Yesterday was Fat Tuesday. A good friend Jayne sent the following info about this holiday that I thought might be fun to share.
Mardi Gras is the day in many South American countries (especially Bolivia) when people bless their houses, belongings, property, jobs and dedicate them to Pachamama - "Mother Earth" (also "Mother World" and even "Mother of Cosmos or the Universe") is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She goes back to the times of the Incas although the tradition seems to have its roots among the Aymara Indians - one of three mayor linguistic groups in Bolivia. It's interesting that Pachamama has no male equivalent.
Thank you Wikipedia -
In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. She causes earthquakes. Her husband was either Pacha Camac or Inti, depending on the source. Llamas are sacrificed to her. After the conquest by Spain, which forced conversion to Roman Catholicism, the figure of the Virgin Mary became united with that of the Pachamama for many of the indigenous people.
Since Pachamama is a "good mother", people usually toast to her honor before every meeting or festivity, in some regions by spilling a small amount of chicha on the floor, before drinking the rest. This toast is called challa and it is made almost every day. Pachamama has a special worship day called Martes de challa (Challa's Tuesday), when people bury food, throw candies, and burn incense. In some cases, celebrants assist traditional priests, known as yatiris in Aymara, in performing ancient rites to bring good luck or the good will of the goddess, such as sacrificing guinea pigs or burning llama fetuses (although this is no longer common). The festival coincides with Shrove Tuesday, also celebrated as Carnevale or Mardi Gras.
***********************************************************************************************************
My March Vegetarian Times just arrived and I'd like to share this recipe with you. It's a "One-dish meal" that can be prepared in 30 minutes. I just love "One-dish meals" - I think that's why I make a lot of soup.
This recipe is very versatile. You can substitute zucchini for broccoli in the summer; in the fall, replace half the broccoli with cubed butternut squash. No worries if you don't have a paella pan. A large skillet will do just fine.
Easy Pailla Primavera
2 1/2 tsp olive oil
3 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
6 green onions, thinly sliced (1 cup)
3 cups low-sodium veggie broth
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
1 tsp crumbled saffron threads
1 cup short-grain white rice
1 cup fresh or frozen baby peas
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
12 pitted green olives, halved
12 pitted black olives, halved, optional
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add broc, bell pep and green onions; cook 5 minutes
2. Stir in broth, garlic, saffron; bring to boil. Sprinkle rice over ingredients, reduce heat to med-low and simmer covered 10 minutes
3. Sprinkle peas, toms and olives over rice. Cover and cook 8 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest, covered 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
4. To serve, spoon paella into 6 bowls and garnish each with lemon wedges and parsley
per 1 cup serving - 211 cals!!!!!!
When I make this, I will add black beans for protein. I will probably cook some brown rice and use that instead of the white (I'll decrease the cooking time). The whole grain rice and beans are complementary and make a complete protein (important for vegetarians to make sure they are getting enough protein). I could also substitute corn for rice because the corn plus the beans are complementary.
***********************************************************************************************************
Want more info on complete proteins? Here's Wikipedia info. I've highlighted a few facts.
A complete protein (or whole protein) is a source of protein that contains an adequate proportion of all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the dietary needs of humans or other animals. Some incomplete protein sources may contain all essential amino acids, but a complete protein contains them in correct proportions for supporting biological functions in the human body.
The following table lists the optimal profile of the essential amino acids, which comprises a complete protein:[2]
| Essential Amino Acid | mg/g of Protein |
|---|---|
| Tryptophan | 7 |
| Threonine | 27 |
| Isoleucine | 25 |
| Leucine | 55 |
| Lysine | 51 |
| Methionine+Cystine | 25 |
| Phenylalanine+Tyrosine | 47 |
| Valine | 32 |
| Histidine | 18 |
Nearly all foods contain all twenty amino acids in some quantity. However, proportions vary, and some foods are deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids. Apart from some exceptions such as quinoa or soybeans, vegetable sources of protein are more often lower in one or more essential amino acids than animal sources, especially lysine, and to a lesser extent methionine and threonine.
Consuming a mixture of plant based protein sources can increase the biological value of food. For example, to obtain 25 grams of complete protein from canned pinto beans requires consuming 492 grams (423 kcal), however if combined with 12 grams of Brazil nuts, requires only 364 g of pinto beans (391 kcal). These complementary protein sources do not need to be consumed in the same meal (see Protein combining).
Sources of complete protein
- Generally, proteins derived from animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs, yogurt, and milk) are complete, though gelatin is an exception. Proteins derived from plant foods (legumes, grains, and vegetables) tend to be limited in essential amino acids. Some are notably low, such as corn protein, which is low in lysine and tryptophan.
- Some foods contain all the essential amino acids on their own in a sufficient amount to qualify as a "complete protein". Complete protein foods that also obtain the highest possible PDCAAS score of 1.0 are certain dairy products (including whey), egg whites, and soy protein isolate. Other foods, such as amaranth, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, buckwheat, hempseed, meat, poultry, Salvia hispanica, soybeans, quinoa, seafood, and spirulina also are complete protein foods, but may not obtain a PDCAAS score of 1.0.
***********************************************************************************************************
Hope you're having a great day. Today I'm dedicating my blog to Pachamama for a beautiful Spring and abundant, healthy Spring harvest.
This isn't a great photo because the wind was blowing just enough to make the little branch move around. I was surprised to see little buds already popping out on my maple tree. The
:*)
Much love,
Donna Rae
No comments:
Post a Comment