A little inspiration for your next meat-free meal.
Surely you've heard the phrase "Meatless Monday" before.
And if you haven't, I'll quickly explain: it's literally just swapping a vegetarian dish for your regularly scheduled meat-filled dinner once per week.
But DID YOU KNOW that it's not just about your health — it's for the environment, too.
Per the official Meatless Monday website, there are three key impacts going meatless can do for the environment:
• It reduces fuel dependence on fossil fuel energy since meat based protein is far higher than that of grain-based protein produce.
• It minimizes water usage because the water needs of livestock are much greater than those of vegetables and grains.
• It reduces production of greenhouse gasses carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide — something meat production produces at a significantly higher rate than vegetables.
Got it? Good! Now let's move on to some really tasty recipes for your next Meatless Monday.
1. Macaroni Skillet
2. Classic Chickpea Meatloaf
A meatloaf that looks so "meaty" you won't believe it. Get the recipe here.
3. Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza
This Savory Vegan / thissavoryvegan.com
Tastes so much like the real thing you may not even notice there's no actual chicken in it. Like it hot? Get the recipe here.
4. Avocado Pasta
Damn Delicious / damndelicious.net
Damn Delicious / damndelicious.net
Turning your avocado into a carbonara sauce is simple, yet so delicious. Get the recipe here.
6. Roasted Chickpea Gyros
Live Eat Learn / liveeatlearn.com
No matter how you pronounce 'em, they'll fill you up. Get the recipe here.
7. General Tso's Cauliflower
Pinch of Yum / pinchofyum.com
Pinch of Yum / pinchofyum.com
So tasty you won't even miss the real deal. Get the recipe here.
8. Vegan Potstickers
Cilantro and Citronella / cilantroandcitronella.com
When you make your own potstickers you can fill them with whatever you want. Get the recipe here.
9. Hawaiian BBQ Tofu Bowls
Fit Mitten Kitchen / fitmittenkitchen.com
Fit Mitten Kitchen / fitmittenkitchen.com
Pretend you're in a tropical paradise with this good-for-you bowl. Get the recipe here.
10. Vegetarian Meatballs in an Apricot Balsamic Sauce
Food Graciousness / foodnessgracious.com
Food Graciousness / foodnessgracious.com
Serve them as an appetizer or as the main part of your meal! Get the recipe here.
11. Grilled Chevre and Pesto Sandwich
Keepin It Kind / keepinitkind.com
Nothing beats grilled cheese. NOTHING. Get the recipe here.
12. Wild Rice Burrito Bowl with Cilantro-Avocado Dressing
Ex Sloth / nutritionalfoodie.com
All the flavors of Mexican food, minus the meat and dairy. Get the recipe here.
13. Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes
Olives For Dinner / eatliverun.com
Olives For Dinner / eatliverun.com
Amazing presentation for such a simple recipe. Get the recipe here.
14. Curried Tempeh Salad
Brittany Mullins / Eating Bird Food / eatingbirdfood.com
Brittany Mullins / Eating Bird Food / eatingbirdfood.com
Perfect for sandwiches, picnics, or as the side to your favorite meal. Get the recipe here.
15. Easy Veggie Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust
Nutritional Foodie / nutritionalfoodie.com
This quiche has a gluten free crust made from sweet potatoes. Get the recipe here.
16. Easy Ginger Garlic Noodles and Broccoli
Fooduzzi / fooduzzi.com
Fooduzzi / fooduzzi.com
You can jazz up this recipe with any veggies you'd like, or go with the author's suggestion and use broccoli and chives. Get the recipe here.
17. Scrambled Tofu and Mushroom Tarts
Vegan Mother Hubbard / veganmotherhubbard.net
Vegan Mother Hubbard / veganmotherhubbard.net
Phyllo dough is the magic ingredient for so many things. Get the recipe here.
18. Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons
Simply Quinoa / simplyquinoa.com
Simply Quinoa / simplyquinoa.com
Three words: Crispy. Chickpea. Croutons. Yes, please! Get the recipe here.
19. Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos
Ambitious Kitchen / ambitiouskitchen.com
Ambitious Kitchen / ambitiouskitchen.com
Eat like the people of Austin, Texas and get with the breakfast taco craze. Get the recipe here.
20. Green Goddess Pizza
Well and Full / wellandfull.com
Well and Full / wellandfull.com
I'm drooling. Get the recipe here.
21. Homemade Veggie Burger
Casey Jade / caseyjade.com
Casey Jade / caseyjade.com
There's just something so satisfying about making a veggie burger with your own hands. Get the recipe here.
22. Vegan Sausage Rolls
Hot For Food / hotforfoodblog.com
Almost too easy for the cute payoff. Get the recipe here.
23. Gluten Free Pesto Pasta Salad
Abbeys Kitchen / abbeyskitchen.com
Abbeys Kitchen / abbeyskitchen.com
Pesto + noodles + tomatoes + olives = get in my belly! Get the recipe here.
24. Veggie Meatball Subs
The Crunchy Chronicles / thecrunchychronicles.com
The Crunchy Chronicles / thecrunchychronicles.com
Be a HERO (heh) and make this dinner for your fam. Get the recipe here.