Vegetarian and Vegan diets are becoming more popular these days, and there's a reason why. Not only have plant-based diets (a pattern of eating that focuses on fruits, vegetables, and grains) proven that they lower risk for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure, they also appear to help the planet.
Many people are thinking big with replacing fossil fuels and using renewable energy. These are huge topics for improving the environment but there is something you can do, today. Oxford University says that don't need to look any further than our own dinner plates in order to make an impact for good in the world.
A huge part of what impacts the environment is the production of meat and dairy. Now, I love cheese and ice cream as much as the next person but hear me out. A lot of deforestation and production of greenhouse gasses can be attributed to agriculture. Not to growing things like broccoli and spinach, but to taking care of livestock.
Livestock production is the single most detrimental factor to the environment, even more so than cars or planes. It is also the leading cause of wildlife extinction - raising animals for food. Habitats are destroyed to make room for animals that will be slaughtered and end up in our grocery stores. This is not only about greenhouse gasses. A vegetarian lifestyle also helps clean up the water we drink and the air we breathe.
Try the recipe below and you can see that helping the environment is both delicious and filling, not to mention nutritious!
Vegetarian Rainbow Pad Thai
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the Pad Thai:
A huge part of what impacts the environment is the production of meat and dairy. Now, I love cheese and ice cream as much as the next person but hear me out. A lot of deforestation and production of greenhouse gasses can be attributed to agriculture. Not to growing things like broccoli and spinach, but to taking care of livestock.
How does what I eat impact the environment?
Dairy and meat provide 18% of our calories and 37% of our protein while using up 83% of our farmland. Reclaiming this land and focusing on other food sources would still leave us able to feed the worlds population.Livestock production is the single most detrimental factor to the environment, even more so than cars or planes. It is also the leading cause of wildlife extinction - raising animals for food. Habitats are destroyed to make room for animals that will be slaughtered and end up in our grocery stores. This is not only about greenhouse gasses. A vegetarian lifestyle also helps clean up the water we drink and the air we breathe.
What can I do?
I am not saying that everyone should be a vegetarian or vegan. Dairy and meat products are good for you and can improve your health when consumed in moderation. What I am suggesting is that you pick one day a week to go vegetarian. Not even that. Go vegetarian for one meal each week. Even that one meal can help our planet.Try the recipe below and you can see that helping the environment is both delicious and filling, not to mention nutritious!
Vegetarian Rainbow Pad Thai
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the Pad Thai:
- 4 ounces brown rice noodles (you can get stir-fry type noodles or Pad Thai noodles – and usually that’s half a box)
- 1 zucchini
- 1 red pepper
- half a yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs like cilantro, green onions, and basil, chopped
- Lime, for serving
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- Place the uncooked noodles in a bowl of cold water to soak.
- Spiralize or thinly cut the zucchini, red pepper, and onion into noodle-like shapes. Cut the carrots into very small pieces (or spiralize them, too, if they’re big enough).
- Shake up the sauce ingredients in a jar.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the veggies – stir fry with tongs for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp (if they are not spiralized, they might need longer). Be careful not to overcook them – they’ll get soggy and heavy. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Drain the noodles – they should be softened by now. Add the noodles to the hot pan and stir fry for a minute, using tongs to toss. Add the sauce and stir fry for another minute or two, until the sauce is starting to thicken and stick to the noodles. Push the noodles aside to make a little room for the eggs – pour the beaten eggs into the pan and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Toss everything around with the tongs. The egg mixture will stick to the noodles and everything will start getting sticky.
- Add in the vegetables, toss together, and remove from heat. Stir in the herbs and serve immediately with a lime.
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