Meat-Free Monday; a Month on the farm

It has been a while since I have updated you on the progress on Meat-Free Monday. For those of you new to my blog all – check out previous Meat-free Mondays posts.

To start with some good news I am still going! May was a bit of a blip – a lot of celebrating the end of my dissertation and end of exams, saw meals out on a Monday! The return home has seen me try and continue the trend for the whole family.

I grew up on a farm that produces beef cattle, converting the family on my Meat-Free Monday journey was never going to be easy. Although dad has yet to offer to take me out for dinner every Monday to get around this issue so it can’t be all bad.

Meat-free Monday meals haven’t been overly successful on the farm. I’ve tried Quorn chicken in a Thai green curry. I must confess I am yet to be convinced that is a suitable alternative. Bean burgers – a different one from Meat- Free Monday Take 3 but still not a desirable texture. If anyone has any recipes for a decent – almost meat-like textured burger I’d love to hear them. A pesto pasta dish has also landed on plates, padded out with asparagus from the garden. Slightly more popular but dad still isn’t convinced pasta is a real food.

I’ve also rustled up a kind of biryani meets risotto which went down better. Made vegetarian scotch eggs, which were a tad dry and I was too heavy on the chilli for mum. But these would definitely be something we would have again. The conversion to a Meat-Free Monday diet has become popular enough for Dad to refer to it as MFM, but I’m not completely convinced all acronyms are a good thing.

In an effort to try and boost the sale of “MFM” I have invested in Nick Knowles’ book which is supposed to try and convince those of us that love meat to eat vegetarian or even vegan options. I’m yet to try a recipe but am certainly looking forward to getting my hands on a naanwhich.

Meat-Free Monday hasn’t failed every time, a tasty lasagne was rustled up. Aubergines, courgette and peppers were roasted off, layered up with a punchy tomato sauce and cheese sauce as well as the lasagne sheets. A photo of the creation can be found below. Aside from the fact, my brother doesn’t like aubergine this was a dish which we all enjoyed.

I think the family will be most pleased when I start working and they can have meat again for their lunches! Although the inevitability of an egg sandwich probably won’t make me that popular in the office!