The Final Meatless Monday

I’m overdue posting about this past Meatless Monday, I’ve been working overtime.  I’ll be honest, this Monday I was NOT feeling particularly gung-ho to go meatless. I had some nice looking leftover chicken in the fridge, some uncured turkey bacon calling my name, grilled salmon was sounding good at lunchtime… But I did it!  I’d feel like a colossal wimp if I couldn’t make it a month of only going meatless one day a week. Cmon, how hard is four days?

My food this Monday was not particularly interesting: eggs, veggie and cheese omelet for breakfast, a ginger-orange tofu stir fry at work (thanks to the best hospital kitchen staff anywhere, not my own cooking) and for dinner….I was tired, I was hungry, and the refrigerator situation was pretty grim. For protein, I had no choice but eggs again!

I didn’t even have the “normal” veggies I put in my eggs: spinach, peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc. I had leftover steamed cauliflower, a small sweet potato, an avocado and 3 green onions. This was going to be interesting.

I cut the potato into thick slices and wrapped them in damp paper towels. Microwaved until soft, and threw them in a pan with the cauliflower and sliced green onions. Then I added my eggs and egg whites and put a lid on it until it set. Then I topped it with cubes of avocado, two slices of 2% cheese, and folded it into the weirdest omelet I’ve ever eaten. And it was GOOD!

Not photogenic however. The thought crossed my mind, but A. I was hungry and B. It was not nice looking. So down the hatch it went, uncaptured for posterity. My Spud-Cauli-Avo-Omelet created out of desperation and lack of groceries.

So, I’ll give you a much more presentable vegetarian recipe that I made today, when I finally had a day off work. (If you aren’t into vegetarian meats, use crumbled tofu, canned beans (1.5 cans), or 1 lb. lean ground meat instead of the veggie crumbles. You may also use green bell peppers instead of poblanos. Enjoy!) I made some with the avocado and some without. Val and I agree: it’s good either way.

“Beefy” Stuffed Poblano Peppers

• 3 large poblano peppers
• 1¼ cups fat free canned refried beans
• 12 oz vegetarian crumbles
• ½ cup salsa (hot, medium or mild)
• ¾ cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
• ½ avocado, cut into 6 slices

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13″ baking dish with foil.

2. Cut around the stem of the peppers and remove. Cut peppers in half, removing the seeds and inner membranes. Place halves cut side up in baking dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of refried beans in each pepper half.

3. In a large pan, heat vegetarian crumbles until warm. (If using ground meat, brown meat until fully cooked, breaking up any chunks with a wooden spoon). Stir in salsa and turn off heat. Divide meat mixture among pepper halves, and place in baking dish. Bake 30 minutes.

4. Remove from oven. Place one slice of avocado on each pepper half and top with ½ ounce shredded cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese.

Makes 3 large servings (2 halves each)

Per serving:  395 calories, 13 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 37g total carbohydrate, 16 g dietary fiber, 37 g protein  (that’s for the vegetarian version)

Remember the Meatless Monday giveaway I mentioned at the first Meatless Monday post? Congratulations to Monica, who wins a vegetarian cookbook from Morningstar Farms and a copy of my new book Fuel Up!  Thanks for joining me in Meatless Mondays!