Meatless Mondays

"Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around..."
--Vanilla Sky

Each Monday in Springtime holds the same kind of promise that I feel on the brink of a New Year. On the threshold of the week, I serenely contemplate a blank slate to be filled with goals that seem freshly attainable. Finally organize my refrigerator. Eat the fresh foods I love in the company of good friends and family. Get outside for exercise. Learn new skills. Delve deeply into fascinating topics. Simply savor each moment as it passes.
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A little like the myth about New Year's (whatever you're doing at midnight, you'll be doing all year), Mondays seem to set the tone for the rest of my week. Maybe that's why Meatless Monday has garnered popular enthusiasm. If you can start the week on a high note of health and environmental benefits encouraged by nutrient-dense, plant-based food, then perhaps your food choices for the rest of the week will be seasoned with those good intentions. And luckily for those of us in food-friendly Charlottesville and Richmond, good intentions can also pave the road to delicious, sustainable local meat choices from producers like Tall Cotton Farm, Wolf Creek, and Babes in the Wood!

Myths regarding “going meatless” abound, and one of them is that it’s all or nothing. Be a vegetarian every day, or it's not worth it. False! Meatless Monday emphasizes that meatless meals can bring variety to a full repertoire, even for dedicated carnivores. Mark Bittman practices daily veganism--except at his evening meal. Part-time vegetarianism forces reliance on and discovery of vegetables and fruits you might otherwise shy from.

Just as ethical meat producers in Virginia make carnivorous choices healthier and easier on the conscience, producers of delicious vegetarian options make Meatless Mondays exciting.

• Twin Oaks Tofu (I love what Revolutionary Soup said in its Facebook feed a few months back -- “Oh yeah and Twin Oaks Tofu is totally Organic and the best Tofu I have ever had. Really, it will change the way you think about Tofu and cubed and seared it makes a darn fine Vegan Chili...”)
• A whole range of local growers, from Planet Earth Diversified to Down Branch Farm Produce to Richmond's Rain or Shine Greenhouse Garden to Cville's Hardy Farms.
• CCNO Vegan Food Bars (for a quick snack on a busy day)
• Fresh pastas from Mona Lisa Pasta and Cavanna Pasta make a delicious, gourmet base for serving up top-notch veggies.

So, have I convinced you to give Meatless Mondays a shot? Below are a few of my favorite recipes to get you started. Please use the comments to share YOUR favorite Meatless Monday recipes!

• Spring Pasta
  
• Sushi Bowl
• Mark Bittman's Best Vegetable Soup Ever
• Whole Wheat Cous Cous with Spring Vegetables
• "My Husband is not a Vegetarian" -- Community forum on SeriousEats for vegetarian recipes enjoyable even for non-vegetarians
  
• Lentil and Brown Rice Salad (One-Click Relay Recipe): In Richmond or In Charlottesville
• Kale and Cabbage Gratin -- Think you don't like kale? Try this! I dare you!
  

If you're interested in finding more recipes to inspire your vegetable love, check out How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, The Candle Cafe Cookbook, or Chez Panisse Vegetables.,My go-to online sources are Recipes for Health from the NY Times and 101 Cookbooks.