Vegetarian Help: Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Cannellini Beans

 The first question I get when I tell someone I’m a vegetarian is, “How do you get your protein?” It’s actually quite easy to get enough protein if you know the sources to build your meals from. Protein requirements vary for each individual. In the book Eat to Live by author Joel Fuhrman M.D., he provides an easy way to calculate your protein requirement according to the USRDA. Multiply your body weight in pounds by .36 grams. A woman who weighs 120 pounds needs about 44 grams of protein per day.

Vegetarian Sources for Protein:

Barley- 1 cup has 3 grams of protein

Quinoa- 1 cup has 5 grams of protein

Lentils- 1 cup has 17 grams of protein

Tofu- ½ cup has 20 grams of protein

Almonds- 12 almonds have 3 grams of protein

Cannellini Beans- 1 cup have 16 grams of protein

Include at least one vegetarian source of protein at every meal along with other fruits, vegetables and whole grains to meet your daily requirement.  The recipe below for Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Cannellini Beans has about 10 grams of protein per cup.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Cannellini Beans

Yield- 4 cups

Ingredients and Preparation:

• 3 Zucchini, sliced into ribbons
• 1 Bunch of Asparagus- cut and keep only the spears
• 1 can of Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Shallots, finely diced
• ¼ cup of fresh Tarragon, pull leaves from stems
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• 3 cloves of Garlic, pushed through a garlic pressed or finely chopped
• 4 Green Onions, sliced
• ¼ cup of Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• ½ cup of White Wine

Directions:

1. Put the zucchini ribbons in a bowl and top with the juice of 1 lemon, a dash of salt and pepper and use your hand to mix. Set aside.
2. In a small sauté pan: heat about a tablespoon on Olive Oil and then sauté the asparagus spears on medium heat add the Cannellini Beans about half way through to warm.
3. Remove Asparagus and Beans from heat and add to the bowl of Zucchini Ribbons. Mix together. Set aside.
4. In a large sauté pan: heat remaining Olive Oil and add garlic and shallots on medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine ingredients. Once the shallots and garlic have softened add the tarragon and stir. Add the juice of 2^nd lemon and let mixture reduce. Once reduced, add the white wine and reduce heat to simmer.
5. Once the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened add the bowl of vegetables and toss together. Top with a pinch of salt, pepper, and green onions. Serve.

 

Enjoy,

Tricia

Tricia is our guest blogger from the blog  www.sunshinefitfoods.wordpress.com. We are so honored to have her share her vegetarian insights with her!  Check her blog out for more fit foods!

Eating Seasonally: Choosing Veggies & Fruits In Season

Eating seasonally, we’ve all heard this altruistic diet suggestion from health magazines, nutritionists, friends, family, etc.. but what is the real difference one can expect when dining strictly with seasonal produce? CYS sought out to discover just that…

Aside from the long ancestral history of how our distant relatives used to get by without the modern conveniences of rapid global shipping, food preservatives, & delicious fresh strawberries year round that the agricultural  & industrial revolution have given way to, our ancestors simply ate what they had access to. They ate seasonal fruits & vegetables during spring, summer, fall, & in the cold winter months they turned to meats, seeds, nuts, & roots.

Our genetic make up has changed very little over the past 50,000+ years therefore the foods our ancestors ate back then still remain the best suited for our genes now! Meats, fish, nuts, seeds, fruits, & vegetables are still the most important in an ideal diet plan. Foods such as whole grain products & dairy products are acceptable, in small amounts of course. Leaving refined grains, like sugar, & processed or fried oils, in addition to artificial ingredients, such as preservatives, in the “stay away from” category.

Despite the lack of actual scientific evidence that this is a beneficial way of eating, it still brings to the table (no pun intended) two reasons that eating seasonally has a purpose. Choosing in-season vegetables & fruits, especially locally grown organic produce, means that the produce will be ripe & tastier as well as more nutritious than food produced out of season. Its hard to imagine what life would be like without fresh berries, bananas, & sweet potatoes year round! Eek!!

…so here are this month’s seasonal vegetables & fruits to get you started on purchasing your in-season produce as well as opening the door to more nutritionally dense & delicious meals!

Month of December – Check Out Your Local Farmer’s Markets Here!

List of Veggies that are In Season:

Artichokes, Asian Greens, Avocados, Beans, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery. Chard, Collards, Cress, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Herbs, Horseradish, Kale!, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Olives, Onions, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Potatoes, Radish, Rutabaga, Scallions, Spinach, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes.

List of Fruits that are In Season:

Almonds, Apples, Asian Pears, Avocados, Chestnuts, Dates, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guavas, Kiwis, Kumquats, Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Persimmons, Pistachios, Pomegranates, Pomelos, Tangerines, Walnuts.

Happy Eating!