Hug a Vegetarian Day!

Today is International Hug a Vegetarian Day. Don’t believe me? Check out PETA’s website they probably made up the holiday but so what?

To celebrate I’m wearing my Vegetarian shirt today, it looks like this . . But that’s not me, that’s a man.
I’m not always a strict veggie though, I’m technically “Pescatarian” which means I eat fish sometimes. I love sushi, tuna sandwhiches and grilled fish too much to give up forever! I haven’t eaten other meat for about 2 years now. I think it was a good decision, I originally started out wanting to be vegan, but couldn’t handle it (soymilk and fake eggs were not as much fun for me). The main things I’ve learned being vegetarian are

#1-Surprise! I like tofu, but only if it’s cooked right. I have to marinate it and chop it into small pieces to like the taste. P.F. Changs has the best fried and Pei Wei has the best pan cooked.
#2-Fake meats are delicious, but expensive, so I have to try and use sparingly.
#3-Vegan jello is better tasting than regular jello, I thought it would be gross, but fruit pectin is great.

So I encourage everyone to eat some veggies tonight instead of animals!
My bunnies would agree, they’re vegetarian too :)

Falafel

doesn't that look delicious? i took that picture about a month ago and I've been meaning to post the recipe. I didn't make it up, but it's soo good I wanted to share it anyway. Really, I've had friends try it who said it's way better than any other homemade falafel.

Falafel

(from the book 1001 low-fat vegetarian recipes)

Makes: 4 servings (can vary on how big you make falafel balls) I think it makes at least 6
Calories: 491
Fat: 30 gm
Carbs: 43 gm

2 ¾ cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
1 red onion chopped (I like to saute the onion, but it is also good raw)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3-4 slices whole-wheat bread
2 small fresh red chiles
1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro plus extra to garnish
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Salt and pepper

Optional to serve with: lemon wedges, tomato or cucumber

1. Put the garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, whole-wheat bread, chiles, spices and cilantro in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Remove from the food processor and shape into walnut-sized balls.
3. Place the beaten egg in a shallow bowl and place the whole-wheat bread crumbs on a plate. First dip the garbanzo bean balls into the egg to coat them thoroughly and then roll them in the bread crumbs, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat the oil for deep frying to 350 F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Cook the falafel, in batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Carefully remove the from the oil with a slotted spoon and dry on absorbent paper towels.
5. Garnish the falafel with the reserved cilantro and serve with lemon, tomato, or cucumber if desired.

Corn and Bean Salad with Basil-Lime Vinaigrette

(I posted this to my aunt's blog "It's a Keeper"- we share recipes, but I thought I'd put on here too.)

This is a recipe my friend Kat made for me once for dinner and I thought it was the best ever, and it's pretty healthy to boot. She got it from Giada De Laurentiis from Food Network, but I've just made it faster by using canned instead of fresh veggies.

Makes: 8 servings
Calories: 283 per 1 cup serving

Salad:
1 can of corn
2 (15 ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 roasted red peppers from the jar and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 mango, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Vinaigrette:
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Mix the salad ingredients together
2. In a small bowl combine the lime, vinegar, basil and cumin.
3. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Refrigerate for 1 hour, toss again before serving.