DIFFERENT IS GOOD
On a trip to Thailand many years ago I took a cooking class in Chiang Mai, in the north. It was pretty nifty to work with such fresh, authentic ingredients in the jungle-like setting of the rustic cooking school. We made curry paste in a large mortar and pestle, annihilating the lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal with much elbow grease, as had been done for centuries. It made me deeply appreciate my food processor. jump to recipe
In our class there was a vegetarian, and the chef easily accommodated her with pumpkin as a substitution for the meat. It was the first time I’d seen such a swap, as tofu was all I knew of alternatives. The squishy stuff was “not my favorite,” as some children are taught to say in place of “hate.” But the hunk of pumpkin, now that was intriguing! It wasn’t a meat analog, it was real food, food I understood – and liked. It wasn’t doing without, it was doing different (pardon the grammar).
If desired, the “different” approach is perhaps the best way to go about eating less meat. The Mediterranean diet, where meat is only eaten a few times a month, is consistently touted as ideal from a health perspective. The focus is plant based with plenty of vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains and nuts. The risk of virtually every disease is reduced by adopting a more Mediterranean diet, and many fall vegetables make for great main courses.
Meatless Monday is growing in popularity (as is Taco Tuesday, but that’s for another Wednesday). It’s a simple way to remember to make a “different” choice for dinner. This week I was reminded of the amazing black bean and sweet potato enchiladas that somebody made for me once upon a time. I wasn’t prepared to make enchiladas, but soup or chili I had energy for. I used my favorite local chile powder along with a healthy dose of cumin and garlic. I finished my chili with fresh cilantro and scallions, and I would defy anyone to not feel completely satisfied. Okay, you may want to add cornbread or a salad, but you won’t think, “Where’s the beef?”
Pumpkins, and others in the squash family, are popular throughout Asia, and there is no law that says your Mediterranean diet can’t have an Asian accent, or even Southwestern. The duo of scallions and cilantro (if you aren’t in the percentage of people with a gene that causes cilantro to taste like soap) can’t be beat for vibrant flavor, and a pop of green. Always throw them on at the last minute because cooking just about kills all the flavor.
Combining the pop of green with any of the orange fleshed, cool weather vegetables always makes me happy, and I am happiest when it’s arugula. This mighty leaf is in the brassica family along with cauliflower and broccoli, and has a peppery kick that marries perfectly with the sweetness of butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Baby arugula has less bite, and when the leaves get more mature I tend to throw them into hot dishes at the last minute to wilt slightly and moderate the peppery flavor.
This week I made a roasted butternut squash salad with arugula and dried cranberries. I dressed it with a cumin and ginger scented vinaigrette that was perfection. Technically, I added a bit of Ne Chèvre (vegan goat cheese), but it looked like popcorn in the picture, so it’s “not pictured,” although I highly recommend the combo.
Arugula often reminds me of when I was nearing the end of cooking school in the mid-90’s, and was trying to decide if I ought to go back to Colorado Springs, where my parents were living at the time. As luck would have it, while chatting with a customer at the fancy housewares shop where I worked, she mentioned that her daughter had moved to be the food editor at the local paper there. When queried as to how she was liking it, the mother replied simply, “No arugula.” Well, that was that. No arugula, no way.
Thankfully the trickledown of the foodie revolution means we can all find oh-so Mediterranean arugula these days, and the markets, especially the farmer’s market, are bursting with options to make getting on the Mediterranean bandwagon and “Meatless Monday” easy and tasty. Different is good.
This is really quick and easy, but truly satisfying. Add cornbread if you like. Be sure to look for brands of chiles that don’t have calcium chloride. I have listed fire roasted diced tomatoes for their extra bit of flavor, but any brand will do, as would fresh tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1-2 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups broth, or as needed
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed
- ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped
- ½ bunch scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Saute the onion until golden, then add garlic and cumin, and cook another 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, broth, oregano, and salt, then stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add sweet potato. Cook until just tender, about 6 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. When yummy, add black beans and let heat about 2 minutes.
- Serve in bowls as beautiful as the chili, garnished with cilantro and scallions.
