3 plant-based recipes for Labor Day
The demand for nutritious foods has never been higher. Here’s how and why you should cater to a healthy diet.
As Labor Day approaches, many turn to meat-based dishes to fire up on the grill. But Jennifer Watson, Ph.D., RDN, assistant professor in the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State University of Denver, suggests bringing a few plant-based dishes to the table, especially as she gears up to teach the popular Plant-Based Cooking class this fall.
Why plant-based? Simply put, consumers are asking for it. “Everybody wants an easy way to eat healthy,” she said. “And from a health perspective, plants have all the vitamins and minerals dietitians want you to eat more of.”
Because plants aren’t calorically dense, you can eat a lot of them, she said. Plus, the benefits of antioxidants, good fats and fiber win out over saturated fats in meats.
There’s no one definition of plant-based eating, Watson added. “Some people think vegan; some people think raw, unprocessed whole foods,” she said.
Watson takes a “flexitarian” approach. “I try not to use any meat in my class,” she said, “but it doesn’t mean we’re never going to touch milk or dairy.”
This fall’s Plant-Based Cooking class is a reprise of the popular MSU Denver class from 2022. “We’re now offering it as a permanent course,” she said, adding that this year it had a waitlist.
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The class, along with the asynchronous online Plant-Based Nutrition class, is required for the new Culinary Nutrition Certificate. “We’re really excited about the idea of cooking and eating influencing health,” Watson said. “And we want more people to try (plant-based eating) as something to improve their health, to think about what they’re cooking and what they’re putting in their bodies.”
In her classes, Watson incorporates many reasons to follow a plant-based diet. Some people go plant-based for religious or ethical beliefs. Others lean into the ecological benefits, since consuming plants takes fewer resources than consuming animals. “Animals take more space, and they take lots of water — much more than plants do,” Watson said. “They also take more energy to process.”
In addition, animals such as cattle produce methane, which contributes to global warming.
What about protein? That’s a question she gets a lot. “You have to have protein to be healthy,” Watson said. “Our bodies absorb animal proteins very easily. Yet we can also get protein from legumes, some vegetables, some grains, dairy and cheese.”
What’s more, complementary proteins — think beans and rice or peanut butter on bread — help our bodies achieve the right blend of nutrients. “It’s like green beans and almonds,” Watson said. “You put them together, and they’ve got all of the amino acids that your body needs to make new proteins.”
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When it comes to eating plant-based foods, Watson encourages folks to try new things and to eat in season. Visit a local farmer’s market and try some vegetables you haven’t eaten before. Her advice? Roast or air-fry your veggies, which brings out the flavors and makes them more enjoyable to eat.
Speaking of eating, Watson shared a few of her favorite recipes to add to your menu this Labor Day.
