeat on the other side and serve!

Option two: in a 400 degree oven bake the burgers on a greased baking sheet until light brown, about 15 minutes.

This recipe helps work towards a healthier body. It lacks fatty acids and saturated fats that clog up the heart. Instead the lentils give the body proteins and energy. This is a great recipe for athletes to have before games and practice.

Bean Burritos

Makes: 6 burritos

Time: 15 minutes

Tools:

Aluminum foil Small saucepan Wooden spoon Several bowls and spoons Plate

Ingredients

6 or 10 inch flour tortillas 2 cups refried or black beans 1 cup cheddar cheese 1-2 cups lettuce, shredded 2-3 cups tomatoes, diced diced onion (optional) sour cream (optional) salsa (optional)

Directions

wrap tortillas in foil and keep warm in 400 degree oven while preparing the other ingredients

add a bit of water to beans and heat on stove, stir occasionally if allowing each person to make their own, place all the ingredients in

separate bowls and set along the table. To make burrito spread beans down the center of tortilla and sprinkle

with cheese and vegetables, roll up and eat!

This recipe is fun and easy. A college student would be able to make this in a dorm or small apartment with no problem. The ingredients are easy to find and not that expensive.

Fajitas

Makes: 8 fajitas

Time: 20 minutes

Tools:

Aluminum foil Large saucepan Several small bowls Plate

Ingredients

8 tortillas 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large red onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic minced 2 bell peppers seeded and sliced 4 Portobello mushroom caps sliced 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 lime juiced 1-2 tablespoons chili pepper

Toppings

1 large tomato diced guacamole grated cheese salsa sour cream

Directions

Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in a 200 degree oven Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring

occasionally until soft. After about 5 minutes add garlic, peppers and sauté, stirring frequently for 5 minuets

Add mushrooms, pepper, soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder and black pepper, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir frequently

Serve toppings in bowls, place tortillas on plates

All though this recipe calls for a lot of ingredients they are all healthy and easy to find at your local grocery store. The variety of ingredients supply an abundance of wonderful tastes that will make you forget about meat all together! The mushrooms and vegetables supply the body with important minerals and nutrients.

Spinach and Sun-Dried tomato “spaghetti”

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion 5 oz spinach 1 clove garlic(minced 1 tsp) 1 cup chickpeas 4 oz. oil packed sundried

tomatoes, drained and julienned ½ cup fresh basil, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt 4 tablespoons low-fat feta cheese Directions:

1. Pierce spaghetti squash rind several times with a fork. Microwave on high 5 mins per pound or until squash is soft. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rake insides of squash into a bowl

2. Cook olive oil and onion in a large skillet over high heat, until fragrant. stir in spinach and garlic, cover. Cook 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

When spinach has cooked down, reduce heat and stir in the spaghetti squash

Breakfast

Better than PB&J breakfast wrap

Time- about 5 minutes

Ingredients:

-one whole grain wrap or flatbread(my favorites are whole wheat flatouts which are sold at Wal-Mart and tops or la tortilla factory multigrain wraps also usually available at Wal-Mart)

- Approximately ½ cup of fresh berries or one sliced apple or pear.

-2 tablespoons of all natural or organic Peanut butter(a great healthy PB choice is smuckers organic from Wal-Mart or to mix things up try peanut butter and co., they make fun flavors like dark chocolate and maple and they are vegan)

-cinnamon (optional)

Directions-for a filling snack or breakfast treat spread the flatbread or wrap with the pb and distribute the fruit evenly. Add cinnamon if desired or if you are using the apple. Roll up the wrap, cut in half or thirds and enjoy with your favorite vegan milk substitute or favorite morning time drink. For greater variety experiment with different types and flavors of PB and fruits. Suggestion: try peanut butter and co dark chocolate dreams (Wal-Mart) with a sliced banana.yum!

Tofu -Potato scramble

Serves 6

Time-15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons. olive oil 1 16-oz. bag frozen O’Brien potatoes 6 vegetarian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch rounds 1 teaspoon. hot pepper sauce, plus more to taste 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric 1 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained 1 teaspoon. Creole seasoning 1/3 cup soy cream cheese 2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Directions

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add potatoes and sausages, and cook 8 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Combine 1 teaspoon hot sauce, turmeric and 1 Tablespoon of water in small bowl. Crumble tofu coarsely over potato mixture, and drizzle hot sauce mixture on top. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning. Cook 3 minutes, or until tofu is heated through, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat. Stir dollops of soy cream cheese into scramble. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with green onions, and serve.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Time-5 to 10 minutes

1 banana 1¼ cups fortified soymilk or rice milk 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons sodium-free baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt fresh fruit, spreadable fruit or maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, mash banana, then stir in milk and maple syrup.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir until smooth.

