The second reason was the environmental impact. Cows that are herbivores, meaning they are meant to eat grass, are fed corn; this is a technique used to help the cows grow fatter, quicker all the while keeping them in restricted and tight areas. The problem that presents itself is in turn they need to be injected with hormones and antibiotics to ward off disease and other issues that come with altering the natural ways and habits of these animals. Outside of the quality and treatment of these cows being inhumane, the feces of the thousands and thousands animals are then washed into our water ways infecting them with all of the antibiotics and hormones the cows were given. This is just one example of this kind of treatment and environmental impact.

So, when I read about the initiative to get families, friends and essentially anyone who wants to get on board to stop eating meat for all meals one day a week, I knew I had to help spread the word. The goal of MeatlessMondays.com is to reduce meat consumption by 15 percent to improve our personal health as well as the health of our planet.

The other important note I wanted to add, in addition to encouraging us all to lower our meat consumption, is to ensure that when you are purchasing meat and poultry products, be aware of where it comes from. While packaging can sway you into thinking that what you are buying comes from picture-perfect farms with animals frolicking on the hills, this is certainly not the case. When possible, buy from a local farmer where you can see the farming practices used or even a local farmer’s market. Getting out of the supermarket and away from industrialized and processed foods is key.

Click here to make your pledge or via twitter (@dietsinreview). Whether you plan to go Meatless on Mondays or any day in the week, let’s all work to lower our animal consumption, and be more conscious of the meat we do purchase to help rid the practices currently in place.

Need some recipe ideas for your meatless day:

Pasta with zucchini and fresh tomatoes
Spinach stuffed pasta shells
Vegetarian rice casserole
Weight Watchers vegetarian chili

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Start the Week with Meatless Monday

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Quorn foods, which creates a line of meatless products, has come out with a new Turk’y Burger that has 50 percent less fat than a traditional turkey burger.

Rather than using soy, wheat gluten or textured vegetable protein like many vegetarian products, Quorn relies on a mycoprotein-based ingredient that contains less fat, fewer calories and more fiber than meat. In addition, it contains nine essential amino acids making it a powerful source of protein for vegetarians or for those who are trying to reduce their intake of meat.

DietsInReview.com was one of the first to try the new Turk’y Burger, thanks to a preview package Quorn sent us last week. Each Turk’y Burger contains 90 calories, four grams of fat, ten grams of protein and two grams of fiber.

As a flexitarian myself, and a big Quorn fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the new Quorn Turk’y Burger. It tasted similar to their Naked Chik’n Cutlet but it had more flavor. Since I haven’t eaten a turkey burger in over ten years, I can’t in good conscience compare Quorn’s Turk’y Burger to its meat-based counterpart, but I can offer these tips: If you bake or grill your Quorn burger, splash it with a bit of olive oil or a few sprays of non-stick cooking spray (on both sides). Its low fat content makes it more prone to drying out. Also, a quick schmear of ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or any combination of your favorite sandwich condiment goes a long way to enhance the burger experience of this meatless chow.

Look for Quorn’s Turk’y Burger in the freezer case of the natural food selection of grocery stores nationwide.

While Quorn provided Heather Ashare with sample product, this review is her own opinion and was not influenced or sponsored in any way.

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Food Find: Quorn’s New Vegetarian Turk’y Burgers

Rather than creating a menu of low-cal fast-food options, Hardee’s instead takes its traditional menu of burgers and sandwiches and gives you the option to reduce carbs, lower the fat, eliminate the gluten, trim the calories or lose the meat for a vegetarian option.

But is this alternative menu all that healthy? At closer inspection, it resembles a sneaky marketing ploy that slaps on catchy healthy lingo to high-fat and high-calorie fast-food eats.

While we give Hardee’s a pat on the back for reaching out to the vegetarian and gluten-intolerant populations, we’ve decoded their alternative menu to give you the straight-up facts minus any deceptive marketing buzz.

Vegetarian: You can order a Hardee’s burger, sans meat but with all the fixings, or have a breakfast cheese and egg biscuit but hold the bacon. Both options even without meat will save on calories and saturated fat but the cheese, eggs, buttery biscuits, mayonnaise and carb-heavy white bread are a far cry from a low-fat, low-cal meal.

Gluten-Free or Low-Carb: You can order any sandwich or burger without a bun and instead use lettuce leaves in place of bread. We’re all in favor of swapping out nutrient-void white foods for green, leafy ones. But once again, you’re still left with high-fat burgers and cheese. Hardee’s also has a Low Carb Breakfast Bowl loaded with sausage, cheese, eggs and bacon. Yikes! This is a 650 calorie and 50 fat gram start to your day!

