Meat Free Monday in 2021!

The New Year has come, and though things are far from “normal” we continue to lean into positive thinking and positive activities. 

The Good4All Experience emerged from the global pandemic. We were all forced to slow down, and our “normal” approach to nearly everything has been interrupted. What if we used this interruption of the way we previously went about life to improve ourselves? Wouldn’t that have a domino effect?

The goal is to focus upon creating a more healthy mind, body, spirit and planet and embracing goodwill. Our suggestion is to simply work on 4 positive things each season. The only people we can change are ourselves and once the momentum of good starts, nothing can stop it. What have you got to lose by trying?

Have you selected your 4 positive goals? It’s not too late! Visit the list on our website, located here. There are lots of choices! Invite a few friends to do the same, and voila, you have a “pod”! (Our website provides more information on how to do this.) Connection with others has never been more important and modern technology provides the means to easily check in weekly via text, email, FaceTime or Zoom. As your pod members work on their individual “Good4All goals” it provides POSITIVE, uplifting and interesting topics to discuss. (Our early adopter “pods” are reporting greater feelings of well being by just participating in this simple activity.)

At Good4all, we encourage people to try Meat Free Monday as one of your 4 positive practices. It’s fun to share recipes and encouragement with your “pod”, and it is a great way to dip your toe into the plant-based pond. Cutting back on meat and dairy, and increasing your plant based food is good for you and the planet. And, there is a lot of meat free deliciousness out there!

This recipe comes from Molly K. who has a Good4All pod with some college pals. It’s a meat free take on “Beef Bourguignon” featuring the uber health food, mushrooms, and we agree with Molly, it’s outrageously good! (Please consider replacing animal products as suggested).

Mushroom Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter or replace with extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake or oyster, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 10 cups)
• 8 ounces peeled pearl onions (2 cups), larger ones cut in half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large leek or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves (2 minced, 1 grated to a paste)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour (Can substitute Almond or gluten free flour)
• 1 ½ cups dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 3 large fresh thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. (Molly uses lemon thyme and sage, 1 tbsp each fresh.)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 to 4 ounces chanterelle or oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• Smoked paprika, for serving
• Polenta, noodles or mashed potatoes, for serving
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving

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Directions

1. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large Dutch oven or pot and set it over medium heat.
2. When the oil is hot, stir in half the mushrooms and half the pearl onions. (If it doesn’t all fit in the pot in one layer, you might have to do this in three batches, rather than two.) 
3. Without moving them around too much, cook the mushrooms until they are brown on one side, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir and let them brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more.
5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mushrooms and onions to a large bowl or plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons oil and the remaining mushrooms and pearl onions, seasoning them as you go.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low.
8. Add another 1 tablespoon oil to pan.
9. Add leeks and carrot and sauté until the leeks turn lightly golden and start to soften, 5 minutes.
10. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute longer.
11. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
12. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add wine, broth, 1 tablespoon tamari, thyme and bay leaf, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of pot.
13. Add reserved cooked mushrooms and pearl onions back to the pot and bring to a simmer.
14. Partly cover the pot and simmer on low heat until carrots and onions are tender and sauce is thick, 30 to 40 minutes.
15. Taste and add more salt and tamari if needed.
16. Stir in the grated garlic clove.
17. Just before serving, heat a small skillet over high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon oil.
18. Add half of the sliced chanterelles or oyster mushrooms and let cook without moving until they are crisp and brown on one side, 1 to 2 minutes.
19. Flip and cook on the other side.
20. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika.
21. Repeat with remaining oil and mushrooms.
22. Serve Mushroom Bourguignon over polenta, noodles or mashed potatoes, topped with fried mushrooms and parsley.

About Mollie K.

Molly K. and her husband Rob live and work in the Seattle area. They have two grown daughters. Molly specializes in emerging businesses and her latest adventure is www.dearcleo.com, a sustainable bridesmaid dress company that designs and creates dresses made with recycled yarns.