This week’s dinner menu features Taco Salad Casserole, Creamy Tomato Soup, Easy Jambalaya, and lots more! I also talk about some things I’ve watched this week that might change how you think about food!
Hi there! Normally in my weekly menu posts I ramble on about something silly or whiny or mundane, but this week I have more important things on my mind. We watched the documentary Cowspiracy this week, which talks about the environmental impact of animal farming (especially beef and dairy). A few days later, we watched a talk by Jamie Oliver about how the food Americans are eating and serving their children is causing health problems and shortening our lifespans. (Why can’t we just watch mindless reality shows like everyone else??)
I’ve been riddled with guilt and worry since watching these movies, and I’ve been torn about whether to talk about it here. On the one hand, I don’t want to get political or controversial and upset or alienate anyone. On the other hand, I have an audience and a message that I think is very important to share, and it seems irresponsible not to talk about it just for the fear of losing readers. I think the the best I can do is to tell you this information is out there and ask you to watch it and make choices that are best for you.
Cowspiracy is what has affected me the most, and I would urge you to watch this movie too. You can find it on Netflix streaming, and I shared the trailer below. It’s largely about environmental agencies ignoring or covering up the fact that animal agriculture is one of the most harmful things we are doing to the environment. I was more interested to learn what animal farming is doing to our planet than hearing the hows and whys of why it’s not being discussed. Now that I understand the environmental impact of raising animals for meat, especially beef, I’ve started to think twice about cooking with beef or even cow’s milk. I really don’t think my family would ever go vegan — there are just too many animal products that I love to cook with and eat — but I do think we will make some changes to the way we shop for food with sustainability in mind.
As for Jamie Oliver’s message about eating better and teaching our kids about food, I already show you here at The Weary Chef how you can make fresh, (reasonably) healthy meals in a short amount of time instead of eating takeout or processed food. I hope that has helped some families make better choices about what they eat, but I am guilty of feeding my own kids too many hot dogs, boxed mac and cheese, etc. I do try to buy high quality, natural products whenever possible, but making them fresh mac and cheese and cooking unprocessed meats would surely be a better choice. I’m going to try making those changes for my family. You can watch the entire talk here if you’d like and think about how it might relate to you and your family:
Now that I’ve gotten all that serious business out of the way, let’s get to the business of eating! This week’s dinner menu features seven wholesome, delicious, easy meals that are low on beef and processed ingredients but big on flavor. I hope you find several recipes you’d like to try!
- NEW! Taco Salad Casserole
- Pan Fried Chicken with Cornmeal Crust (serve with two vegetables of your choice)
- NEW! Creamy Tomato Soup with Chicken and Sausage
- Buffalo Turkey Burgers
- Chicken and Greens with Wine and Bacon
- Smoked Salmon Pizza
- Quick Cajun Jambalaya
Looking for more recipes? Check out this collection of Pecan Recipes I shared at Parade Magazine this week!
16 comments
AND this is why I watch the Real Housewives… Just kidding! kind of ;-)
Very informative and I’m glad you’re sharing it!
I usually watch super hero shows or play video games. Thanks to my husband for making me watch that powerful movie. I was perfectly happy in my little bubble!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Andi. It’s so tempting to keep it all light and breezy, but life isn’t light and breezy. Food is big business, and we all vote with our dollars when we go to the grocery store each week! Keep sharing!
I wish it was light and breezy, but I have read some really heavy things lately beyond just about our food. I’m feeling grateful for what I have, and I’m trying to make the best choices I can! Thank you, Michelle.
Andi, I’ve watched some shows that have talked about GMO’s which really bothered me!! I totally understand where you are coming from, and there is nothing wrong with educating others.
It’s a mixed feeling when you watch something like that. You are glad to be educated but then also felt happier being ignorant about it. Thank you, Jaren!
I am going to hunt down Cowspiracy and watch it, thanks to your recommendation. I have seen the JOliver Ted talk, and it is powerful!
It’s pretty powerful, Dorothy. Let me know what you think if you watch it!
So many good ideas! Can’t wait to try some of these!
Thanks so much, Kristyn!
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Thank you for passing on this information. Our environment and health is priority. Your Quick Cajun Jambalaya is my favorite too!
I definitely understand more now why you and others might choose to be vegan. I know it’s a very personal decision, and everyone has their own reasons. I thought it was mostly about health or animal welfare, but now I understand that there is an environmental factor as well. So much to think about!
All of theses meals look like a wonderful list to try this week. I completely hear you on the conspiracy and have a heavy heart with important message Jamie Oliver is trying to send. So sad our children’s generation is predicted to die before we do! Helps keep me on track to feed the kids real foods.
I know there are kids who have much worse diets than mine, but it still reminded me to be careful about the choices I make when it comes to feeding my family. Thanks, Laura!
Hi Andi! Thank you for sharing all the great recipe ideas. I haven’t seen the Cowspiracy documentary. ..and to be honest, I am kinda afraid to. I have seen several over the years regarding our food sources, and it’s not pretty. ? But I can’t help but wonder why our own government never steps up to stop the craziness! I guess we mere piss ants don’t have the money to buy Washington! I feel we’re pretty much on our own! Take care and thanks again for all you do! All the best! ?
The only other food-related documentary I’ve watched is Super Size Me a while ago. I’m usually afraid to watch them too and don’t really need a movie to tell me about processed food being unhealthy. This one was different though because I really didn’t understand how many resources are used and waste is produced from animal farming. It was pretty eye opening, but like you said, I wonder how little old me can ever make a difference. How does reducing the amount of beef and milk our family uses have any effect on the billions of hamburgers McDonald’s is selling every day? It’s all so overwhelming to think about! This is why I usually just live in my own little world and do the best I can ;) Thanks for weighing in, Christina. I hope you have a good weekend!