Discussion Board

I am more than a little disappointed with the "Meatless Mondays" campaign. I looked at the Meatless Mondays cookbook while at Barnes & Noble and it was filled with high fat vegetarian and vegan meals. I also got on the Meatless Mondays facebook page, hoping there might be some recipes I could use, but so far no luck. Every one of them I've seen has oil in it. I wanted to sort of ease my husband into veganism through Meatless Mondays because Paul McCartney supports the program and wrote the introduction to the MM cookbook and my husband is a big fan of his. But, as I said, I am disappointed in the program.

Use it as a jumping off point! For most people, that sounds much better than what they are currently consuming. Perhaps, over time, you could ease him into something even better!

But hardly anyone seems to know about the idea of eating no oil. How can someone ease into something better if they don't know that
something better exists?

That's the crux of the problem. The word vegan doesn't necessarily equate to healthy. Even the word "plant-based" doesn't tell the story. There needs to be a banner that encompasses all that is involved in healthy eating.

GJ, I completely agree. I have manager at work who is always passing along his MM recipes to me. I take one look at them, thank him, he pass comments about them and then I file them in the trash, for the reasons you cited. But as was said, these meals are possibly better than what some, like my manager was eating.

I don't like the vegan or vegetarian labels, as they don't do that way of eating justice. I have written numerous articles on my site about people calling me "vegan" while I don't correct them I do like saying I eat a "plant strong" diet. You are right that doesn't necessarily say much, because instantly people think salads. I usually combine the plant based diet with no meat, dairy and oil. Then again at point people see my diet...lifestyle as "extreme."

I have been very disappointed to see many recipes filled with oil and fat that look very good, especially on sites that promote a healthy lifestyle or healthy cooking. Many people I talk to don't understand how I can cook without oil. The thought doesn't cross their mind as to substitute water or applesauce instead of oil. It's at that time I educate them on an alternate way to cook or eat.

I was referring to her husband, since she mentioned in her post that she wanted to help him eat better.

There's a great possibility that these recipes are even worse than a recipe with meat in it. With all the dairy and oil it could be higher in fat and cholesterol than what some people already eat.

That is a very depressing thought. I follow a Canadian national women's magazine on Facebook (Canadian living) and whenever they post a vegetarian recipe I give it a McDougall critique, asking why on earth you need to add 2 T of olive oil to sautee onions, things like that. I'm sure they hate me, but it makes me feel better

I am the same when it comes scrutinizing recipes. Oil is always the first thing to go.