Meatless Monday, Gift-Wrapped!
If you're fond of prognostications, you'll be interested to note that Epicurious has predicted 2011 to be the year of Meatless Mondays and Tofu Thursdays, the year that "eating meat-free will be on the calendar more than once a week." But Epicurious is not the only one touting a veggie new year.
Mario Batali began serving meat-free meals to the mainstream in May. That's right. Every one of his fourteen illustrious restaurants offers at least two vegetarian dishes each Monday.
Want to get into the act too? Then pick up a copy (or two) of The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour for yourself (and a trendsetting cook on your holiday gift list).
Written by trained chef and former Washington Post reporter Kim O"Donnel, whose column "A Mighty Appetite" I never missed, The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook offers up hearty meat-free meals including pasta dishes galore, rice dishes too, and a battery of inspiring international vegetarian fare.
Take, for example, Russ' Snack Plate. Instead of serving her husband Russ his favorite pairing of salami and cheese, O'Donnel now offers up Middle Eastern specialties like Hummus and Tabbouleh along with Grilled Eggplant Rounds or Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce.
And while we're on the subject of cauliflower, a vegetable so many people could take or leave, consider O'Donnel's compelling Sicilian-Style Roasted Cauliflower with Pasta, made with wine-soaked raisins, garlic and pine nuts. Who can resist?
I know I'll be trying that dish real soon. How about you? What are your plans for the coming year? Will you be eating less meat overall in 2011, as Epicurious predicts? Or have you already embraced Meatless Monday, just like Mario Batali? Whatever your plans, let me predict that armed with The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook, 2011 is bound to be delicious.
--Tracy Schneider
Lorraine on December 21, 2010 at 12:27 PM
I made Russ' snack plate for a game night this fall- the roasted cauliflower was for sure a winner, it almost was gone before my guests arrived. Absolutely excited to see restaurants and individuals pay more attention to their meat intake!
Cricket on December 21, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Thank you for the book recommendation, and it's available in Kindle format! I mostly eat vegetarian (grew up that way though I now occasionally have chicken) but my husband is a big meat guy. Hopefully this will satisfy us both.
wedding hair make up on December 22, 2010 at 10:37 PM
Meat should not been eaten by human beings as it involves killing mercilessly of helpless animal. People across the world is turning into Vegetarian so we should try to cut buying meat as much as possible.