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[STK]
[IN] HEA FOD
[SU] NPT
-- WITH PHOTO -- TO FOOD, HEALTH, AND LIFESTYLES EDITORS:
Carnival Means "So Long" to Meat
NEW YORK, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every year,
millions of people around the world celebrate Mardi Gras and Carnival.
It's a worldwide festival of parades, music and, of course, richer,
fattier foods leading up to the 40-day season of Lent, during which
Roman Catholics traditionally reduce their consumption of meat. In
fact, the term "carnival" is from carnelevare, or "to remove meat."
At Meatless Monday, we also say "one day a week, cut out meat." And
every Monday, in 30 countries around the globe, millions of
participants realize the benefit of adding more delicious, nutritious
plant-based meals to their diet. For people and for the planet,
Meatless Monday opens the door to a world of healthy benefits.
"It's easier than you think and the payoff can be huge," says Robert
Lawrence, MD, director of the Center for a Livable Future. "Eating
less meat not only helps lower cholesterol and decrease cancer risks.
It reduces your carbon footprint and helps conserve water. Plus,
plant-based meals cost less, an added bonus during these economically
tough times."
So whether or not you are participating in Mardi Gras today-or
considering cutting back on your meat consumption in general-Meatless
Monday can be a resource for exploring exciting new menu ideas during
this season and beyond. Check out www.meatlessmonday.com for over a
thousand recipes that get fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes to
the center of the plate, including this favorite from New Orleans, Red
Beans and Rice. Red beans and rice has been a staple of Louisiana
Creole cuisine for more than a century; New Orleans native Louis
Armstrong was reportedly so taken with the dish that he would sign
letters "Red Beans and Ricely Yours, Louis Armstrong." And to this
day, Red Beans and Rice is still a Monday tradition in the Crescent
City. For maximum enjoyment, pair with colorful beads and a Creole
drawl.
Red Beans and Rice
2 cups dried red kidney beans 1 carrot, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 bay
leaf 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1
cup low-sodium vegetable bouillon 1 1/3 cups brown rice
Soak the kidney beans overnight in cold water.
Drain the beans and put them in a pot with 4 cups water over
medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, bay leaf, black pepper,
cayenne pepper and bouillon to the pot and bring to a boil. When water
boils, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour and 45 minutes,
or until the beans are very soft.
Bring 2-2/3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
When the water boils, add the rice, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and
cook for about 45-50 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and
the rice is cooked through.
When the beans have finished cooking, remove the bay leaf. Lightly
mash the beans with a fork, serve over the rice and enjoy!
About Meatless Monday
Meatless Monday is a non-profit public health initiative of The Monday
Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health. The goal of the campaign is to cut saturated fat
intake, which in turn reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as
diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Going meatless one day a
week can also decrease our carbon footprint and save precious
resources like fresh water and fossil fuel. Since its launch in 2003,
Meatless Monday has become an international movement with support from
celebrities, universities, and organizations around the world.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140304/DC76654
SOURCE Meatless Monday
-0- 03/04/2014
/CONTACT: Cherry Dumaual, The Monday Campaigns, cdumaual@mondaycampaigns.org, 212.991.1056
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140304/DC76654
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web Site: http://www.meatlessmonday.com
CO: Meatless Monday
ST: New York
IN: HEA FOD
SU: NPT
PRN
-- DC76654 --
0000 03/04/2014 20:20:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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