Meatless Monday
March 2, 2010 in Uncategorized
The idea of a meatless meal once a week is public health awareness program in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for a Livable Future. In 2009 Paul and Stella McCartney launched “Support Meat-free Monday” in the U.K..
All this you all know if you’ve been following Twitter, blogs or just hanging around the internet for the last year. It is not only encouraged for the health benefits of cutting down on meat consumption by 15%, but also a way to save the planet.
So, even with my best intentions, Monday is not always our meatless meal. I have however adopted the habit of having at least one meatless meal per week.
Here is a great meatless meal, which can work as a main vegetarian meal, a starter or a side dish for meat eaters that really can’t do without their animal protein.
Paprika Peppers stuffed with Quinoa
Makes 2 servings
2 large Paprika Peppers
Half a cup of Quinoa – cooked
Half a Red Pepper chopped into small dice
2 Courgettes chopped into small dice
1 Handful of toasted pine nuts (optional, but very good)
Olive Oil for frying
Cut the Paprika peppers in half, remove the seeds and membrane, but keep the stalk intact.
Rub with a little oil and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes, until just soft.
Meanwhile…
Fry the red peppers and the courgettes until just soft.
Mix together the quinoa, the peppers, courgettes and the pine nuts and season to taste.
Remove the paprika peppers from the oven – fill with the quinoa mix and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Serve with fried haloumi cheese which you have rubbed with a little oil, stick one basil leaf on the presentation side and fry until golden and carefully flip over, keeping the leaf in place.
And there you have – Meatless Monday, a feast on it’s own!
homemadeheaven
JoDay said on March 2, 2010
Looks and sounds divine! (And what a terrific idea, to use the basil leaves on the haloumi!)
homemadeheaven said on March 2, 2010
Godfm – The basil leaf was a Jamie Oliver idea – works very well, looks pretty.
sharonsmit said on March 2, 2010
This looks great! And Im sure you can use couscous too in this!
Have a fab day! 
homemadeheaven said on March 2, 2010
Sharon – Couscous will work very well.
tandy.sinclair said on March 2, 2010
I could do this without the peppers for sure
something new to add to my shopping list!
homemadeheaven said on March 2, 2010
Inspiration – You don’t like peppers? You could stuff a tomato with this filling – would work just as well.
tandy.sinclair said on March 2, 2010
I don’t do stuffed tomatoes either, maybe teenage marrow?
homemadeheaven said on March 2, 2010
Inspiration – that would work well too!
pinkpolkadot said on March 2, 2010
Sounds excellent…will try it for our weekly meatless meal!!
homemadeheaven said on March 3, 2010
Pink – Easy and filling, and great for the hot days.