If you choose to eat meat, adding it as a component of a dish instead of as the main course makes a lot of sense - nutritionally, economically and environmentally.
Meat is a nutrient rich food, containing heme iron and B vitamins as well as plenty of protein.
Meat has some fancy little tricks to it too - like MFP Factor (Meat, Fish, Poultry Factor). This compound is present in yes - meat, fish and poultry and actually makes non-heme iron (the kind of iron found in plant foods) more easy for the body to absorb and use. So not only does meat add some readily absorbable heme iron, it makes the non-heme iron in the rest of the dish more usable as well. Pretty neat.
Meat is a rich food that doesn't need to be eaten in large quantities, so adding a little bit to your meal adds a lot. In our culture, meat tends to push other foods off the plate. This is likely the reason that vegetarians do better on almost all health indicators. It's what they DO eat, not what they DON'T that is the key. Meat is missing a lot of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and all of the fibre we get from whole grains and vegetables. Again, just another reason to enjoy lots of different foods, not to worry about what to eat.
Think of the cuisine of Thailand, Malaysia and China. Noodles with bits of shrimp and pork scattered throughout... Or Latin and Italian cooking, where small amounts of flavourful meats are added to bean dishes such as my favourite Kale and Chorizo soup (below). Just one or two sausages flavours and ups the nutritional value of an entire pot of soup. This is your varied diet in a bowl, and it's economical.
Adding something you LOVE to some foods you maybe aren't quite as jazzed about is a good strategy for increasing your variety but doing it from a place of enjoyment. Now THAT's sustainable.
Read more about choosing meat and how reducing your meat intake benefits the environment here.
What's your favourite "meat as a flavour component" dish?
Portuguese Kale Soup with Chorizo and White Beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sized carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound chorizo or other smoked pork sausage**
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes or waxy potatoes OR sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence or chop a handful of fresh rosemary, thyme and basil leaves
1 bunch kale
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes
2 cans (18oz) white beans such as cannellini, drained
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
fresh lemon
1) Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Saute the onion and carrot until soften - 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo and cook stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
2) Add the stock, chorizo, herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15minutes.
3) Rinse the kale and lay leaves on top of one and other. Slice crosswise into 1 inch ribbons or tear into bite sized pieces. Add the kale, tomatoes and beans to the soup and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
4) Season with salt and pepper and lemon to taste.
** for a vegetarian version - omit chorizo and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
This soup freezes well!
Recipe adapted from Myra Goodman's Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook: Food to Live By.
