Rae Udy

RECIPES: Bruschetta, Meditteranean Vegetarian Pizza, Rainbow Fruit Dessert

By Rae Udy

Rivers burned and cities chocked under thick blankets of smog in 1970 when the first Earth Day launched the modern environmental movement.
Former Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat, proposed a series of environmental teach-ins on college campuses across the nation. The first Earth Day attracted over 20 million participants in the United States.
What started as a day of national recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect the global environment. In the 1990 Earth Day event, an estimated 200 million people in over 140 nations were involved in planting trees, recycling cans and bottles, and cleaning up beaches, highways and roads.
On Saturday April 22nd, the 36th anniversary of Earth Day, will be your chance to help your own environment. Start your own organic garden, shop for organic food or try cooking a vegetarian meal for family and friends for your own ‘green’ activity.
Garden centers offer organic vegetable plants for the garden or container. Buy organic produce and food products at your area health food stores or the large supermarkets have an organic food section.
We have come along way in support of environmental issues and responsibility to the planet. Earth Day is a great time to celebrate the gains we have accomplished and to unite together to further protect our planet.
Bruschetta made with organic ripe plum tomatoes and spring green onions is a great appetizer to start the Earth Day menu. Mediterranean Vegetarian Pizza is quick and easy to make and provides a healthy and hearty main dish for the celebration. Whole wheat pizza shells can be found in the freezer section near the frozen waffles. Finish off your Earth Day menu with colorful Rainbow Fruit Dessert for a low-calorie, filling finale.

BRUSCHETTA
8 plum tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped fine with tops
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
36 whole wheat crackers
¼ (one-quarter) cup Parmesan cheese or Soy Parmesan cheese
Mix tomatoes, onions, basil, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Top crackers with a heaping tablespoon of bruschetta and sprinkle with cheese. Place on cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for five minutes or until cheese melts. Serves twelve with three Bruschetta each.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETARIAN PIZZA
2 six-inch pre-baked whole wheat pizza shells
1 large tomato, sliced thin
1 purple onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 eight-ounce package low-fat Mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon each: dried oregano and basil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Layer tomato slices on thawed pizza shells. Sprinkle onion and cheese over tomatoes. Top with oregano, basil and salt and pepper, if desired. Put pizzas directly on the oven rack in the middle and place a dry cookie sheet or foil sheet to catch drippings on the bottom shelf. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden. Remove from oven and cool five minutes before slicing to serve six.

RAINBOW FRUIT DESSERT
1 cantaloupe
½ (one-half ) cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Slice cantaloupe in half and discard seeds. Peel cantaloupe and cut each half into four equal sections to make eight slices. Place each cantaloupe slice on a small serving plate lined with a lettuce leaf. Spoon strawberry and banana slices over melon. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve immediately. Yields eight servings.

Sources:
www.earthday.gov/
www.bookrags.com/sciences/biology/earth-day-enve-01.html