Introducing: Meatless Mondays

As members of our community, we can “do good” and live peacefully in an innumerable amount of ways. At the Center for Living Peace, we’re always looking for new ways to do good in our lives and our communities.

Enter: Meatless Mondays

Staring this week, every Monday we will post about the benefits of eating one less meal with meat, along with some startling statistics and factoids and delicious meat-free recipes.

So why “Meatless Mondays”? Well, think about all the good you’ll be doing your community when you contribute to freeing 15 million square kilometers of farmland and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions up to 18%!

So, as promised: Here is your statistic and your recipe. Please join me every week for a Meatless Monday!

From The Daily Green:
The amount of greenhouse gas (gases that trap heat in the atmosphere) emissions caused by cheeseburger production and consumption is equivalent to that of about 6.5-19.6 million SUVs.

If we’ve all begun committing ourselves to more eco-friendly driving, then perhaps we can also commit to more eco-friendly eating! For example, instead of burgers for dinner, how about a delicious grilled sandwich?

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich?

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don’t burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

Recipe originally posted on All Recipes.

Do you have a recipe you’d love to share? Email it to contact@goodhappens.org! Enjoy being healthy and eco-friendly my friends!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Good Food Happens.

In his workshop, “Artful Eating,” Orange County Museum of Art‘s very own Jeff Venier, M.F.A. leads the group in a drawing exercise based on the techniques of the old masters.  This art class, though technical, is also designed to be a means of practicing mindfulness.  Appreciating the beauty of our food leads to a richer, and more mindful eating experience, and can give us time to think about where our food comes from, what form it takes.  Before sitting down to draw, Jeff leads the group in touring the Irvine Farmer’s Market to gather the ingredients for their still life (and their lunch!).

Jeff’s workshops always feature exciting new recipes, sure to broaden your knowledge of delicious ingredients.  Past recipes have included:  Black and Brown sweet rice salad with Eggplant and Tomatoes with Pecorino, and Beet and Carrot Asian remoulade.

The hands on cooking portion (utilizing elements from the still life) of the class has been a favorite aspect of the class for adults and children alike.  Jeff transforms cooking from being a chore to something fun and joyful.

The shared meal is the finale of the class.  Not only does the food taste amazing, but eating feels different after so much time spent studying, appreciating, arranging, and working with the food.  ”Artful Eating” seems to refer not only to the practice of combining drawing and cooking, but to a transformed way of nourishing our bodies and minds.

Wondering what to do now that your mouth is watering?  Start by making sure you don’t miss Cheff Jeff’s last Artful Eating workshop:

this Saturday

August 28th

(class starts promptly at 11:30, ends at 2:30)

Reserve your place now!

And, check out Jeff’s Food Blog to see photos and find recipes for more of his out-of-this-world (homemade) cuisine.

Good (and good food!) Happens.

Peace Grl Out.

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