Meatless Monday

 

I'm not really a crunchy granola girl. But I might have a sesame seed covered heart. I take my own cloth bags to the market, even for the produce. I won't buy certain fruit if it comes from halfway across the world when I know there is a local variety available. I want to cut my carbon footprint as much as possible. I didn't grow up in an urban area. I know what it takes to raise an ear of corn. So I support my local farmers' markets. I eat fish that are sustainable and aren't on the watch list. Don't worry! I'm not going to get on a soap box here. I just want to try to help keep the planet alive in my own little way.

With that in mind, we've started something new in our house this week. Have you heard about the Meatless Monday idea? It's where one day a week you go Veg. The goal of the folks behind Meatless Monday is to reduce meat consumption by 15% in an effort to improve personal health and that of our planet. Check out the website for Meatless Monday for great recipes, tips, and info on leading a healthy lifestyle.

Today is our first Meatless Monday. I've gone and off the veg wagon during my life. I have high blood pressure and a family history of high cholesteral. And I grew up in the South eating every fried pork product imaginable. So I'm excited to get back to a more vegetable-rich lifestyle in a training wheels kind of way. I'm looking forward to trying new recipes and finding a way to convince my kids that vegetables are tasty. They are going to take some convincing.

My little guys will eat some vegetables but not a wide variety. Neither of my boys will eat a salad, for instance, but they'll both eat green beans and broccoli. And tonight's menu is packed with vegetables. I've changed the recipe up a bit to substitute some of the items with those that they are more likely to eat. Dinner is still cooking so I'll have to tell you how it all goes next monday.

The recipe I'm using tonight is Conchiglie Tutto Giardino and it comes from this wonderful cookbook.

 

Here it is for you...

Conchiglie Tutto Giardino

(pasta with fresh vegetables - "the whole garden")

7 Tbs butter

1.5 cups thinly sliced carrots

1 cup chopped green onions

1 large red onion, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes

1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley, packed

2 Tbs fresh chopped basil

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

7 medium sized tomatoes (3 cups chopped)

3 cups thinly sliced zucchini

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1.5 cups dry white wine, or more to taste

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbs flour

1 cup light cream

6 oz tomato paste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1.5 lbs shell noodles (conchiglie)

garnish with additional parmesan cheese

 

Melt 6 Tbs butter in large saucepan and add the carrots, both the green and red onions, parsley, basil, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables, stirring often, until they begin to color -- about 20 minutes. Cover the saucepan and simmer the vegetables for about 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, zucchini bell pepper, wine, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for about 45 minutes to an hour.

I used yellow squash instead of zucchini.
 

In a small pot, melt 1 Tbs butter and stir in the flour. Cook this roux for a few minutes over very low heat, stirring constantly. Heat the cream and stir it into the roux with a whisk. Add the tomato paste and whisk the mixture again until it is perfectly smooth. Stir it into the vegetables and wine, along with the grated Parmesan.

Continue simmering the sauce over low heat, stirring often, until it is as thick as you want it to be.

Cook the shell noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are al dente, drain them completely, and pour them into a large, heated serving dish. Ladle as much of the sauce over them as you like, toss them, and serve immediately with more grated Parmesan.

 Serves 8 to 10

 

Just finished eating. It was Really Good! I would highly recommend it and will definitely make it again.

 

If you are interested in the Meatless Monday movement, there's lots of info online. Give it a try!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Marie]

Looks yummy, I hope those boys gobble it up! We don't each much meat in our house any more, mostly veg 5 or 6 days a week!

[Air Force Ones]

Dear，how are you today? I wish you a happy day!

[Nancy Jamar]

Love it! I have two Anna Thomas cookbooks. I just got my shipment of handmade red pepper garlic miso the other day...

[pilar]

This looks super nummy. Must try this recipe. I have never heard of Meatless Monday. It is a great idea. : D

[Michel]

Thanks for the recipe and the photos. The multi colors are glorious!