As you can see, I have been affected by Food, Inc and Jaime Oliver. I am also returning home from visiting a very passionate, very convincing friend whose life has changed after altering her own eating habits and becoming vegan. While I admire her and certainly see the innumerable health benefits of cutting meat and dairy, I need to take baby steps. I have made a commitment, though, to purchase only locally-produced meat -- beef, chicken, lamb, pork, buffalo. I realize on my anorexic budget this will be a Herculean feat, but I am willing to make the sacrifice and eat meat sparingly knowing that it came from an ethically and environmentally-responsible farm.
Phew! That was a lot to get out this morning, all before I've had my first cup of coffee. Come on, brew faster! As I've said before, I can't tell you how to feed your family. All I can suggest, beg and PLEAD is for you to educate yourself and make an impact with your dollar.
That said, the following bolognese sauce could be made with beef or pork, spicy or sweet sausage or no meat at all. What sets this sauce apart is the LEMON! Oh joy, the lemon zest in this sauce: unexpected, bright, cheery. Without the lemon, this sauce is just sauce, but with the lemon, this sauce is sexy sauce!
You can imagine my disgust and disappointment when I woke up the day after I made an enormous pot of this oh-s0-sultry sauce, and found it on the counter -- where I left it the night before to cool off and fell asleep entirely too early, forgetting to put in the fridge. Sad, sad Hailey.
A note on the fake meat. While it wasn't great, it wasn't bad. I would like to try it again. As most things in life, it's due a second chance.
I could do some great trickery with kids.
Too bad I don't have any to warp.
Invest in a sharp knife --makes dicing veggies fun.
Lemons make me happy.
Especially on April 1 when it is snowing.
World's most convenient tomato paste.
Peeled, crushed.
If you can find low sodium, great! I can never find that combo.
You would never have known it was fake meat based on this picture.
Or this one.
Vegan bolognese
1 package meat crumbles or veggie sausage
2 celery sticks, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested and minced
1 tbs fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbs tomato paste
1/2 red wine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tbs olive oil
In a large pan or crock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground meat and the red pepper flakes, and stir well to combine. Cook until almost cooked through. Add the wine and scrape up any bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, as well as the remaining seasonings. The longer this cooks, the more tender the veggies and the more developed the flavors. I tend to be impatient and eat after about 20 minutes of simmering. Before service add the lemon zest and parsley. Serve over hot pasta.
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