Recently I have been hearing a lot about Meatless Mondays, a way to decrease the amount of meat we put in to our bodies as well as lower our saturated fats. We are all looking for new and healthy ways to live longer and healthier lives.
This has been my challenge these past two months: Create meatless main dishes that are easy to prepare and the kids will enjoy. Now, let me tell you my husband is, as well as most husbands are, a man that loves STEAK dinners, so my challenge was not only to impress my children but him as well and make him feel full and satisfied at the end of the meal. Here are a few ideas that I have come up with that have been given the green light from my family.
- Baked Ziti– Ziti pasta tossed with marinara sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. Served with a side salad and garlic bread my family is happy campers. Feel free to shake it up and add some drained frozen chopped spinach, onions, bell peppers or even mushrooms, whatever your family likes to make it your own.
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup– This is a great staple soup for the cooler nights and if you make a little extra, it makes a great lunch the next day. Serve with a loaf of warm crusty bread and dig in.
- Butternut Squash Risotto– Now for some this can seem a little intimidating, but trust me it doesn’t take any longer to cook risotto than it does traditional long grain rice, just a little more love. Once you have the basic risotto down jazzing it up is just your imagination. Roasted and purred butternut squash, (or even canned pumpkin), is a great add in to a rice dish.
- “Meatless” Meat sauce and Spaghetti– Take 2 c of my traditional Sassy Sauce and add 1 8oz container of finely chopped button mushrooms and 3/4c canned pumpkin. Bring to a bubble and toss with cooked spaghetti. Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with a green salad and garlic bread. My kids never even knew that they were ONLY eating vegetables!!
