Spice is the Key to Eating Less Meat

~ Becky Ross Michael

From Maria Godoy’s Life Kit at NPR

“Trying to eat less meat? Make sure your meat-free meals are just as satisfying by seasoning your vegetables with the same spices you use to cook meat. It will carry some of that flavor over.

Keep your cupboard stocked with spices like cumin, paprika and ginger that enhance any meal. Fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme and basil can also add a nice touch.

‘If you love Thai, if you love Ethiopian, if you love Caribbean [food] — keep those spices on hand as well,’ says Tracye McQuirter, a public health nutritionist and author.

It turns out you don’t need to become vegetarian or vegan to make an impact on your health or the environment. Just cutting back on your meat consumption can go a long way. You could also try plant-based proteins to fill out a meal, like tofu, cashews, almonds, mushrooms or edamame.

It also helps to think about what your meals are gaining, instead of what they’re lacking.”

Check out the short podcast and link for recipe ideas! ~Becky

52 thoughts on “Spice is the Key to Eating Less Meat”

  3. I’ve cut way back on meat in the last few years. I like a little chicken in my matzo ball, noodle soup with lots of garlic or a little stew meat in a vegetable stew. I’m planning on making as many soups as I can this winter when I get back into a kitchen of my own and only have enough meat to keep my brain up and running. We used to eat so much when I was married to meat and potatoes men. Just too much for little old me. I’ll have a look at your recipes. Right now all my spices are in storage. Soon.

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  4. This is wonderful advice, Becky! I’ve been vegetarian for about 25 years and vegan for the past year. There are so many delicious non-meat foods and meat substitutes out there, and spices certainly help. 🙂

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  8. The poet Michael Rosen recently started a whole set of little rhymes about spices on his Twitter feed. All kinds of people chimed in. here are a few examples:

    Nice flavour.
    I’m assumin’
    It’s cumin.

    Would it give you a thrill
    If I told you it’s dill?

    Even a Dalek
    could tell you it’s garlic

    Even a Dalek
    could tell you it’s garlic

    Good golly! Eureka!
    It tastes like paprika.

    I know this brings a lot of grief
    But crikey man, it’s curry leaf.

    Perhaps you think it’s quite the trick
    To switch that out for turmeric.

    If asafoetida is not your thing
    Do not worry, call it thing.

    I disagree –
    rosemary

    And etc. All a lot of fun. I love cooking with spice! And I love going into Indian groceries to but them.

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  12. A good share, Becky…podcasting seems to be the way to go it was interesting… we have cut down on beef and lamb as both are very expensive here and mainly imported…which means we are doing a little bit more than I thought to help the planet after listening to the podcast…:)

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  14. Pingback: Spice is the Key to Eating Less Meat – Nelsapy

  16. I see so many recipes featured in magazines and online now that feature international and spicier foods. Unfortunately, I’m more a fan of comfort food! But … there are still so many ways to go with the food that’s already available, especially now with meat substitutes. Keep spreading the good word about not eating meat – I know it makes a difference.

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  18. Really like the “It also helps to think about what your meals are gaining, instead of what they’re lacking”! And the premise makes a ton of sense: if someone only ever had meat boiled in water, they would probably think that meat is pretty bland 😀

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  20. Spice is a wonderful addition to food.
    My tummy can’t really handle spices, but herbs such as basil, oregano, parsley, etc. yummy up my food.
    As a life long veggie, I suggest nutritional yeast flakes. A taste to be desired, might need to be acquired. It’s great on plain pasta and oil… makes a fake kraft dinner, on oiled toast (many might prefer butter) On popcorn it makes like a fake cheese corn. Great work with these posts, Becky!

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  21. I found a tex-mex flavoured tofu at a local grocery store and it was SOOOOO GOOD!!!!! I snacked on the whole block, then bought a second one, and ended up cutting some up and adding it to a salad – yum!

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      1. No, it’s Fontaine Santé….I think they’re a Canadian company. I haven’t seen Hodo brand – I’ll have to look next time I’m grocery shopping!

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