Vegetarian victories: three delicious AND eco-friendly recipes

By Genevieve Nevius, Staff Writer

Now more than ever, people are becoming aware of the damages that our capitalistic society has inflicted on the Earth. Though many aspects of said society have contributed to our current climate crisis, one of the main ones is the unsustainable and inhumane farming of livestock. Many people are switching to vegetarian and vegan diets, or some variation of these, as they recognize the harm done to the planet through meat and animal product consumption.  According to a Gallup poll conducted in 2018 published by “The Washington Post”, five percent of U.S. adults (around 16 million people) are strictly vegetarian, with the majority of these people being young adults. 

Many Samo students stress how important this movement of plant-based diets really is when it comes to the future of our environment. Tali Chase (’23) explains passionately that valuable space and resources are being taken up by big corporations farming millions of abused animals. She also reasons that by reducing our meat intake we can limit the number of fossil fuels being released into our atmosphere. 

“There are so many great alternatives to meat and if people would just try to become vegetarian they would see how easy it is,” Chase said. 

Even though many students are trying out and backing the idea of plant-based diets, others are unwilling to change their diet, despite being aware of the issues our planet is currently facing. Hopefully these healthy and easy recipes will allow others to dip their toes in the water of vegetarianism. 

Energy Smoothie

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1. ½ of an avocado
2. 1 banana
3. 2 small handfuls of spinach
4. 1 cup of apple juice (or more depending on if you prefer more watery smoothies)
5. ½ the juice of a lemon
6. Some honey (taste for desired sweetness as you blend)
7. 2 cups of frozen fruit (cherries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches pineapples, mango, etc.)

Optional ingredients:

8. Tablespoon of bee pollen - vitamins and antioxidants
9. A scoop of protein powder - more protein!
10. A splash of flaxseed oil - makes smoothie very smooth
11. Chia seeds - excellent source of protein (desired amount)

Instructions:

1. Scoop avocado into your blender along with your spinach, apple juice and banana. If you blender gets stuck, add more apple juice.
2. Blend these ingredients until you are only able to see small pieces of spinach leaves.
3. Add your pick of frozen fruit, lemon juice and honey (other optional ingredients include bee pollen, protein powder and so on).
4. Blend your ingredients until you get your desired consistency.

This is an easy recipe that can be used for a quick breakfast, healthy dessert and more. I typically make this smoothie right before school, and occasionally before working out (make sure to leave yourself time to digest). I love this smoothie because, not only does it fill you up, but it has plenty of nutritional benefits as well. 

Veggie stir-fry

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1 zucchini
2. 1 large carrot
3. 2 sticks of celery
4. 1 tomato
5. 1 large onion
6. 2 cups of rice
7. Soy sauce
8. Rice vinegar
9. Olive oil
10. Sesame seed oil
11. Garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Wash rice and set to cook.
2. Chop all vegetables into bite size pieces and dice the onion.
3. Separate the vegetables into two groups: onions, celery and carrots & zucchini and tomato
4. In a wok pan (a large pan or a pan with tall sides would work) pour one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. A “wok pan” is a round bottom cooking pan that originates from China
5. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook until the onions become semi-translucent. Make sure to stir regularly!
6. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until the vegetables begin to brown.
7. While the vegetables are cooking, combine equal parts oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a jar (three tablespoons each).
8. Add a splash of sesame seed oil and preferred amount of garlic powder to the mixture (usually three sprinkles is sufficient).
9. Shake the jar until the sauce is well mixed.
10. Add your rice, then the jar of sauce into the pan.
11. Mix well until the rice and vegetables have soaked up the sauce.
12. Serve steaming hot!

For this one, cook more than you think you need because you will definitely want leftovers for later! The seasoned vegetables and the rice are perfectly balanced and come together to make a delicious dish for lunch or dinner. 

Crispy Kale Chips

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

1. 1 bundle of kale 
2. 3 tablespoons of olive oil 
3. Garlic powder
4. Parmesan cheese finely grated 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and dry kale.
3. Separate the leaves of the kale from the stem and rip said leaves into bite-sized pieces.
4. Measure out your olive oil and pour it into a large bowl. 
5. Sprinkle a layer of garlic powder and parmesan cheese over the top of the oil.
6. Now mix! Your mixture should have a syrup like consistency.
   • If the mixture is too watery, add more cheese.
   • If the mixture is too thick, add more oil.
7. With a rubber spatula, spread the mixture along the walls of the bowl.
8. Add your washed kale leaves in the bowl and mix until all of the seasoning is on the leaves.
9. Prepare your pan by spraying cooking oil over its surface.
10. Transfer your kale leaves into the pan.
11. Cook for 5-10 minutes (remember to watch your kale chips very closely, as they cook fast!)
12. Take out of the oven once they have reached your desired crispiness.
13. Enjoy!

Crispy kale chips are a delicious and convenient snack for any time of day. They are a great late afternoon snack to keep your hunger at bay until dinner time. When you make these chips, the likeliness of there being any leftovers is slim—they are so addicting!

Featured art by Sam Kohn, Editor-in-Chief