I am a huge supporter of the meat free Monday movement that is going on right now! Being able to go one day a week without meat is a wonderful change-up for family meals and keeps a little extra in your wallet, but the best perk is the low impact on the environment. Believe it or not, but going meat free one day a week does more environmentally than nixing the car and riding your bike. This is because the gases that the cattle industry put out is the largest contributor to greenhouse emissions- passing up the entire transportation sect. Shocking, right? There are a few reasons this is true, let’s start with the one I expected the most. It is a pretty common known fact that cows emit a lot of gases, like a ton. Cattle emit nitrous oxide and methane; both of which are more caustic that CO2. Even crazier, these gases remain in our atmosphere for, up to, decades longer than carbon dioxide.
A somewhat more surprising fact about the cattle industry is how much corn it consumes. It is pretty obvious that we feed cows a lot... Who wants to eat a skin and bones cow, right? But the amount of food that goes towards the cattle industry is staggering. A third of the cereal crops produced in the US are currently going toward feeding cattle. That is a lot of farmland for non-human consumption. Then, we must remember how big cows are- they take up a bit of space. Brazil is the largest meat producing country in the world and is also going through massive deforestation. Can you guess why... the livestock industry is responsible for most of the deforestation happening there. By having one day a week set for veggies, we could free up a ton of farmland and field space for other needed things!
For more information about meat free Monday's, check out the article posted on goop.com by Paul McCartney here or learn more at meatfreemondays.com
Now, for the doing
When I talk to most people about a meal without meat, they are usually most concerned about two things 1) will they get enough protein 2) can they make something that will be good and not just carbs. The answer to both these questions is yes. There are plenty of resources for vegetarian recipes online, some of which are even better than their meaty counterpart in taste and protein levels. Flowering veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are great sources of protein. Mushrooms and black beans are two more that work wonders as meat replacements! Here is one of my favorite recipes that go meatless while being delicious, high in nutrients and protein, and a friend to your wallet!
Strawberry, Banana, and Kale Smoothie
The kale is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin K, Manganese, and has 2.2 grams protein per cup with only about 30 calories and is strongly anti-inflammatory! Bananas are great for potassium but have lots of carbs for the size. Since fruit is so high in carbs from sugar and has fewer nutritional benefits, keeping the main ingredient as the kale is great!
- 2 cups Kale
- 3 medium strawberries
- 1/2 a banana
- 4 cubes of ice
- Some water for mixing
Add the two cups kale, sliced strawberry and banana, and some water into blender. Blend until smooth. Add in ice cubes and blend again. Poor into cup and enjoy!
If you are interested in know who else goes meatless once a week, here are a few celebrities that have gotten on the meat free Monday train: Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey, Sir Paul McCartney, and Gwyneth Paltrow.