They’re all going meatless on Mondays!

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative, in association with the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which encourages people to have one meat-free day a week.

Did you know . . .

-our modern food system contributes approximately 1/3 of all greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?
-our diets are bigger offenders to our carbon footprint than gas-guzzling cars?
-the climate cost of food production is worse than the distance traveled for food transportation?
-that reducing your meat intake also reduces your risk of preventable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease?
-that eating less meat can improve the quality of your diet and help you maintain a healthy weight? Plant-based foods are full of fiber, which helps to keep you full so you’ll consume fewer calories throughout the day. Beans and legumes are also full of protein, without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat.
-that the meat industry produces 1/5 of manmade greenhouse gas emissions?
-that 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef?

In other words, cutting meat out of your diet just once a week will improve both your health and the health of the environment!

Now I know you’re just about sold, but maybe you’re wondering how to replace the meat in your Monday diet with other protein sources. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast: oatmeal with honey and slivered almonds, fruit salad, and a hardboiled egg.
Lunch: Hummus, sundried tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onion, and yellow bell pepper on multigrain bread with tomato soups on the side.
Snack: apple with peanut butter
Dinner: whole wheat linguine tossed in olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice with spinach, yellow squash, and navy beans.
Dessert: mango sorbet

For a bonus meatless recipe try my family’s favorite spinach lasagna.

I want to hear from YOU! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite meatless meal.