Are you trying to cut back on your meat consumption? Meatless Monday is a great way to do it!
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Vegetarian for a day
What started as a war effort during WWI has become a movement to encourage people to make small changes to improve their lives and the life of the planet. Studies show that it might be a good idea. Research shows that consuming less meat and more plant based foods can help:
- reduce your risk of certain cancers
- lessen your risk of heart disease
- reduce your weight to healthier levels
While more and more people are discovering the benefits of cooking without meat, there’s still a misconception that meatless meals are bland and without flavor. That couldn’t be further from the truth! With tried and true recipes in hand, you’ll be able to produce delicious meals for yourself and your family.
For another great meatless meal, be sure to check out our Best Ever Baked Mac and Cheese.
Need more reasons to adopt Meatless Monday?
It cuts down on your grocery bill.
Since meat is one of the most expensive items in the grocery, your savings could really add up.
Let’s say you have sausage with breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch and a baked chicken breast for dinner. That easily brings your spending to $5-6 per person. Just by cutting out meat 1 day a week you could potentially save over $20 per person on your monthly grocery bill. For my family of 5, that’s a whopping $100/month! What could you do with an extra $100 each month?
It adds variety to your diet.
We all get into food habits and tend to eat the same foods day in and day out. Adopting Meatless Monday can add some much needed variety to your weekly meal plans AND important nutrients that you might be missing. Once you expand your food horizons, you might even find yourself looking forward to your meatless meals!
It expands your cooking skills.
When you first start a meatless day you might wonder, “What in the world will I eat?” Once you do a bit of research though, you’ll realize that there are SO many things to cook that don’t involve meat! There are loads of veggies with an endless variety of colors, tastes and textures. There are beans and plant based proteins like tofu and tempeh. And what about pasta and rice in all their wild and crazy forms?
Have fun trying out new recipes and learning new ways to make meals beautiful and delicious. Adapting a meatless meal day is a great way to improve your health AND your bank account. Enjoy trying out these meatless Monday tips and recipes in your own kitchen!
Ready to give Meatless Monday a go?
Here are our top 5 favorite meatless meals recipes for when you’re ready to be vegetarian for a day:
VEGGIE STIR FRY
For a quick and easy dinner, nothing beats stir fry. I love that you can make it with whatever ingredients you have on hand—just make sure your sauce is super tasty. This is the recipe I use from The Pioneer Woman.
OMELETTE
For me eggs are the perfect meal—they’re inexpensive, healthy, have a long shelf life and are the perfect backdrop for SO many other ingredients and flavors. Sautéed mushrooms are a favorite filling, but you can use whatever veggies and cheese are lurking in your fridge! Omelette recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.
bbq tofu
Believe it or not, this is the most requested meal at my house! Served with mashed potatoes and green peas, it’s comfort food at its best (and healthiest!) I know it might sound a little weird, but just give it a try!
Baked BBQ Tofu
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 pounds firm tofu frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
Peanut Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup peanut butter I like chunky, but creamy is fine!
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp garlic granules or 1-2 cloves minced fresh
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups barbeque sauce store bought or homemade
Instructions
- Tofu that's been frozen has a meaty texture: Freeze the tofu in its original packaging, then let it thaw completely. (This will take a good while, so plan ahead). Once thawed, squeeze out all the water.
- Slice the tofu in 1/2" pieces and place on an oiled baking sheet.
- Prepare the peanut sauce: mix water, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic and pepper together in a bowl. A metal whisk works nicely for blending.
- Pour half of the peanut sauce evenly over the tofu slices. If it doesn't exactly pour, just glob it on! Bake for about 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven. Turn tofu slices over, and pour/glop remaining peanut sauce over. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more.
- Remove pan from oven. Pour all the BBQ sauce evenly over the tofu slices and, yes, once more, return to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes. I like to cook it 15 minutes as the BBQ sauce begins to caramelize. Yum. Just watch it though so it doesn't burn!
- Serve with homemade mashed potatoes and English peas, as we call them in the south! My kids liked for me to make a "ditch" in their pile of potatoes and fill it with peas.
vegetarian chili
I developed this Vegan Black Bean Chili recipe when I worked at High Noon Café many many moons ago, and it’s still one of my favorite meatless meals. Make a big batch and keep in the fridge — serve with chopped onions and peppers plus LOTS of fresh cilantro!
Easy thai Curry
Many years ago my best friend from art school taught me how to make this delicious, frugal and totally satisfying Thai curry. It’s so adaptable as you can use whatever veggies and/or proteins you have lurking about. Just fill a bowl with rice, top with steamed or stir fried veggies and pour over the sauce. Use loads of fresh cilantro, a sprinkling of roasted peanuts and a squeeze of lime to finish it off!
Easy Thai Curry
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Rice cooker, optional
Ingredients
- 1 14-oz coconut milk
- 1 tbsp red curry paste available in Asian markets
- 1 tbsp peanut butter I prefer natural chunky
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock substitute water with a splash of fish sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked + cubed
- 1 cup frozen peas, steamed briefly
- cilantro, roasted peanuts + lime juice
- cooked rice
Instructions
- Pour half of coconut milk into a saucepan and heat briefly to release fragrance.
- Whisk in curry paste and peanut butter and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the remaining coconut milk plus sugar, soy sauce, salt and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 12-15 minutes.
- When ready to serve, toss in sweet potatoes and peas. Feel free to substitute whatever you have.
- Serve over white or brown rice topped with cilantro and roasted peanuts.
Notes