The first day of spring marks the Great American Meatout… time for a fresh start! Take this opportunity to improve your diet and explore wholesome, nonviolent foods, like fruits, vegetables, protein-rich legumes, and whole grains. This year’s theme is “Stop Global Warming!” According to a new report published by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, livestock farming produces more greenhouse gas emissions than automobiles. Go veg – do it for yourself, the animals, and the planet!

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes (or Veggie Riblets)
1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks, layers separated
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 lb. mushrooms, stems removed
1 basket cherry tomatoes, stems removed
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

Directions:

1. Place tofu in a bowl and add enough of the barbeque sauce to cover it, then marinate for at least 30 minutes. If using the Gardenburger Veggie Riblets, they are ready to eat.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Thread the marinated tofu and the vegetables onto skewers.
3. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, then place the brochettes across the top so that the ends of the skewers rest on the edges.
4. Brush liberally with the barbecue sauce and bake for 20 minutes, brushing with additional sauce both halfway through and at the end of the cooking time.

For great veg recipes, visit www.VegCooking.com!

Just because you kick the meat habit, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor! Gardenburger’s tender, juicy veggie Riblets are slow-cooked, with a hickory-smoked flavor. You'll get fiber and antioxidants without any cholesterol. Gardenburger products are made with all natural ingredients and are long loved by people looking for positive nutrition on their plates.

Paul F. Wenner, founder of Gardenbuger, became a vegetarian more than 40 years ago when he found out that a vegetarian diet would result in great health benefits. Since then he has been learning how eating habits affect one's well-being. He started producing the Gardenburger patties in his own restaurant and demand was so high that his business took off. He is long-time supporter of veg causes and one of the donors of this year’s Great American Meatout.

For more information about this and other products, visit www.GardenBurger.com!

New research from Harvard reveals that high consumption of red meat and iron derived from animal sources may increase risk of coronary heart disease amongst diabetics by 50%. The research examined the effects of red meat and dietary iron intake on the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) among the 6,161 women with type-2 diabetes.

Dietary iron is categorized into two types: heme iron from red meat, poultry and seafood, and non-heme that can be found in both animal and plant foods. Study participants with the highest intake of heme iron had 50% increased risk of total CHD compared with those with the lowest intake.

In the U.S., more than 20 million people (7% or the population) have diabetes. Diabetics are already at an increased risk of subsequent CHD, explained the researchers, but this study reports that this risk may be increased further with high intakes of red meat and heme iron.

To read the full article, click here!

A cold evening in January 1985 found a group of five activists pondering how to respond to the meat industry's latest affront - an attempt to get the U.S. Senate to endorse National Meat Week. They picked March 20th to portray dietary change as an act of rebirth and renewal typically associated with the advent of spring. They envisioned educational events in every community: information tables, exhibits, food samplings, lectures, receptions, fairs, and festivals.

The growth of Meatout has reflected a number of important national dietary developments:

• "5-A-Day" and other health advocacy groups have emulated the Meatout concept.
• 23% of consumers routinely purchase plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.
• 20% of teens think that vegetarianism is "cool."
• Major food manufacturers and distributors are entering the vegetarian market.
• Major supermarkets are offering a wide selection of meat and dairy alternatives.
• Major fast food chains are providing salad bars and veggie burgers.
• Four state legislatures recommend a daily vegetarian school lunch option.
• Additionally, Meatout has saved millions of animals from unnecessary suffering in factory farms and slaughterhouses.

For more information, visit www.MEATOUT.org or call 1-800-MEATOUT (632-8688).

Thanks for reading this week's issue of Meatout Mondays! Share the veggie love with your friends and family... forward this e-mail or sign them up!

Meatout Mondays is published each week by:
FARM - Farm Animal Reform Movement
10101 Ashburton Ln Bethesda, MD 20817
info@meatoutmondays.org

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