Meatless Monday!

After a recent poll asked readers what type of business they would most like to take over the former Sweet Melissa space, there was a significant response from the vegetarian and vegan community hoping for another restaurant that meets their dietary needs.

While we can't predict whether such a business will take over 276 Court Street, our meat-free friends shouldn't have to go hungry in the meantime. So the Carroll Gardens Patch has launched a new weekly column in the spirit of the Meatless Monday initiative, which promotes going without meat one day a week.

Here, we will share favorite recipes submitted by neighbors and local restaurants in which vegetables are the main attraction. Today's recipe comes from Allison Tray at Tres Belle Spa Brooklyn. She writes: "Here is my favorite pasta dish. I don't measure, ever. I'm an 'eyeballer.' But I'm usually making this for two."

Lovers Linguine

Ingredients

A large bunch of kale
Olive oil
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Whole Grain Linguine [ I like Arrowhead Mills ]
Nutritional yeast, to taste

Method

1. Remove kale from stems, wash and dry. Rip into bite size pieces. Set aside.
2. Sauté garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.
3. After a minute or so, add raisins and walnuts. Hit the mixture with a dash of cayenne, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper.
4. Add kale to garlic, raisin and walnut mixture. Sauté until bright green.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Then, using tongs, add al dente pasta to the sauté pan for a minute to marry the flavors.
6. Shake in lots of nutritional yeast

Eat, ooh and ahh!


Do you have a favorite meat-free recipe? Share it with us, including a photograph of the finished dish, and we may feature it here. Send all submissions to priscowrites@gmail.com with "Meatless Monday" in the subject line.