Low-fat/Low-cal: You can make this work if you order the following, on occasion:

• Order a signature Big Hot Ham N’ Cheese with no cheese (380 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber)
• A Frisco Breakfast Sandwich minus the cheese and butter (280 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber)
• A 1/4 pound Little Thick Burger with no bun, no mayo and no cheese (220 calories, 15 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber).

Our advice: Do your own nutrition research to discover just how healthy your favorite foods are, no matter if you’re eating at a restaurant or at home.

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How Healthy is Hardee’s Alternative Menu?

I’ve enjoyed many health benefits that have come with eating a more vegetable focused diet, which include lower risk for high cholesterol, lower risk for cancer, and potentially living longer as backed by the China Health Project, which found vegetarians live on average 7 years longer. In addition to the health benefits we can also impact our environment with less waste and air pollution that is generated from the farms that output hundreds of animals every day and this waste in turn can end up in our water system.

In a 1997 study by the Senate Agriculture Committee, it was found that 60 percent of American waterways were polluted with the major contributor being animal agriculture.

While each person’s diet can, and in many ways should, be unique to their type, there are many universal reasons that make a vegetarian diet appealing. If you aren’t quite ready to give up your hamburgers, why not try going vegetarian once a week? You’ll be surprised at the yummy food you can be eating through whole grains, vegetables and fruit.

Bob Harper quotes several books as leading to his change in diet including Skinny Bitch. To read more about Bob Harper check out the September issue of Vegetarian Times on stands now.

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Biggest Loser’s Bob Harper is a Vegetarian

Check out these ideas for quick and healthy dinners:

• Pick up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, bagged salad greens, and a loaf of rustic bread from the bakery. Serve up a 3-4 ounce piece of chicken, 2 cups of greens, and a chunk of bread. Dinner is done!
• Go cold. Why not serve up a little buffet of cold, tasty delights? How about jumbo shrimp cocktail with a cold pasta salad dressed lightly with lemon zest and olive oil? Then top it off with some cold, juicy watermelon? While it’s true the only thing these foods have in common is their temperature, you’ll appreciate it on a hot summer night.
• Prep a couple make-ahead meals over the weekend. Think about a summer soup like this Peter’s Grill Vegetable Soup stocked full of fresh vegetables and dried herbs. Or try this vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe below. Both of these make-ahead meals allow you to “heat and eat” for dinner in 15 minutes or less.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes (serves 10)
2-1/2 cups beef flavored TVP crumbles (frozen)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-1/2 cup ketchup
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
5 tsp. mustard
1-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/4 tsp. onion powder
10 hamburger buns

Recipe Credit: Christine Watson, RD, LDN

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Quick and Healthy Dinners Perfect for Summertime

In a British study of about 60,000 people, experts found that those who were vegetarian ran less of a risk of developing cancers of the blood, bladder, stomach, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma than the meat-eaters in the study.

Interestingly, this benefit didn’t include all forms of cancer. Bowel cancer was not impacted by the non-meat dietary habits.

The results for the most part don’t suggest a huge difference between the two groups. In meat-eaters, about 33 percent will develop cancer at some point during their lifetime. But for vegetarians, the risk reduction is only to about 29 percent.

The most striking difference only came in the case of a relatively rare type of cancer. The vegetarians were 75 percent less likely to develop multiple myeloma, a cancer in the plasma cells.

In another case, fish-eaters and vegetarians were about a third less likely to develop stomach cancer as meat-eaters.

There’s some cruel irony in the researchers’ findings. One of the more common types of cancer is bowel cancer. It just so happens that vegetarians in the study group had a slightly higher rate of cancers of the colon and the rectum than their meat-eating counterparts. It was a statistically insignificant number, but it’s still an interesting twist.

“At the moment these findings are not strong enough to ask for particularly large changes in the diets of people following an average balanced diet,” says Professor Tim Key, the lead author of the study.

(via: BBC)

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Vegetarians Have Slightly Smaller Cancer Risk

Jivamukti yoga founders: David Life & Sharon Gannon

With a meaning like “liberation while living” it is no wonder that Jivamukti yoga has the devoted and loyal following that it does. Started in 1984 by David Life and Sharon Gannon who incorporated their training as Ashtanga yoga students under the tutelage of Ashtanga yoga master Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Jivamukti yoga is a popular and disciplined form of yoga that is practiced all over the country.

Combining both asana, pranayama (breath work) and music, a Jivamukti class is a dynamic yoga experience, both physically and spiritually. A typical class does practice chanting, but beginners are not expected to chime in – only if their comfort and knowledge allows them.

Gannon and Life are two well-recognized faces of yoga. Their book, Jivamukti Yoga, has been heralded from the likes of Russell Simmons and Trudie Styler and includes beautiful asana photographs as well as an incredibly accessible overview of the philosophy of yoga and the intentions behind Jivamukti yoga. Strongly encouraging the basic principles of yoga such as ahimsa, or non-violence, devoted Jivamuktians are staunch vegetarians or vegans. Don’t let that discourage you from sampling a class. Those who are avid followers of this style of yoga credit this relatively new brand of yoga to changing their lives, both inside and out.

