Posts Tagged ‘tofu’
Do You Want to Help the Environment?
UN researchers reveal: One quick solution to lower our effect on the environment.
Do you know the United Nations calculated the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat and found it was more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together?
In a recent article published in July 2010 by the Guardian.co.uk, leading journalist John Vidal reported how vegetarianism may help save the world by eating less meat.
Behind the majority of the joints of beef or chicken on our plates is a phenomenally wasteful, land and electricity hungry system of farming that devastates forests, pollutes oceans, rivers, seas and atmosphere.
We mostly breed four species (chickens, cows, lambs and pigs) which need vast amounts of water and food, emit methane as well as other greenhouse gases and produce mountains of physical waste.
During the past year, the United nations calculated the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were about 18% of the global total – more than cars, planes and all other kinds of transport put together.
A Bangladeshi family living off rice, beans, vegetables and fruit may live on an acre of land or less, while the average American, who consumes around 270 pounds of meat per year, needs 20 times that.
Academics have calculated that if the grain fed to animals in western countries were consumed directly by people rather than animals, we could feed at least 2 times as many people – and perhaps far more – as we do now.
Eating a steak or a chicken points to an extreme water consumption, that the animal has required to live and grow. Vegetarian author John Robbins calculates one pound of beef needs around 20,000 lbs of water.
Farming, which uses 70% of water available to humans, is already in direct competition for water with cities.
Industrial scale agriculture now dominates the western livestock and poultry industries, and a single farm can now generate as much waste as a city.
Farming animals generate manure and urine which is funnelled into massive waste lagoons sometimes holding as many as 40 m gallons. These cesspools often break, leak or overflow, polluting underground water supplies and rivers with nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrates.
A meat diet is normally considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one. According to the Vegetarian Society, meat eaters get increased probabilities of obesity, cancer, heart diseases and other illnesses as well as a hole in the pocket.
So what now? How can we start contribute save our world?
Here a quick and simple recipe to find a good meat substitute:
Tofu and Green Onion Veggie Burger
This healthy tofu based veggie burger receive an extra nutritional boost from wheat germ. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.
Ingredients:
* 1/2 container firm or extra firm tofu, mashed
* 1 onion, diced
* 3 green onions, diced
* 2 tbs wheat germ
* 2 tbsp flour
* 2 tbs garlic powder
* 2 tbls soy sauce
* dash pepper
* oil for frying
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties.
Fry patties in oil in a large skillet until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Now it's all to you…
About the Author – Martha Volz writes for the http://www.vegetariansupplements.org her personal passion blog related to vegetarian healthy eating ideas.
P.S. from Randy - Martha contacted Real Food For Life after reading our Nice Cow, Baaad Cow article . You can see it contains many of the same ideas. I'd like to hope that great minds think alike!
Meals in Minutes…..I’m Hungry!
Here's one great cooking tip and recipe – please share yours.
This is an important thing in my life. When I want to eat I want to eat within minutes so no fussy about and waiting 45 minutes for something to cook. I am hungry and simply would like to eat and something healthy is important to me.
At Real Food for Life we know we want to eat a healthy meal but there are times when we just don't want to cook. We just want to eat within the next few minutes. I would like to begin a discussion where we share our recipes and tips.
Here are some guidelines. Please share a tip or recipe that is:
1. Healthy (no heavily processed packaged food, not microwaved, no chemicals and is mostly whole food)
2. Tastes good.
3. Ready to eat with a few minutes because when I want to eat I want to eat now not wait even in 15 – 30 minutes.
I will start.
TIP: Clean All Fruits & Vegetables Before Storing
One of the things I do is clean all of my fruits & vegetables with fruit and vege rinse before I store them in the fridge, so when I want one of them quickly it is one less thing to do.
This may sound like a lot of work or being 'fussy' but really it saves you a lot of work in the end and it saves you time when you need it the most. Just do the math. Instead of spending 5-10 minutes each meal pulling out small amounts of food and cleaning them you spend just 10 minutes ONCE a week!
RECIPE: Here is one of my favourite quick, easy and nutritious sandwiches.
Tempeh or Tofu Sandwich
For the simplest, use tempeh or tofu from the health food store already marinated or one that you have already marinated. Brush both sides with sesame oil, then either sauté or grill on both sides till golden brown.
This then becomes the main ingredient for the sandwich, put on a slice of bread ( I use rice bread), spread some mustard if you like or some healthy mayo. On top of the put a few leaves of lettuce, slices of cucumber and/or tomato. Then just put the other slice of bread on top and a yummy healthy sandwich.
Scroll down for these Tofu recipes that are quick and easy to make:
- Tofu Stroganoff
- Tofu with Vegetables and Almond Cream
Copyright © Diana Herrington You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to the post Meals in Minutes