Trying To Be Healthier

The Meal Ticket and I have always been trying to eat healthier. Lots of fresh veggies and fruits at first, then more organic things as the kids came along. We try to get the all-natural/organic meat, as opposed to whatever is just on the rack; but we'd prefer to buy from some of the local farms and farmer's markets.

So basically, we are about 85-90% vegetarian. The biggest challenge is trying to come up with variations on old, meat-heavy favorites. Tonight was a perfect example. If you've ever had the old school Italian soup "Beans & Greens" (aka: Minestre), you know how meat heavy it can be. The basics of Bean & Greens is four things(and these are must haves): garlic (lots of it), Great Northern beans, escarole, and pepperoni.

Anyone who's ever had my version knows I go beyond the basic four ingredients. I start with a stock made from smoked pork neckbones, simmered for the better part of a day (or more). Then saute up some diced up pepperoni, salami, and ham. Throw in half a head of garlic, then add the stock and half a pound of dried Great Northern beans. Once the beans are cooked, I add the escarole - handful at a time.

Give me a deep bowl, a loaf of homemade bread, and a good selection of magazines in "The Office" - and it's all good!!!! ;)

Now, I made the healthy version of that for supper tonight. It has been raining all day, just dreary and miserable. So I decided on soup. I made garlic stock instead of using neckbones. Kale from the local CSA, as well as some locally grown German hardneck garlic. Some dried organic beans were in the cupboard, and some snausage (Italian flavored, tofu sausage) was in the fridge. Only other addition to the crock pot was some cooked ditalini. Some homemade French bread and a big bottle of red wine finished it off!

Darth Punkin loved it, and cleaned her plate; while Dude ate half his plate, but all the snausage. All in all, it turned out really well. Eating vegetarian is not as daunting as one might think. Any good recipes?