Meatless Mondays: Monk Bowl

I've decided that I need to create a little more structure to this blog, in part to avoid the writing paralysis I described in my last post (because the longer I go without posting, the more pressure I feel to produce a brilliant post), and in part because I've realized that there's a wide array of things I want to share with all of you! I want this blog to address mind, body, and spirit, so I'm going to break it down into a different theme for each day of the week. I'll try to keep up with it as best I can, but this is a judgment-free zone (and that includes self-judgment!) so if I miss a day or two here or there, so be it.

Today I'd like to introduce a topic that is near and dear to my heart: cruelty-free dining! As most of you know, I've been vegetarian for eight and a half years now (attempted semi-vegan/localtarian for three), and this journey has expanded my culinary horizons as well as opened my heart. When I think about what it means to engage in "fitness without violence," I inevitably find myself thinking about the role that vegetarianism and my efforts to eat humanely play in my overall health. I choose not to eat meat for a wide variety of reasons (most of which I'll probably explore at some point... just not in too much depth today), and I try to support local, sustainable, and humane egg and cheese producers and vegetable farmers. I do this because I believe that with every purchase we make, we make an impact on the world. Vegan baker extraordinaire Colleen Patrick-Goudreau says it best: 

"Individually and collectively, we all say we want to make a difference in the world, find meaning in our lives, and create meaning in the lives of others. We want to make a positive contribution to the world and leave it a better place than we found it. Many people say these things, but they realize that to make a difference, they may have do to something different. They don't realize the power they have to make this happen, and some don't even try. I learned long ago that it's not that we can make a difference in the world, it's that we do make a difference in the world - every day, with every choice we make. Every action we take, every product we buy, every dollar we spend, everything we do has an effect on something or someone else. There are no neutral actions. I think this idea is both frightening and empowering for many. It's frightening because it means we're responsible and have a tremendous amount of power. It's empowering because it means we're responsible and have a tremendous amount of power. We get to choose not whether we want to make a difference but whether we want to make a positive or negative difference."

--The Joy of Vegan Baking

Basically, as much as we would love to pretend that nobody gets harmed by our seemingly innocuous decisions (like grabbing a burger for lunch), every choice we make impacts the world in some way, and the sad truth is that unless you pay close attention, the vast majority of food at our disposal has a highly negative cost. There are terrible human rights issues at stake in food production, both animal and plant, and even though it's exhausting to try to stay informed about your food's sourcing, ultimately we have the opportunity to choose compassion and non-violence with every meal. I'm not perfect on this issue - none of us are - but I try my best to choose compassionately and to invest in food wisely.

I also choose to eat vegetarian because I've discovered that adopting this diet has helped me to become more mindful about what I put into my body. I try to choose foods that will nourish my body and give it strength, and to incorporate as many greens (I am obsessed with kale!) into my diet as possible, because they're what my body craves for energy. Vegetarianism helps me to listen more closely to what my body needs and to pay closer attention to the quality of the food I consume. Ultimately what it comes down to is that this is a lifestyle that nourishes both my body and my soul, and becoming vegetarian was one of the best decisions of my life.

I'm not here to convert you or force you to stop eating meal cold-turkey (hah - get it?). I simply want to draw some awareness to how our food consumption impacts not only our bodies but the broader world, and to invite you into conversation and reflection on your food choices. I also want to share with you some of the delicious recipes I've found that nourish my body and, hopefully, have a positive impact on the world.

Therefore, I hereby introduce...

Meatless Mondays! 

...Okay, so I wanted to think I was the first to come up with this fabulous slogan but apparently there's this whole awesome movement already in place. And here's the little promo video, just to give you a bit more info!

Every Monday I'm going to share a vegan or vegetarian recipe with you. I'd love for you to give Meatless Monday a try for yourself (because every meal makes a difference!) but again, no pressure from me. :)

This week's recipe is from The 30-Minute Vegan, and it's one of Tim's and my favorite recipes. It's quick, easily adaptable based upon what veggies are in season, and crammed full of delicious, healthy goodness. It's called Monk Bowl (for the "Zen simplicity" of the dish - a protein, a grain, and a green).

Monk Bowl 
(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups uncooked quinoa (we prefer red)

3 cups water or vegetable stock

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed dry

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. coconut oil or other oil

2 T. water

8 cups assorted mixed vegetables - try broccoli, carrots, zucchini, or other favorites (we always toss in kale!)

Flax oil or oil of choice

Nutritional yeast (optional)

Soy sauce or sea salt (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the quinoa in a small pot with 3 cups of water over high heat. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
   
2. While the quinoa is cooking, cube the tofu by slicing the 1 lb. block into thirds or fourths, pausing to press the liquid out of the cutlets before cubing. Place cubed tofu in a small bowl with the soy sauce, oil, and water. Allow to marinate for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place the tofu and marinade ingredients on a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes.
   
3. While the tofu and quinoa are cooking, take a breath and begin the third part of the symphony. (That's literally what it says in the book, haha!) Add about 1 inch of water to a medium size pot with a steamer basket inside. Turn the heat to medium-high. Cut up your vegetables of choice and steam them until tender, about 8 minutes, depending on the vegetables.
   
4. When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it up with a fork. Place the quinoa in a bowl, top with the steamed vegetables and tofu, and season with flax oil, nutritional yeast, and soy salt or seal salt to taste.

Substitutions: If you've tried and tried to like tofu but still can't stand the texture, you can replace the tofu with beans. Simply heat a can of your favorite (pinto, cannellini, and black-eyed peas work especially well), or reheat pre-cooled beans. You can also replace the quinoa with pasta (brown rice noodles and soba or udon, perhaps) or rice, and you can also add whatever sauce you would to the recipe.  Basically... there are endless variations and combinations to this! Be creative and enjoy.

Alrighty, that's all for tonight because I am le tired. Hope you enjoy your first Meatless Monday meal, if you try it this week, and that you're all having a wonderful start to the week!

More to come tomorrow - stay tuned for the Tuesday theme reveal. :)