It’s official, David and I have been going Meatless on Monday for a year now. That’s 52 days a year that we didn’t eat meat. At first, we started doing it as a challenge for me to be more creative with meal ideas during the week. But then it became more than that.
In September of last year, I was contacted by the social media manager of the Meatless Monday organization. I was invited to become an official Meatless Monday “Blogger on Board” and join the growing ranks of bloggers spreading the word about the healthy Meatless Monday movement. To be an official blogger it is required that the blogger post weekly content that helps to grow the movement. This can be anything from an original meatless recipe or menu, to news and information about the movement. The blog must include “Meatless Monday” in the post title/tags, to help spread the word. It turns out, I was already doing this and didn’t even realize it.
I was excited at the opportunity, but really needed to study up on what Meatless Monday really was all about. After better familiarizing myself with the movement, I was even more excited to become a “Blogger on Board”. Here’s why:
The Meatless Monday Mission
- Meatless Monday aims to reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.
Meatless Monday Company Overview
- Meatless Monday offers the information and recipes you need to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly, meat-free alternatives.
- By reviving the American tradition of Meatless Mondays, they are helping to improve our health as a nation and reduce our carbon footprint.
- Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
So not only was I getting the challenge to get out of the rut of the same old meals every week, but I was also doing something that would be healthy for David and me, while helping the planet.
This year, Meatless Monday will be launching a new series of free e-cookbooks, starting with “Heart Healthy Recipes” for the month of February. As an official Meatless Monday blogger, I was invited to submit my original meatless recipe for consideration. If selected, my recipe would be featured in the e-cookbook with full credit and a link back to my blog.
I submitted my blog posting and recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup. It had already been broadcasted upon their social media sites and it was definitely heart healthy. Meatless Monday had to decide against including my recipe in the cookbook because they were also including a very similar recipe from Chef Jason Weiner (of the restaurant Almond in NYC). However, Jason did not have a photo to accompany his recipe. Since my recipe is so similar, I was asked what I thought of them using MY photo along with his recipe with a line crediting me and stating “Visit The Mountain Kitchen for Debbie’s take on Tuscan White Bean Soup”? I agreed!!
I am pleased to announce that although my recipe was not featured, my photo is!! There is a link that will bring people to my blog. I am humbled to be included at all. I’m just a simple mountain girl who loves to cook and a foodie at heart. This e-cookbook is being shared widely with audiences via the Meatless Monday Dish newsletter, Meatless Monday social media channels, and MeatlessMonday.com.
Here’s the Heart Healthy Recipes in their first e-cookbook: bit.ly/mmcomfort2 (You’ll find my image on page 5 🙂 )
So that’s my Meatless Monday Story. What’s yours?
For my Meatless Monday recipes, click HERE
For more information about going Meatless go to MeatlessMonday.com
Steve Quesenberry says
Great news! Way to go Debbie keep bloggin’
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks Steve! 🙂
kemtee says
And to think… I knew you before you were famous.
Congratulations!!!!
Debbie Spivey says
Famous? Nope, but thank you just the same 🙂
sophisticatedjerseygirl says
Wooo!! Congrats 🙂 I will have to check out some of your meat-free recipes!!
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks! Most of what I have tried have turned out really good. Let me know if you try any of them. 🙂
Patty says
This is wonderful, Debbie! Now if only I could get my Newsoms Big fella on board for less meat!!!
Debbie Spivey says
If I can get my Carolina man on board day a week you can!! 😉