Meatless Mondays

Last night I told a meat-eating friend I was going to make us eggplant parm sandwiches for dinner. He said he's never had eggplant in his life, and gave me that Don't-make-me-eat-tofu face.

I promised a BLT if he didn't like the eggplant. Then I commenced to chopping, slicing, breading and frying (which tends to make anything taste good), and smothered the veggies in fresh garlic marinara and fancy Parmesan cheese.

When we sat down and I asked him what he thought, he said he "didn't find it objectionable." I think that means I did alright.

So on the rush hour commute this fine Monday morning, I was very happy to hear the NPR story on Meatless Mondays. I'm not a vegetarian, but I prefer a meatless diet because I don't like the hormones in meat (there was a separate story on American girls now menstruating at 7 years of age), nor do I approve of factory farming (of animals or plants for that matter). It's also more expensive to eat meat - and not just the price you pay at the checkout line.

Gone are the days from my suburban Jersey youth when my grandma and mother would tell my meat-free self that: "You'll starve! You need protein!"

Ladies! Your girl knows how to cook up a fine bunch of cashews and rainbow chard (but I won't tell my meat-eating friend that just yet).