Food Challenge (long!)

The “teenager” is studying climate change in Science class, which includes looking at their individual and their collective carbon footprint(s).

They have been challenged to a two-week period where they keep track of the amount of meat, chicken and fish they consume and how many miles traveled in the car each day.

J interprets the former to mean a hiatus on meat, fish and chicken and the latter to mean walking or biking to school (and essentially not going anywhere else besides school or bb practice, which is just across the field from our house).

Two days ago he informed us: “Oh. Yeah. Our entire family needs to reduce our carbon footprint. So that means no meat, fish or chicken for you guys and I need to know how many miles you drive everyday.”

What!!!

J is already very good about so many things I had to be taught---over and over again---when I was his age, i.e. turning out the lights, not letting the water run and not letting the cool or hot air out (or in). And he’s a great recycler too.

But I think I want to talk to his teachers…NO meat, fish or chicken?!!

But this is important to him and he’s so earnest about it.

So…what’s two weeks?

Besides, we’re allowed a meat, chicken or fish serving once a week, which we’ll serve to company on Sunday.

I wasn’t in the mood for pasta, so I pulled our several vegetarian cookbooks we acquired over the years to help us accommodate our vegan and veggie friends, and which have gotten very little use other than those times.

I was amazed, looking at the photos in the following book, The Vegetarian Gourment by Roz Denny, how appetizing (and easy) the recipes seem.



So I decided to try not one…not two…but three recipes!

But then I forgot to get the main ingredient for one of the recipes and so it was down to these two…

Egg Flour Soup

This was delicious! Both boys liked it, but shhhh…I cheated and added chicken broth, which I know is a no-no and will make it with vegetable broth next time.



This is what our soup looked like…my eggs don’t look quite as thin and “flowery.” We had already eaten half of it when I took the photo.

I’d love to try the recipe on the bottom of the page, ‘Broccoli and Saga Blue Cheese Soup’, but I know the boys won’t go for it.

This is the other recipe I tried…

Quick Basmati and Nut Pilaf

My boys liked the soup better, but thought it was…interesting.

I had to use a “box” Basmati rice, which affected the cooking process because the local Safeway didn’t have Basmati rice. I can probably find it at either the co-op or the tiny gourmet shop in town.

I thought it was yummy with the cardamom pods and cumin seeds, ground coriander and nuts.

This is what our dish looks like…

I told J, “This is challenging for me, finding and cooking tasty veggie meals.”

His response…without missing a beat, “It’s supposed to be.”

So there…out of the mouth of babes (so to speak).

Have a wonderful weekend (and so sorry Chicago)!