Meatless Mondays are a great eco-friendly concept to help reduce your carbon footprint but it’s actually an idea that’s been around for a while.  Meatless Monday mimics a voluntary rationing technique used in both WWI and II so it’s not such a new concept but still a great one.

In 1918 magazines for women supported the idea of Meatless Tuesday by sharing recipes for staples like meatless meatloaf (which from what I read was terrible). Both Canadian and American governments were proponents of going meatless at least one day a week. According to the New York History Review “[American] President Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover as the head of the new Food Administration. Hoover applied a new concept of voluntary “Wheatless Mondays” and “Meatless Tuesdays” While not, official many parts of the country also observed “Gasless Sundays” ”Sugarless Mondays”, “Meatless Tuesdays”, “Wheatless Wednesdays”, “Porkless Fridays”, and “Two Meal Saturdays”.

In Canada during WWII housewives were encouraged to make their own butter from milk. It was not only the homecook who observed the edict, restaurants held meatless Tuesdays and Fridays.  Thus, there is a long North American tradition of going without meat once a week for a good cause.

Now we present you with a great Meatless Monday meal courtesy of Food Network Canada’s Anna Olsen from the show Fresh. On the menu is Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Pepper Coulis with a side dish of Swiss Chard with Pine Nuts and Pan Roasted Garlic.  Don’t be scared off by making your own gnocchi.  They are easy and the pay-off is big.  

Pepper Coulis Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano

Directions:
For pepper coulis, heat a saucepot over medium heat and add oil.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add peppers and sauté 3 minutes more.  Add wine, thyme and oregano and simmer, covered, until peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree until smooth. Strain, season and set aside.

Goat Cheese Gnocchi Ingredients:
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Beat goat cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in green onion, parsley, lemon zest and egg yolks until smooth. Fold in flour.  Whip separated egg whites with salt until soft peaks form and fold into goat cheese mixture in 2 stages.  Bring 4 L water to a boil and salt generously.  Cut dough into 2 pieces.
Roll out first piece into a log shape about ¾- inch in diameter and cut into ½ inch pieces.
Place on a floured tray and repeat with the second piece of dough until the dough is all used. Drop gnocchi into boiling water and simmer until they float, about 3 minutes.  Gently remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate. To serve, heat pepper coulis and spoon into a flat-bottomed bowl. Gently place warm gnocchi on top and serve.

 

Swiss Chard with Pine Nuts and Pan Roasted Garlic Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 bunch Swiss chard (rainbow chard, if available)
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper
• Dash lemon juice

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Slice garlic on a mandolin (or thinly by hand) and add to oil, cooking until lightly browned. Add pine nuts and sauté until golden brown. Remove garlic and pine nuts and set aside. Trim stems from Swiss chard and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add chard stems to pan with water and simmer until water has evaporated. Chop chard leaves roughly and add to pan. Season lightly and toss to wilt. Add back garlic and pine nuts and sprinkle with lemon juice. Adjust seasoning and serve.

You can serve this meal with a fresh green salad and it is sure to impress even the most cultivated palate. You can share your knowledge of the history of Meatless Mondays while enjoying great food with friends – no better way to enjoy summer dining al fresco and eco-friendly. Enjoy!