Mostly Meatless Mondays:

If you’re not on a budget than you must have close ties with either Bank of America or OPEC.  My guess is, most everybody is cutting back somewhere so we thought we’d add our two cents with a low cost and sometimes healthy way to start off the week ~ Mostly Meatless Mondays!

Prices for beef, pork and poultry are NOT PALTRY (sorry, I’m tired) and some of the pundits of the world suggest less animal intake for us carnivores.  With that in mind, we’ll jump on the band wagon and offer up some tasty dinner ideas to alleviate that pain in your ass (your wallet) and give ole’ Bessie a breather. 

 

 

This Monday’s Dishes are: 

Baked Potatoes with Salsa Sour Cream;  Sauteed Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

 

Potatoes

Serves 4

4 Baker Potatoes

2 Cups Sour Cream (light if you like it)

1 Cup Fresh Salsa (well drained, or make your own pico de gallo)

3 T.   Freshly chopped cilantro

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Clean potatoes well and pierce all over with a fork.  For a more crispy skin, rub lightly with Crisco and wrap potatoes in aluminum foil.

Place on center rack in oven for approx. 40 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife.  If you’re in a hurry, skip the oven (and the aluminum) and pop them in the microwave on high for about 15 minutes.  Watch closely.

Empty the sour cream into a non-metallic bowl and whip with a fork.  Drain your favorite ‘fresh’ salsa well and add to the sour cream along with the fresh cilantro.  A little lime juice is nice here if you have it on hand.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove spuds and let cool.  Slice or open with a slit down the middle – spoon some of the sour cream mixture on the top.  You can always add a little cheese to this if you’d like.

 

Fresh Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

Yes, almonds and Thyme will work well with the acidity of the salsa and creaminess of the potatoes.  Think Fusion…..

1 LB. Fresh green beans, picked, washed and drained.

1 T.   Shallot, minced

1 T.   Garlic, minced

1 T.   Butter

1 T.   Oil

¼ C.  Slivered Almonds

2 T.   Fresh Thyme – roughly chopped

S&P  To Taste

Fill a large sauce pan with water, bring to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and blanch the green beans – about 3-4 minutes.  Drain and place under cold running water or an ice bath.

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high.  Add the oil and butter then the garlic and shallot, let soften, stirring often.  Add the green beans and cook for another 4-5 minutes (I like mine crunchy – so cook to your taste).  Add the slivered almonds and the thyme and continue to stir.  Salt and Pepper and you’re done!

Plate up and enjoy a healthy Mostly Meatless Monday!!