HARTFORD - Katie Scott of the The Humane Society of the United States stopped by to visit FOX 61's Good Day Connecticut to urge viewers to start the week off right with "Meatless Monday."
Eating less meat is healthy, delicious—and easy, she said, and choosing meat-free meals on Monday is a great way to look and feel better. It can be as simple as swapping chicken nuggets with a bean and rice burrito, putting pork chops aside in favor of a spicy three-bean chili or trying a veggie burger instead of a hamburger. The health benefits are clear. People who eat fewer animal products have lower rates of obesity, dementia, arthritis, high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions.
Nutrition experts worldwide are on board. The American Heart Association, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Kaiser Permanente are among the leading public health organizations that support reducing meat consumption to improve health and prevent disease.
Ginger butternut lentil soup
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a soup pot on medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent.
Add the ginger and squash, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, lentils, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, simmering for 15-20 minutes or until squash is cooked.
With a hand blender or food processor, blend half of the soup (or all of it, if you prefer) until smooth. Be careful not to scald yourself when blending hot liquids.
Return the soup to the pot, reheat, and serve.
Recipe from La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer.
