One of my many goals for this year was to bring vegetables to the forefront of our lives. I want to stray from the typical American focus on meat as the main dish at meals. The hope is that this helps us to be healthier. There is so much research out there that shows just how much better a vegetable based diet is. I know this, and what I don’t know is why it took me so long to make this step.

A vegetable based diet to me is more about taking a step back in time back to a more traditional diet; a time when meat was expensive and the personal garden was in large part a main source of food. Yes I am aware that protein is important especially for those of us who are very physically active, but you can get protein from more than just the handful of meat sources that we focus on today, not to mention the quantity of protein that the average American consumes far exceeds what the body actually needs daily.

This is not the end of steak dinners, chicken parmesan, and burgers, but these will be less often and more of a side dish than the main course.

I am very excited about this change, about the chance to experiment with different flavors and textures. Meat only comes in a handful of flavors and textures that in order to change we typically add vegetables and herbs to it, so why don’t we just focus on the vegetables and herbs to begin with?

I hope that you can appreciate my efforts, and join in with me in this. If you have any ideas, or things that you would like me to try please don’t hesitate to email, or comment.

In honor of the topic at hand I thought I would post a fabulous recipe that I came up with upon experiment with the fresh spring vegetables that are showing up in stores.

Ravioli with Spring Vegetable Toss

Heat oil and butter in a large cast iron skillet, stir in mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add leek and continue to cook for 2-3
minutes. Add asparagus and peas. Deglaze with white wine, and allow it to reduce again to a glaze. Add in broth and spices. Simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cooked ravioli tossing with sauce and vegetables to coat well. Serve warm topped with Parmesan.