Pour small amounts of batter onto a preheated non-stick, lightly oil-sprayed griddle or skillet and cook until tops bubble. Flip with a spatula and cook second side until golden brown, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Six simple ingredients are all it takes to make these nutritious, whole grain pancakes. They are delicious with fresh fruit, unsweetened spreadable fruit, or maple syrup.

Snacks

Addictive bean dip

Time-30 minutes

Ingredients:

olive oil 1 large onion 1 red capsicum 2-3 cloves garlic large can red kidney beans (approx. 700g) half a bottle of tomato salsa (approx. 150mL)

directions

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan. Crush garlic and finely chop onion and capsicum. Fry in pan until onion is clear. Drain kidney beans (keep liquid) and add beans to pan. Add salsa to pan, cover and simmer for about 20 mins, until beans are soft.

Mash beans with a potato masher. Mixture should be quite thick. To thin mixture to desired consistency, add appropriate amount of saved liquid from beans. Enjoy with some tortilla chips!

 

 

Veggie Hummus and Fire Engine Hummus

Time- 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 or 4 cans of chickpeas, drained 1 med size cucumber, cut in pieces 1/2 med. size tomato, cut in pieces 6 cloves of garlic fresh ground pepper to taste salt to taste handful chopped parsley juice and pulp of 1 lemon tablespoon of tahini extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until it’s smooth. Enjoy with your favorite crackers or a spread of chopped raw veggies. Hummus like this is also a great spread for sandwiches and wraps in place of more fattening and unhealthy spreads like mayonnaise. Unlike mayo hummus contains fiber protein and a fraction of the calories.

Best Smoothie

Time:5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 banana fresh or frozen 1 cup blueberries(or any type of berry) fresh or frozen 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds(you can also substitute

wheat germ) ½ cup non-dairy milk of choice ½ cup orange juice 1 and ½ tablespoon of almond butter (or peanut butter)

Directions: place all ingredients in a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and frothy. Enjoy!

Smoothies like this one are a great snack, especially on a hot day. This recipe provides you with two full servings of vitamin rich fruit and the milk substitute and nut butter provide healthy fat and protein. Try creating your own unique version of this recipe by changing up the types of fruit and juice you use! To get an extra boost try adding in some flavored protein shake powder. Happy blending!

Peanut Butter and raisins on a banana

Banana Raisins Peanut butter

Peel banana and cut in half length-wise. Spread one half with peanut butter and top with raisins and the other half of the banana. Fast and simple and no utensils required!

Appetizers and lighter fare

Mushroom barley soup

Serves 2-4

Time-15 minutes

Ingredients: 2 cups plain rice or soy milk 2 tablespoons barley flour 1 cup cooked barley 1 4 ounce can of mushrooms with liquid

½ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon salt A pinch each of sage, thyme, and dill weed(nice but can be

optional)

Directions:

Place milk, barley and barley flour in a blender and blend on high or until barley is coarsely chopped.

Add mushrooms and also blend on high until they are coarsely chopped

Put mixture into a medium sized sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and stir until mixture is hot and thickened. Enjoy!

Dressing-less vegan salad

(spring/summer version)serves 1 or 2 people

Time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh spinach or spring mix ½ avocado(sliced or cubed) 2-3 tablespoons of hummus (any flavor or variety you like) 1 tomato (diced) ¼ cup shredded carrot

2 large roasted red pepper strips(or ½ raw red pepper if you like it crunchy)

Lemon juice(just a few squeezes) ¼ cup corn kernels ¼ cup or less of sliced red onion(optional according to taste)

Directions:

Toss the lettuce, tomato, shredded carrot ,onion and lemon juice. Top with one large dollop of hummus or evenly distribute it on top. Add the corn, diced avocado, and red pepper strips(make sure they are bite sized) Enjoy!

