What's the easiest switch you can make for the environment? Eat less meat!

On Mondays, we are exploring vegetarian meals for meat eaters. Cooking with seasonal vegetables can seem really limiting at first, but the possibilities are endless. And it is worth it. Just cutting one day of meat eating out of our diet can keep thousands of tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere a year. No seriously, it's that big a deal. Cutting down on fish (and only eating sustainable fish) can also help with our huge plastic problem, because plastic fishing nets are the largest source of plastic in our oceans. The production of fish and meat come at a huge environmental cost, and we are simply eating too much.


Plus, it's a great opportunity to have some new adventures and try new things. Just another way to take care of the planet AND make life a little bit better!



To be honest, this is one of the worst seasons to be shopping for produce in the Pacific Northwest. The winter is pretty great for produce, and by the end of spring we are starting to see fruit, but early  spring is rough. Last weekend, we headed to the farmers market, and we saw a lot of carrots, potatoes, and lettuces. Lots of kale and related green-ness, but that was it.

So, clearly it is time to get inspired about kale. This feels tricky, because if you don't eat vegetarian, this is just the kind of rabbit food you imagine vegetarians eat all of the time. So it's especially important, if you are trying to transition yourself or your family into a more plant-based lifestyle, that these recipes don't suck. We are looking for delicious now. 

Let's feel excited about what we have (while also counting down to summer). Time to kale!


This garlic butter and kale rice from Recipe Tin Eats is presented as a side dish, but with a few more veggies, I think it could be a pretty delicious main dish. And if you are feeling iffy about something, pair it with garlic, butter, and carbs. 

If it is still a little wintery where you are, this lemony kale and white bean soup from The First Mess looks so delicious. It's just the kind of recipe that makes your whole home smell good. 



Since kale is a little on the earthy/bitter side, a little sweetness can really balance it out, so this kale and sweet potato hash from Nosh City looks totally delicious. Plus it has an egg on top, so I know lots of people who would be all about it. 



I freaking love pesto. We mostly make our pesto out of basil, but you can also make a delicious pesto out of kale- perfect for tomato salads or pastas. Mad About Food's recipe looks absolutely delicious. 



If you want a hearty soup with lots of flavor, check out this curried cauliflower rice soup from Mommy Cooking. Something really spicy and warm is perfect this time of year. And soups based on coconut milk just makes me happy. 

Ok, do you have a favorite kale recipe? 



Want more vegetarian recipes to try? Awesome! Adding more meatless meals to your diet is such a fun challenge and you can discover so many things you like. Check out this page for all of the Meatless Monday Recipe Round Ups!

Every week we are exploring vegetarian meals for meat eaters. Cooking with seasonal vegetables can seem really limiting at first, but the possibilities are endless. And it is worth it. Just cutting one day of meat eating out of our diet can keep thousands of pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere a year. No seriously, it's that big a deal. Plus, it's a great opportunity to have some new adventures and try new things. Just another way to take care of the planet AND make life a little bit better! 


Also, as they point out on the farmer's market episode of Parks and Recreation "It's like a tree barfed in my mouth." Chard is an acquired taste, but it is super good for you, and I think these recipes are just genius enough that they could potentially win over Leslie Knope.

from little bits of

I don't think I even realized that baked sweet potato was a thing, but baked sweet potato with kale is REALLY a thing, but now that I am looking at this recipe from little bits of, I totally get it. Bitter kale, sweet potato, tangy onion- it sounds pretty delicious! The Foodie Physician has the same flavor combination in a quesadilla.

from A Spicy Perspective

Both kale and chard make delicious pesto, a little different from the basil pesto most of us are used to, but you can still use it as a dip, in salads, or on pasta. Pesto is the best. This kale pesto from A Spicy Perspective only takes 5 minutes to make. I saw some chard recipes too, so you could try both and decide what you like better!

from Feasting at Home

This Feasting at Home recipe brings my favorite flavor combo (beets and goat cheese) to a chard salad. I told you we wouldn't do salads, but this warm one looks hard to resist.

from Pinch of Yum

The other salad I couldn't resist was from Pinch of Yum. This Thai salad looks really flavorful and filling, which is especially helpful if you are just starting on vegetarian meals. Don't you just want to eat the picture?

from The Rustic Foodie

This soup from The Rustic Foodie looks really warm and inviting, like a minestrone that you eat when you have a cold, and you have a chef taking care of you. It actually doesn't look that tough, but it comes out looking beautiful.

from The Garlic Diaries

I also think this kale hummus from The Garlic Diaries looks really fun. Could be a great way to work these greens into food for kids too. I mean, I trust any blog with garlic in the title.

How do you eat winter lettuce like chard and kale? Have any of you successfully convinced your kids of this delciousness.

Want more vegetarian recipes to try? Awesome! Adding more meatless meals to your diet is such a fun challenge and you can discover so many things you like. Check out this page for all of the Meatless Monday Recipe Round Ups!