I know, I know. It is Friday. But I am posting next week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up a tad early this week to convey my support for the movement - which this week has been ridiculously thrashed and bashed by the food bullies known as the USDA. And this week my MM round-up is super-sized..
"USDA Backs out of Meatless Monday Endorsement."
"Retracting a Plug for Meatless Mondays" - NY Times
"Why It Was Silly for the Beef Industry to Freak Out Over USDA’s “Meatless Monday” Newsletter" -Time
"Eat your vegetables. No, wait, don't. USDA publicly kowtows to Beef Association." - NRDC
..this week's news headlines were not all about the the Olympics, the Jacksons or even the vampire-ish scandal between KStew and RPatz. There was a bit of Meatless Monday dramaz in there too. Robsten can heal, but I'm not so sure about the lobbyist tainted USDA...
I learned of the news when I read a tweet from Kathy Freston saying: "This is what we are up against as we move towards @meatless.." -KF
My headline would read: "Beef Bullies."
I read the NY Times article (linked above) in complete disgust. This quote stood out..
"Among those who objected to the Agriculture Department’s apparent plug for vegetables was Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, who tweeted: “USDA HQ meatless Mondays!! At the Dept. of Agriculture? Heresy! I’m not grazing there. I will have the double rib-eye Mondays instead.” " -NY Times
But I'm over the negativity - and here to bring some positive vibes in the form of yummy, delicious vegan recipes to the MM movement.
Why do I back MM? Well even though I and many of you eat meatless + vegan every single day - I know there are also many of you that are still dabbling and experimenting with meatless and vegan meals. So while part of me doesn't really want the USDA telling me what I should or should not eat at all - the bigger part of me thinks that this retraction of support for such an honorable movement is absolutely, positively absurd.
But like I said - lets get positive. Spread these MM links and show your support. The recipes below are all meatless + vegan.
Featured Meatless Monday Recipe of the Week: My Mexi-Chopp Salad.
Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up
1. My vegan recipe links from Babble.com's Family Kitchen
2. Highlights from blogger-submitted posts over at FindingVegan.com
3. Other Links to Love
My Vegan Babble.com Family Kitchen Recipes
1. Healthy Dessert: Healthy Makeover: Chocolate Frosty - with a secret ingredient
2. OMG Desserts: 25 OMG Vegan Desserts - this round-up was WAY too much fun to put together
3. Matcha Love: The Buzz on Matcha: 7 facts! (my obsession continues)
4. Chia Love: Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding + raspberries
5. I Love Beans!.. 15 Recipes to Power-Up with Beans
6. Easy Snack or Lunch: Speedy Taco Toast - super easy recipe for lunch or a snack!
7. Baked Bean Dish: Lime Fiesta Baked Butter Beans
8. More Dessert: Chocolate Coconut Vegan Fudge Bars - made using coconut oil
10. Vegan Ice Cream Party: 25 Flavors: Vegan Ice Cream Recipes from your fave bloggers.
11. Skinny Shake: Skinny Pineapple "Milkshake" - easy + delicious frosty fun
12. Yonanas Fun: Pina-Colada Soft Serve
Finding Vegan Highlights (from your fave bloggers on the web!)
*Want to have your vegan recipe link considered for these highlights? Submit it to FindingVegan.com today!*
1. Mango Lime Muffins topped with toasted coconut by That's So Vegan.
2. Vanilla Bean Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, coconut milk by Healthy Food For Living.
3. Coconut "Bacon" by Fettle Vegan
4. Triple Dose Chocolate Cookies by Bread Without Butter.
5. Mini Black Bean Sweet Potato Taco Bowls by Keepin' it Kind
6. Stuffed Avocados by The Simple Vegenista
7. Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower "Wings" by PETA
8. Bouquet Popsicles by Family Fresh Cooking
9. Banana Bread Smoothie by Healthful Pursuit
10. Quinoa Basil Bean Burgers by Spa Bettie
11. Mac N Cheese with broccoli and peas by Vegalicious
12. Chocolate Avocado No-Milkshake by j3nn
13. Vegan S'mores Donuts by Boy and the Rabbit
14. Cashew Cream Stuffed Strawberries by Namely Marly
15. Yogurt Cake with Lemon + Blueberries by Liz Lemon Nights
And check out the all new FV blog for site updates!
Other links I love this week..
* Soy-Wasabi Spread from Martha Stewart
* BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with slaw via The Kind Life + PETA
* 21 Foolproof Vegan Recipe Substitutions via Greatist.com
* The Perfect Guacamole via The Kitchn
* Onion and Poppy Seed Bialys vis Saveur (reminds me of NYC!)
* Coconut Rice Pudding via Saveur
* Black Bean Vegan Mini Burgers via Ellen's site via Warner Brothers
* Spring Rolls with carrot ginger dipping sauce by Martha Stewart
* Cafe Green Salad via Food Network - by Melissa d'Arabian
* Oatmeal Cookies via PCRM
