Make this Fourth of July a Meatless Sunday!

On the Meatless Monday site we find USA Today's report on new US Dietary Guidelines that call for more plant-based foods, calling obesity "The century's greatest public health threat". 

"An advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans calls on people to cut back on added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and to follow a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.

The report is based on the latest scientific evidence and was prepared by a 13-member panel of national nutrition and health experts. The public now has 30 days to comment at www.dietaryguidelines.gov. About two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese."

Going meatless one day a week and adding nutritious low-fat plant-based foods is an excellent and easy way to move in a healthier direction. Give the government your 2 cents by leaving a comment, perhaps extolling the virtues of a vegetarian diet.

Meanwhile, start a new tradition and make this Fourth of July holiday meatless! Down to Earth makes it easy with sales and delicious recipes. I'm including a recipe for perennial favorite potato salad and barbeque tofu. If you don't have time to make the tofu, pick up tempeh or veggie burgers on special June 28, July 5, July 12.

Turtle Island Tempeh 5 Grain, 8 oz. $3.59, on sale for $2.49

Turtle Island Tempeh Indonesian Style, 8 oz. $3.59, on sale for $2.49

Turtle Island Tempeh Soy, 8 oz. $3.59, on sale for $2.49

Turtle Island Tempeh Veggie, 8 oz. $3.59, on sale for $2.49

Amy's Kitchen Veggie Burger Quarter lb, 16 oz. $8.79, on sale for $4.99   You save $3.80!

Bring some Wai Lana chips to your picnic. You save $1.50 per package.

Wai Lana Yogi Chip Whole Grain Chili Lime, 2.4 oz. $3.59 $2.09

Wai Lana Yogi Chip Whole Grain Low Salt, 2.4 oz. $3.59 $2.09

Wai Lana Yogi Chip Whole Grain Rosemary Garlic, 2.4 oz. $3.59 $2.09

Wai Lana Yogi Chip Whole Grain Sour Cream and Chive, 2.4 oz. $3.59 $2.09

Fourth of July Potato Salad 

Serves 15+

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. Russet potatoes
• 4 celery stalks - sliced
• 2 grated carrots
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 1 cup Vegenaise
• ½ cup pickle relish
• 1 tsp. garlic powder (can substitute ½ tsp. hing or asafetida for the garlic and onions)
• 1 tsp. onion granules
• 1-2 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil whole, unpeeled potatoes, until soft inside.
2. Let cool, then peel skin and cut into1 ½ inch cubes.
3. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. Fold together with the potatoes, chill and serve.

I like to add cheese cubes to my potato salad. You can easily go totally vegan on this recipe with our Monday sales:

Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese Cheddar, 10 oz. $7.19 $4.99  You save $2.20 per package!

Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese Monterey Jack, 10 oz. $7.19 $4.99

Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese Mozzarella, 10 oz. $7.19 $4.99

Barbeque Tofu 

As seen on KITV 4, by Dick Algire. This takes some time to do it right. Prep it overnight and cook and eat it the next day. Great for the grill.

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu
• Your favorite barbeque sauce (or char sui or teriyaki sauce)

Instructions

1. Press tofu by draining the tofu and putting it on paper towels to soak the excess water. Then put a small cutting board on top, and place a 5 lb. weight (small barbell) on top to press it down, and let it sit overnight in fridge.
2. Freeze the tofu. This is important, because it changes the texture to become more chewy and thickened to stand up on the grill. I put the block of pressed tofu in a zip lock freezer baggie and put it in the freezer overnight.
3. Thaw the tofu. I let it sit out for an hour on the kitchen counter.
4. Squeeze it again. At this point the tofu will be like a cold sponge. I squeezed it between my palms to drain even more water.
5. Slice the tofu into thin strips –1/2 inch.
6. Now we’re ready to cook. Use a pastry brush to brush your favorite low fat barbecue sauce on the tofu strips. Grill or broil it for 12-15 minutes, turning as each side browns.

Serve plain or in a bun. Goes great with the potato salad!

I leave you with a companion quote to last week's by the great professor:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

Albert Einstein

Physicist, 1921 Nobel Prize recipient

Happy Monday!