Meatless Monday Matters

CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL.  In these uncertain times each of us needs to commit to doing all we can to lower our individual carbon footprint.

Eating less meat is one step we can take.

Wasting less food is another.

A small step is better than no step. It can be as simple as making a meal at home from ingredients you have on hand, especially those that are nearing the end of their shelf life.

If you feel like comfort food at the moment, this recipe might be just what you need. Inspired by a dish I once ordered at a pancake place, it comes out of the oven high like a popover and falls as soon as you cut into it. It will take you to a happy (ier) place. 

It is very easy to make and is a great way to use up apples picked earlier in the fall that are starting to become a little soft. If you do much cooking you probably have the other ingredients in your fridge and pantry.

BAKED APPLE PANCAKE

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 tart apples
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk

Directions

• Preheat ovn to 425°.
• Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet.
• Peel and slice the apples.
• Add the apple slices to the melted butter and stir.
• Lower the heat and continue cooking, stirring often until apples are tender.
• Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Combine the eggs, flour, and milk and whisk together until smooth. [You can use a blender.]
• Spread the apples evenly in the skillet.
• Pour the batter over the apples.
• Bake for 20 minutes until the pancake is puffed up and nicely browned.
• Cut into 6 pieces and serve immediately with a bit of maple syrup.

[I have only baked this in a skillet but I imagine a casserole dish would work, too.]

This may not be the most nutritious meal, but there are far worse.

• This comfort dish has benefits, too.
• You have kept food in your fridge from going to waste.
• You have lowered your carbon footprint by passing up meat AND by leaving your car turned off.
• It is also a really cheap meal. Perhaps you can do some good with the money you save.

I am not saying this is all we need to do in the days ahead, but observing Meatless Monday is a good start.

On Mondays I often blog on food, food issues, or gardening in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”