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Jivamukti Yoga 101

Quorn Foods are one of the lesser known meat-free alternatives, in comparison to Boca Burgers and Morning Star veggie sausage patties. This England-based company has created a line of meat-free products that boast a nutritional profile and taste-factor that rivals any best-selling veggie burger.

While most meat-free products use soy, all 11 varieties of Quorn products are made from mycoprotein, a powerhouse ingredient that is actually a fungi that contains less fat, fewer calories and more fiber than meat. Mycoprotein is also an excellent source of lean protein, completely soy-free and contains all  nine essential amino acids.

Quorn was generous enough to send DietsInReview a sample package of a few of their most popular sellers and we were won over with the taste, texture, and versatility of this super nutritious and incredibly diet- and vegetarian-friendly line of meat alternatives. The line includes mycoprotein-based “chicken” products like Naked Chik’n Cutlets, Chik’n Patties, Chik’n Tenders and “meat” products like Meat-free Meatballs and Beef-style Crumbs. Quorn has also expanded its line of protein-packed eats with its Gruyere Chik’n Cutlet, Cranberry & Goat Cheese Cutlet and Southwestern Chik’n Wings.

As a former vegetarian, now flexitarian, I can’t rave enough about Quorn. The texture is similar to (you guessed it) chicken, but its taste is much more flavorful; and while many soy meatless products have a bit of grit to them, Quorn products offer a real “meat-like” chew that made me wonder if I was in fact eating meat.

The Naked Chik’n Cutlets, Tenders and Meat-free Meatballs were a huge hit in my household. Cutlets, which contain only 80 calories for each chicken breast-sized serving, 11 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of fat can be easily dressed up by adding your favorite marinade or barbecue sauce.  Tenders are great for tossing in a stir-fry with tons of fresh veggies and with a few drops of flavorful sesame oil, soy sauce and a couple grates of fresh ginger, you’ll fool even the most die-hard lovers of chicken stir-fry. The Quorn website features countless recipes for how to use their products in yummy dishes.

With so much enthusiasm and eagerness over supporting a more green planet and lifestyle, choosing a diet that is respectful to our bodies and our planet is necessary for our survival. Studies show that by replacing just one meat-based meal each week with a vegetarian one will greatly offset our ecological footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water waste and land disturbance.  So do your part this week and with whatever meal you choose to go vegetarian with, swap it out with a Quorn product. You won’t be disappointed.

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Quorn: A Delicious Protein-Packed and Low-Carb Meat Alternative

Day Six Vegetarian Menu

• Breakfast – egg white veggie omelet. The usual, full of mushrooms, spinach, red peppers, egg whites and served with whole grain toast.

• Lunch – misc. salads. I attended a luncheon where I skipped the meat and cheese tray and filled up on pasta salad, garden salad and fresh fruit.

• Dinner – roasted red pepper panini. We found ourselves out with friends Friday night for dinner. I had a roasted red pepper panini with spinach and mozzarella cheese, served with a small salad (dressing on the side!). It was devine!

Thanks for sharing this vegetarian journey with me. I’ve enjoyed keeping you up to speed on how we progressed.

Am I going to become a vegetarian? It’s safe to say no. Will I serve more vegetarian meals? Definitely. We found a lot of new things we like and discovered new uses for old favorites. If you start your own vegetarian challenge, definitely let us know, and check-out our vegetarian recipes for inspiration.

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Vegetarian for a Week Challenge – Final Thoughts

Day Five Vegetarian Menu

• Breakfast – veggie egg white omelet. Just a quick shot of cooking spray, chopped spinach, red peppers, mushrooms and grape tomatoes, mixed with three egg whites and served with a slice of whole grain toast. My favorite way to start the day!

• Lunch – cheese and fruit. I wasn’t in the mood for a full lunch today, but knew I needed to eat something if I was going to make it to our late dinner. I had one serving of light havarti cheese with whole grain crackers, a bunch of red grapes and half a sliced apple.

• Dinner – P.F. Chang’s. We let someone else cook tonight and I gave tofu a try. Tofu will probably not be my favorite take away from this vegetarian week. Our selections from PF Chang’s vegetarian menu included the vegetarian lettuce wraps (tofu instead of chicken), wok seared mushrooms, Buddha’s Feast (stir-fry tofu with mixed vegetables) and brown rice.

• Snacks – no snack today, but we did share P.F. Chang’s mini dessert (Great Wall of Chocolate) after dinner!

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Vegetarian for a Week Challenge – Day Five