HOW TO START OFF ON A GREENER PATH
Story by Jacquie Clancy
For some, considering a meat-free diet is difficult. Saying goodbye to that hamburger for lunch, sayonara to your chicken stir-fry and adios to your “Taco Tuesday” tradition is no easy feat. But when weighing the pros and cons of a vegetarian (or semi-vegetarian) diet, you may change your mind about the amount of meat you consume. With notions like “Meatless Monday” and becoming a weekday vegetarian gaining more and more momentum, it may be interesting to consider the benefits of choosing more meat-free meals.
The Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) is a great place to start gathering information if you’re contemplating a new vegetarian diet. Autumn Ladouceur, the Communications Specialist at the TVA, helps the organization promote their meat-free initiatives and encourage people to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle to improve their overall health. Ladouceur responds to the critics who suggest that a vegetarian diet is not balanced by stating that “a healthy vegetarian lifestyle paired with regular exercise has been proven to prevent and manage Type-2 Diabetes and obesity. The Dietitians of Canada agree that a well-planned vegetarian diet is nutritionally sound and can help to prevent and manage common health problems.”
When considering some of the fattiest dishes we consume (especially at restaurants), most of them involve meat in one way or the other. Not to suggest that there aren’t vegetarian-approved junk foods, but as Ladouceur points out, there are numerous health benefits to choosing more meat-free meals, as “meat-free diets can lower one’s risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and food poisoning.”
It may initially be difficult to think of how you could possibly fill each meal without including a piece of chicken or beef, but there are so many delicious veggie dishes to prepare. A meat-free chilli or soup combined with a fresh salad makes a great lunch; for dinner, try a spin on fajitas by using black beans and rice instead of chicken to wrap up in a whole-wheat tortilla.
The TVA is helping to encourage people to take on a part-time or full-time vegetarian lifestyle through programs like the Meatless Monday campaign, as well as through their Veggie Challenge. “Our Meatless Monday campaign offers support through recipes and tips for eating meat-free,” explains Ladouceur. “Going vegetarian even once a week is a powerful way for people to shrink our environmental footprints and choose a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle.” You can check out their website to sign up and get started with your “veggie vows”. The goal of the Meatless Monday campaign is “…Healthy eating with flavour. Sustainability with flair. Compassion with a side of do-it-yourself kitchen magic,” as the website explains.
The site is an awesome place to find featured vegetarian recipes, as well as other resources to become more informed about the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle (not only on Mondays). The Grilled Eggplant and Shiitake Bruschetta is a delicious way to start off a dinner party, and the Zesty Pesto Pizza will definitely make you forget about that pepperoni you would normally pile on. Ladouceur encourages everyone opting to take part in the Meatless Monday campaign to sign up for “a free subscription to the monthly Meatless Mondays e-newsletter, [and] look for them on Twitter and Facebook” to stay in the loop and stay on track with their new dietary direction.
Similar to Meatless Mondays is the TVA’s Veggie Challenge. “We try to make our participants feel like they’re part of a community of people facing the challenge together,” Ladouceur says. “They can click on stories from others who have completed the veggie challenge to help motivate them. Those who have completed the challenge also have a chance to win prizes like gift certificates and cookbooks by completing surveys and submitting stories about their experiences.” The Veggie Challenge asks participants to eat only vegetarian meals for seven days. After signing up, you will receive motivational emails to help you through the week with tips, recipes and facts about how eliminating meat from your diet can vastly improve your health. “The Veggie Challenge is a great first step for anyone looking to make healthier, greener, more compassionate choices,” says Ladouceur.
If you’re keen to try out a more veggie-infused diet, it’s important to make sure you keep yourself informed, which is why the TVA provides such excellent support for those looking to make a change. By creating a goal to be more accountable for the foods you’re eating you will be able to make the best decisions for yourself and your diet. Whether you are making an attempt at a Meatless Monday meal or stepping up to the seven-day Veggie Challenge to better your health (or even drop a few pounds), you can rest assured that you won’t be doing it alone.
