Meatless Mondays

photo credit: Meatless Mondays

For starters, what is this "Meatless Monday" phenomenon about? Well, simply, it's about consuming less animal products - specifically meat. Although it is not Monday, I will be posting every Monday about Meatless Monday. My goal is to provide encouragement, to be a resource, provide recipes and general information about meat consumption as a whole. I decided to speak about this because I myself am a "flexitarian" meaning I rarely consume meat. This is important to me because beyond the issue of animal rights, I believe it is important we are aware of the effects of the products we consume. Veggies and animals alike.
According to The Wall Street Journal, in 2012 the average per capita meat consumption was 132lbs (this includes all meat sources from cow to fish). This number is devastating, hence the birth of the Reducetarian Movement. This is a international movement to encourage us to be more cognitive of the products we are consuming, better, the animals we are consuming.
The practice of reducing your meat consumption may be rather difficult at first if you have never tried it, or you are one of the lucky ones that this doesn't phase you. Our diets are fundamentally constructed around having a rather large meat source with vegetables on the side, although we do need protein, meat is not the only source of it! Serious Eats has an amazing list of oh-so delicious vegetarian options for your next Meatless Monday. My favorite is the Buffalo Fried Cauliflower (yum!).
So, why participate? Because not only is it healthy for you, but our beautiful planet too! Finally, because Paul McCartney participates too! You can find his promotional site here. How groovy is that?