At least once weekly I find myself making pasta or another dish with cheese or beans and no meat for dinner. While I have to admit it was not in an effort to whole heartedly save the planet, I did have good reason. The reasons I had were: my digestive track needed a break ( meat is not always a wanted guest in my tummy), My daughter isn't a huge meat eater, meals with out meat are way cheaper, and we like cheese and beans they are yummy.
Recently I have become aware of a movement called Meat Free Mondays, and with reading I have found , "As a result the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has concluded that the livestock sector is ‘one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." this and many other facts are posted on this amazing webpage hosted by Paul McCartney,
http://www.supportmfm.org/index.cfm.
As an occasional non meat eater, and a woman who has went months with almost no meat only to return to my carnivoric tendencies, I am moved to join Meat Free Mondays. Every Monday I will post a Meat Free meal idea that is wholesome and cheap and I hope that you too decide to make a good choice and have meat free mondays for your health, for the environment, and because cheese and beans are yummy!
Meat Free Dinner Idea
Buckwheat Pancakes, Black eye peas, Tomato Slices, and Cottage Cheese
If you don't have much experience with Buck wheat pancakes I must explain that they are not sweet and have a flavor of a cross between a tortilla and an Indian chipati. You can make these pancakes with out eggs by adding a bit of extra liquid. I prefer them in a double silver dollar size. Black eye peas are delicious with onion and jalapeno, or with onion, garlic, salt, red and black pepper, oregano, thyme, and hot sauce.
I hope you decide to join me with Meat Free Mondays and if you try this meal idea please let me know what you think.