(fall/winter version) serves about 2

Time-about 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh spinach or romaine lettuce 1 small /medium eggplant 1 small/ medium zucchini 1 cup mushrooms (preferably portabella) 1 cup halved asparagus 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Powdered garlic Sea salt (optional) 1 large tomato 2-3 tablespoons of hummus (any variety but I recommend the roasted

red pepper for this recipe)

Directions

Coat a baking sheet with olive oil. Slice the eggplant and zucchini into rounds of moderate thickness (About ¼ inch). Make sure the thick ends are cut off the asparagus and cut them into halves or forth’s if they are very long. Slice the mushrooms. Toss the mushroom is the balsamic vinegar and place them onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle the rest of the veggies lightly with garlic powder. Place the rest of the cut veggies on one or two baking sheets evenly. Cook at 350 degrees for about 10-20 minutes, turning them in between. Meanwhile toss the lettuce with the sliced tomato. When the veggies are done sprinkle them with a little sea salt to taste if desired. Let

them cool and place them in the fridge or use them warm. Place them on the salad with the hummus and mix.

Salads are a great way to get creative because you can use whatever you have. Don’t sweat it if you can’t find some of these ingredients or simply don’t like them and would prefer to use something else as a substitute. Cooking vegetarian and vegan is very flexible! Also salad ingredients are usually not very expensive and will last for a while if you put them in bulk. These salads are filled with so many delicious ingredients that they don’t even require dressing to be tasty and satisfying.

Spinach Barely salad with Gorgonzola & toasted walnuts

Serves 4

Time-45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups quick-cooking pearl barley 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 oz gorgonzola cheese ,finely crumbled(1/4 cup) 6 cups baby spinach leaves shredded ¼ cup sliced red onion 2 tablespoons of toasted chopped walnuts

Directions:Cook barley according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Whisk in the oil until well blended, then whisk in the cheese.Put the cooked barley in a serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and pepper and salt to taste, and then toss the salad gently. Stir in the prepared vinaigrette dressing; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.

Dessert

Banana Pineapple Sorbet

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 5 minutes

Tools:

Blender 4 bowls, chilled

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen 3oz frozen pineapple juice 3oz pineapple juice 2 tablespoons coconut

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

This recipe is a sweat treat that won’t put on the pounds. The fruit juices make for a nice taste however does not make the dessert unhealthy. The dessert is fast and easy to make so it is an ideal recipe for a college student

Chocolate-Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes about 1 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients for the Cupcakes: 3/4 cup sugar5 Tablespoons non- hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened1 teaspoons vanilla1 banana, mashed well1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoons baking soda1/4 teaspoons. salt1/2 cup soy milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. • Using a hand-held mixer, combine the sugar, margarine, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the banana, stirring well to combine. • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Alternating with the soy milk, add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture a little bit at a time, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing after each addition. • Spoon into the paper liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back easily when touched lightly in the center. • Allow to cool completely before frosting.

ingredients For the Peanut Butter Frosting:1 1/4 cups chunky peanut butter1/4 cup confectioner’s sugarDash of pure vanilla extract

• Using a hand-held mixer, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. • Spread onto the cooled cupcakes.

These cupcakes are such delicious treats no one will ever no they are vegan!

Works Cited

Introduction:

"Becoming a Vegetarian." Harvard Women's Health Watch (2009): 4-6. Web. <http://www.health.harvard.edu>.

Jeremy Rifkin. "Reducing the Consumption of Meat Will Help Lessen Hunger." Opposing Viewpoints: Food. Ed. Laura

K. Egendorf. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Fredonia

University - SUNY. 18 Apr. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?

&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OV

C&docId=EJ3010432229&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=sunyfredonia&version=1.0>.

Jim Motavalli. "Reducing Meat Consumption Will Help Conserve the Environment." Opposing Viewpoints: Conserving

the Environment. Ed. Douglas Dupler. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource

Center. Gale. Fredonia University - SUNY. 18 Apr. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?

&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OV

C&docId=EJ3010430229&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=sunyfredonia&version=1.0>.

"Milk Sucks!" Milk Sucks ... Dump Dairy Unhappy Cows Dairy-free Vegan Vegetarian Lactose Intolerance

Milksuckers. Web. <http://www.milksucks.com/index2.asp>.

Recipes:

http://www.chooseveg.com/

Http://www.Happycow.net

http://www.theveggietable.com

Http://www.vegcooking.com

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