After awhile, I enjoyed the new recipes, the lower grocery bills, the smaller dress size and better digestion.
Fastforward five years however and a few cracks begin to show. My B12 bottomed out; my iron is low and my thyroid becomes comatose. Hmmmm.... My mood is lower than Letiesha doing the limbo at last year's pool party.
A good naturopath put me on the track to more protein, less sugar and proper supplements so things are looking much brighter. But I still wonder... would my energy improve if I ate meat again? Am I one of those people who just needs meat?
After feeling the lightness that comes with a plant based diet and the ever blossoming depths of compassion that develop as you practice yoga, I am struggling with introducing suffering into my diet. Of course, even the soy beans had to sacrifice so I can enjoy my tofu burgers. It's a balance. Big Agribusiness is scary and my consumer dollars won't go to supporting that. There are no pat answers.
In the meantime, I have been exploring new recipes again. Looking for more intense protein entrees that don't use meat analogs (gluten doesn't agree with me and soy protein isolate derivatives may cause some thyroid problems). Tempeh has a bit of an aftertaste for me, but it is a complete protein that is utilizes fermented soy beans, and therefore is more digestible than tofu. Below is a recipe we enjoyed this evening for
Sweet n Sour Meatballs
Break one package of tempeh into 1" cubes and place in a saucepan with 2" water in the bottom. Steam tempeh for 10 minutes, drain and cool.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, chop one onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 egg and 1/2 cup oatmeal. Season with 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth.
Add cooled, dry tempeh and pulse until well blended. Mixture should be sticky but not too wet. Create 2" meatballs and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turning a couple time to brown evenly.
In a deep frying pan, heat 1 cup salsa and 2 tbsp agave syrup or honey. Gently add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes. Serves four.
And this is chilling for snacking tomorrow....
Roasted Vegetable Pate
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rough chop one large onion, one eggplant (don't even worry about peeling it or soaking it) and 1 cup green beans. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and olive oil. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Cool.
Bring 3 cups water to boil in a covered saucepan. Add 1 cup lentils (green or dark work best). Simmer over lower heat until tender, about 30 - 40 minutes. Drain, cool.
In a food processor, combine lentils, roasted vegetables, 1/2 cup raw almonds, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp thyme and a pinch of caraway seed. Start to process then add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar in a stream while processing. Taste and adjust salt. Chill thoroughly, then serve with crackers, baguette, etc. Also an amazing sandwich filling.
