Vegamonics Lesson Three: Reducing carbon footprints.

By far, red meat was the biggest culprit in a life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gases, with dairy products in second. Surprisingly, chicken, fish, and eggs fair slightly better than fruit and vegetables.

“Transportation creates only 11% of the greenhouse gases that an average U.S. household generates annually as a result of food consumption. The agricultural and industrial practices that go into growing and harvesting food are responsible for most (83%) of its greenhouse gas emissions.” Read the full article at Environmental Science & Technology.

What does this mean? Eating less red meat will make more of a positive impact on the environment than buying local produce.

When battling the rise cost of food, however, buying local will make a difference because fuel usage and travel time increase food prices.

Not unlike smoking cessation or exercise regimes, changing eating habits is a lifestyle change. So start small, eating one less meal a week with red meat. Try replacing half of the meat in a recipe with beans, nuts, or legumes. Instead of meat being the entree, give the vegetables center stage and move meat to the side. Use common vegetarian substitutions, such as mushrooms, eggplant, or tofu. Think of red meat the same way as onions: a way to enhance the flavor of a dish, not the main component.

Homework: Work to reduce my carbon footprint by buying less red meat and finding an alternative for dinner.

This recipe was so easy, it was a little ridiculous to call it a recipe. I’ve found that some of the simplest dishes, however, get the best reviews! The idea was simple enough: leftover quinoa with golden raisins, some spinach, cucumbers, and a dash of olive oil.

I used leftover quinoa, warmed up slightly in the microwave. I would suggest making the quinoa ahead of time and cooling, or the spinach will wilt. Unless you like wilted spinach, then by all means make this a warm salad instead. Substitute any salad ingredients you like, utilizing whatever is on hand.

Spinach & Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quiona
1 cup golden raisins
5-6 cups baby spinach or other dark, leafy greens
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Stir in golden raisins, then set aside to cool.

Rinse spinach thoroughly, then toss with olive oil. Add cucumber slices and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss cooled quinoa with spinach mixture. Serve!

Above: Yes, it really is that easy.

Economically Friendly: Nothing here broke the bank, especially the creative use of leftover quinoa from an eggplant dish. Cucumbers are reasonably cheap, as is baby spinach. I encourage improvisation in this salad, just about any veggie would work here.

Ecologically Responsible: Quinoa, as I have discussed before, can stand in for the meat product of a dish. Seasonal, local produce can also make this an earth-happy salad.

Excellently Healthy: This really is a nutrient powerhouse, with quinoa and spinach provide some essential vitamins and still tasting great. With golden raisins, cucumber, and some healthy fat from olive oil, this really is a balanced dish.

Last week, I purchased chicken tenders for the bargain price of $3.00 for about a pound. Remember, Veganomics is not about vegan eating, but rather a healthy lifestyle on a healthy budget that’s also good for the planet. Sometimes it is hard to hit all three, but I think this recipe comes close.

The sauce for this recipe was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis from Everyday Italian. Her original recipe was Balsamic BBQ, and you know how much I love balsamic vinegar. I did adjust some of the amounts though. Rather than traditional grilled BBQ Chicken, I created a stir-fry for an all-in-one meal.

Above: Looks better than take-out. Careful, it’s hot!

BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 large head of broccoli, cut or broken into small pieces
1 small onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard 
3/4 tsp salt, divided 
1/2 tsp black pepper

To make BBQ sauce: In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduce by half.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet or wok on high heat. Saute onions for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and beginning to turn golden brown. Remove onions and set aside.

Toss chicken pieces with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and cornstarch. Arrange in a single layer in hot skillet. Saute 3-5 minutes, until chicken is almost done. Pour half of the BBQ sauce over chicken, tossing to coat. Set the other half aside.

Return onions to skillet along with broccoli. Cover and steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Toss to coat all ingredients. Add more BBQ sauce if necessary (sauce will thicken and reduce as it cooks, it will also thicken slightly when it cools).

Serve immediately, over steamed rice or quinoa. Pour remaining BBQ sauce in a bowl to serve on the side for dipping.

Economically Friendly: Now is the time to scout for sales in the meat department. Purchase meat close to the “sell by” date for a reduce price and freeze immediately, then thaw when you are ready to use. We did not use the dipping sauce, so I have another batch to make another dish with, which will save me time and money.

