Why a meatless (and dairy free) mondays?

We are not vegans or vegetarians in this house however I believe that our plate should be filled with vegetables with a side of meat.  My husband, who likes to go around the house saying "mmmmmm, steak," has argued about this concept.  When I cook it's little meat, when he cooks it's lots of meat.

In addition, we've argued about dairy.  My belief is we shouldn't have it.  I must admit I love milk and cereal and I love butter.  I will need to write another post about why I don't think dairy should be in one's diet.  I have often complained that whenever there is a vegetarian meal, it always has cheese.  You replace one animal fat food for another.

Over the years, I've been able to make a few changes in the way we eat.  Olive oil and bread seasoning instead of buttering our bread or coating our veggies (yes I use the bread seasoning on veggies or salt-free Mrs. Dash).  I've been able to find shortening that does not have animal fats and some decent dairy free butter that I will use in baking.  When I shop it's fat-free milk and I'll buy lots of oatmeal so that it's not always cereal and milk in the morning.  I've learn to really like tea without milk - I can't see why anyone puts it in their milk now.  And I prefer to make home-made meals and desserts so I can control what goes in it.

I have always wanted to have a dinner or two a week that was dairy-free and vegetarian.  It's not easy.  When you look for vegetarian online, I find cheese or tempeh.  Tempeh, really?  It doesn't seem natural.  So my effort fell to the wayside.

My husband recently had some blood work done that showed his cholesterol just over the normal range.  I suppose this gave him a scare and he started telling me that we shouldn't have so much meat, that our plate should be mostly vegetables.  I stare at him.  Wait till he's finished, then say "Really?" in my most sarcastic voice.

"What?" he replies, "I just think we got to be more careful."

"Is this not what I've been saying for years?"

"Well we must not be doing so well because my cholesterol is up."

I roll my eyes, "yeah, it's probably what you eat in work."

He told me we should get the butter with low cholesterol.  I told him "The one I usually get but you won't touch."

"Yeah, that's the one" he replies with a smile.

Needless to say, I do check the cholesterol more often then not and found that dairy seems to be a bigger culprit then meat.  So now I'm on a quest and have the backing of my hubby to find veggie dairy-free meals. Hence to blog :)  I hope you enjoy and perhaps share some of your recipes.