When America declared war on Germany in 1917, President Wilson put Herbert Hoover in charge of food conservation. In the name of patriotism, Hoover asked Americans to observe “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays.” The program reduced domestic consumption of food by 15 percent without rationing.
Nearly nine decades later, Meatless Mondays are back, but for an entirely different reason. Backed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and 28 other public-health schools, this national campaign is aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer by cutting consumption of saturated fat by at least 15 percent.
The campaign Web site, meatlessmonday.com, is full of recipes, coupons, games and tips. The main message: Americans eat too much meat and not enough of the fruits, vegetables and whole grains that help prevent heart disease.
Try this pizza main-dish to help you enjoy a meatless Monday.
Portobello pizza with peppery greens
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “American Heart Association Meals in Minutes.”
4 fresh portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Olive oil spray
2 tablespoons each: crumbled feta cheese, white wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups arugula leaves
2 cups watercress leaves
2 medium Italian plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper, rinsed, drained, cut into strips, see note
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray both sides of mushrooms with olive oil. Place smooth side down on a non-stick baking sheet; bake 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the feta, vinegar, olive oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add arugula and watercress; toss. Put 1 cup of the salad mixture on each of four plates; set aside. Place tomato slices on baked mushrooms. Sprinkle with bell pepper, cheese, olives and oregano. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Place one mushroom pizza on each salad.
Note: Look for roasted bell peppers in jars in the supermarket’s Italian food aisle or in specialty food stores. Or use pimientos.
Nutrition information per serving:
121 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 2.6 g saturated fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 8.5 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 174 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