Ecologically Responsible: By cutting meat into smaller pieces, it stretches farther in a dish, meaning you use less. Adding hearty vegetables such as broccoli helps round out the meal without straining resources.

Excellently Healthy: Boneless, skinless chicken is the way to go. Add more vegetables, such as sugar snap peas, peppers, or carrots to increase the flavor and nutrition. Don’t be afraid to improvise with this recipe.

For quite some time, I have wanted to make a tri-color vegetable dish using red, yellow, and green but never seemed to get around to it. After reviewing items purchased recently as well as current canned goods, I created this tasty side dish. It would also be great with rice, but I like the pasta element.

In the spirit of Veganomics, use the pasta and veggies you have on hand, below are just my recommendations. Also, this recipe makes a rather large amount of food, so be prepared to take advantage of leftovers.

Jenn’s Stoplight Pasta

1/2 lb (about half a box) orzo pasta
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 can (14-16 oz) corn kernels, drained
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
fresh ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water boil. Add salt and orzo, prepare according to package directions (about 8-10 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Over medium-high heat, saute zucchini until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add corn and tomatoes (don’t drain tomatoes thoroughly, a little juice will add flavor). Saute an additional 3-5 minutes until vegetables being to brown slightly.

Drain pasta and fold in vegetables. Add basil and pepper (to taste), can be served hot immediately or chill for 1 hour to serve cold.

Make a simple and delicious soup by placing leftovers in a small saucepan and covering with chicken or vegetable broth. Set on medium-low heat until everything is warmed, about 5-7 minutes, and enjoy. NOTE: Do not store leftovers with the broth poured in, the orzo and zucchini will absorb the liquid and turn mushy.

If you only have a small amount left and want to make a side, another great idea is mixing it with steamed rice for a vegetable pilaf. You could also add sauteed garlic, onions, and mushrooms to stretch this dish even farther.

Economically Friendly: Orzo was on sale, and it worked well in this dish. Zucchini is a great seasonal vegetable for summer, usually at $0.99 a pound. Look for canned goods sales and stock up on things you use regularly. Making soup or even a cold salad out of the leftovers is cheap way to stretch this dish.

Ecologically Responsible:Only make this if you are prepared for leftovers or feeding a crowd, otherwise it will be wasteful to make a dish this big.  This recipe can be adjusted to seasonal vegetables, or whatever is in the pantry! I’m not going to delve into the tomato-picking controversy, except to say that the only time I buy fresh tomatoes is at a Farmer’s Market.

Excellently Healthy:Pasta got a bad reputation during the no-carb phase, but it is still a healthy food – in moderation. Look for low-sodium canned vegetables, or buy fresh, local vegetables to reduce the salt content. Usually I prefer fresh produce, but corn and tomatoes are the exceptions for me.

Veganomics kicked of this week with my PB&B Smoothie and continued with Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous and Spicy Sesame Eggplant & Snap Peas with Quinoa. This week’s lessons included finding local produce with a Seasonal Produce Map and getting the Scoop on Spices. Here is a breakdown of how well I followed the Veganomics guidelines, starting with food purchases from June 1-7:

Splurges:

Bing Cherries ($5.95): At $2.99 a pound, I could not resist these dark, sweet treats and bought about 2 pounds. I can eat these by the bowlful, so nothing going to waste here. Cherries aren’t quite in season yet here in Michigan, but are in California, so I could not shop local this time.  

Roasted Red Chili Paste ($3.79): Needed for Spicy Sesame Eggplant, hopefully I will continue to use this to make it worth the price. It will stay fresh for quite awhile though, so it should not go to waste.

Chocolate Soy Milk ($3.69): Required for Cherry Jubilee Smoothies, which I make most mornings to take on-the-go, so I can justify the price. I love the taste, the parent company is donating money to clean energy, and who doesn’t need more calcium?

Bag of Lemons ($3.49): A necessary evil, since all of my lemons were sacrificed to my Memorial Day Sangria. I tried to look for a better deal, but the loose/bulk lemons were all a little green, so the bag seemed my best bet.

Grapes ($3.35): For the longest time, grapes were about $0.99 a pound (practically giving them away!) but were $1.99 a pound this week. Now that summer produce is starting to trickle in, grapes and apples aren’t on sale, but the apples were only $1.87. These are my lunchbox staples, however, so I did not want to go without.

Above: Sugar snaps to the rescue, saving a dish gone wrong 

Saves:

Ginger ($0.51): Ginger is seldom expensive, and a great cooking staple. One piece will last for weeks.

Cabbage ($0.56): A bargain, already cleaned and ready to be chopped, I could not pass this one up.

Sugar Snap Peas ($0.80): I’m sure you thinking “What a deal!” but the unfortunate thing is that the cashier rang these up as green beans ($0.99 a pound) instead of sugar snap peas ($3.49 a pound). I didn’t notice until I got home, but I also saw that she rang up my eggplant ($0.99 a pound) as the more expensive variety ($3.50 a pound), so I feel this was an even trade.

Zucchini ($1.29): At $0.99 a pound, I really couldn’t go wrong with zucchini. What usually gets me is that zucchini can spoil quickly, so this was purchased and used within 2 days to avoid waste.

Broccoli ($1.67): Large heads of broccoli are 3 for $5.00, but the beauty of those specials is that you don’t have to buy 3 to get the reduced price. Just one will be plenty, and while I will need to spend some time cleaning and chopping the broccoli, it is worth the extra effort.

A vast majority of my grocery bill came from the produce department, with only a few items from other areas:
Chocolate soy milk
Roasted Red Chili Paste
Chicken breast tenders ($3.00 for a pound, about to hit the sell-by date)
Gallon of milk (on sale $2.50, will last me two weeks)
Orzo pasta (on sale $0.99 a box)

Total grocery bill: $57.41

At first glance, it might seem that I spend a lot on groceries for one person (well, one and a half, if you count James), but I eat all of my meals from home. Breakfast is a smoothie to-go, lunch and snacks are prepacked, dinner and dessert are usually eaten at home, and I like to bring a large thermos of iced tea with me wherever I go.

This bill was actually lower than usual because there were some food staples like cheese, yogurt and hummus that I did not need to buy this week. I did need to make two trips, however, because the first time I went on Sunday morning the produce folks were still struggling to fill the Saturday-ransacked bins. There were no fresh cucumbers, zucchini, or basil so I returned on Monday for those items, plus I forgot the bean sprouts for dinner and needed more canned tomatoes.

Above: Garlic is inexpensive, healthy, and flavorful 

On-the-Go Food Purchases: $3.87

This is a drastic decrease for me, as I avoided “impulse” buys and snacks throughout the day. This sole purchase was from Starbucks, which is somewhat of a weekend tradition for James and I. Fortunately, we like inexpensive items: brewed coffee for James, plain iced tea for me.

In all fairness, James did make some purchases for me this week, including a delectable brownie after the steamed eggplant debacle. Our usual trade-off is that I make dinner and he buys dessert or drinks afterwards, and he gets a bulk of the leftovers for lunch the next day. If I’m not cooking, we take turns paying at restaurants. Since we try to break even, I’m not going to count his food purchases in this project…yet.

Food Waste: Minimal
After the embarrassing amount of pre-Veganomics food waste from cleaning out my refrigerator and cabinets, I have a renewed drive to get the most for my money. I donated some leftovers from Moroccan Eggplant to James and his co-workers, and had the rest for dinner. Also, after the let down with Spicy Sesame Eggplant, I was determined to make it an enjoyable dish.

I also started turning to my pantry and substituting ingredients in recipes, taking advantage of items I’ve already purchased. For example, I purchased golden raisins and dried cherries for making granola, but they were also great in the Moroccan Eggplant leftovers. Then in reworking the Spicy Sesame Eggplant, I added quinoa purchased awhile ago but that I had no idea how to use.

Above: Dried cherries dress up some leftovers 

For next week: Utilize more “forgotten” pantry items to improvise in recipes and avoiding unnecessary food purchases. Look for more seasonal produce items and locally-grown produce for recipes as well as snacks and boxed lunches. Continue to avoid “on-the-go” food purchases, which are usually more expensive and wasteful. My goal is to keep the food budget between $60-70 a week, or about $10 a day (which is more than some people spend on lunch everyday!).