Welcome to Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays {MMMM}!
After an unintended hiatus I have brought back MMMM with some updated rules. Check them out under “The Rules” tab.
- NO MEAT
- NO MADE FROM MEAT
- NO FISH
I struggled with implementing this. I recognize we are all at different stages of going meatless and I do not want to discourage anyone from taking that first step. I know when I first contemplated reducing my family’s meat consumption it was a BIG decision. One I honestly doubted I could accomplish. I started by using less meat in recipes and making our portions smaller. I thought this would be less noticeable to my carnivorous clan than cutting out the meat altogether. It was. That gave way to a lot of pasta dishes without meat, but with sauces made from chicken or beef broth and stock. I literally had never thought of buying vegetable broth. It just wasn’t in my culinary vocabulary. I slowly started adding more vegetables to our meals and even explored the world of meat alternatives. It reached a point where we were only eating meat one day a week rather cutting it out one day a week. Eventually we chose to go all out and give up ALL meat for Lent. We have done this for the past three years.
We are not vegetarian and probably never will be, but we are concerned with the toll that meat consumption takes on our personal health and the health of the planet. This is why I support the Meatless Monday movement and host the link up here every Monday. I want MMMM to be a place where you can come for meatless inspiration and encouragement. This ultimately led to my decision to implement the new rules.
- NO MEAT
- NO MADE FROM MEAT
- NO FISH
I hope that by adhering to these guidelines, MMMM will become the high quality link up and recipe archive that you all deserve. If you have questions concerning the link up or about going meatless, feel free to contact me or ask for help on the Go Meatless facebook page. This is a diverse and caring community. All opinions and feedback are welcome.
Now on to some fun stuff! Before the break I offered up a copy of Blissful Bites to those who linked up and commented. Well, Amber of The Tasty Alternative, you win! I will email you directly for shipping information.
Congratulations Amber of The Tasty Alternative!
Finally, I encourage you to check out all the links and be kind by leaving a comment. Now add yours!
Here’s how it works.
MMMM is a weekly carnival dedicated to those interested in improving their personal health and the health of the planet by reducing meat consumption one day a week. Every Monday you have a chance to feature a link to something meatless. It doesn’t have to be a recipe {although that would be nice}, it can be a picture of a meatless meal you ate that week, an interesting article you read about meat consumption, a post on your blog about going meatless, perhaps a post on someone else’s blog you found helpful, anything Meatless Monday appropriate.
So just what is Meatless Monday appropriate? No meat. No made from meat. That means no broth or stock, unless it is vegetable. No fish. In my world fish is meat. If you cut it and it bleeds, it’s meat. While you may not agree, this is my blog so please respect my rules. And just to be clear, I am not vegetarian, but many who participate in MMMM are. I understand that we are all at various levels of going meatless and I respect that. MMMM is meant to be a place to encourage and inspire each other at all levels of that journey. Who knows what one small step may lead to? So whether you have been meatless for life or only go meatless one day a week, all are welcome to join as long as your link contains no meat, no made from meat and no fish.
Here’s how you can be a part of it.
- Link up your Meatless Monday posts here every Monday.
- Add a button to your sidebar and in posts that you do link up.
- Join the Meatless Monday Flickr group and share your photos.
- Follow @GoMeatless on Twitter
- Like Go Meatless on Facebook
- Suggest all of the above to friends/family/followers!
Show your support by linking back to Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays.
Link to this post: http://midnightmaniac.com/post4847
Link to the carnival: http://www.midnightmaniac.com/tag/midnight-maniac-meatless-mondays/
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These blogs Go Meatless at least one day a week and regularly link to MMMM.
Amber January 15, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Wow! Incredible. Thank you so much. Lucky me.
So glad you’re back.
Hugs,
–Amber
Teresa January 15, 2012 at 9:25 pm
I would love to try this! Something other than Spaghetti for Meatless Monday would be great!
Greenderella January 16, 2012 at 3:26 am
Great new rules! Thanks for hosting! : )
Angel Collins January 16, 2012 at 3:28 am
I find it hard to remove meat from our everyday menu but since my grandfather got hospitalized due to a heart problem, we gradually implemented a no meat menu at least once a week, just like yours. It is a great way to live healthy. I guess, we still need protein.
Thanks for sharing. 
April @ The 21st Century Housewife January 16, 2012 at 4:58 am
I must admit, I am always shocked when I see ‘meatless’ recipes containing meat stocks or fish. I’m not vegetarian either, but when I make a vegetarian recipe I always try to make sure it really is vegetarian. It can be tricky with cheeses, as many of those are made with non-vegetarian rennet, but gradually more and more cheese makers are using vegetarian alternatives. Thank you so much for hosting!
Amanda @ Traditional Foods January 16, 2012 at 8:13 am
Thanks for hosting! I shared a coconut oil review
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat January 16, 2012 at 10:34 am
I’m thrilled with your new rules. I pointed vegetarians to this site in one of my recent posts. It’s a wonderful resource, and tightening up the guidelines will make it even better. Thanks for all that you do!
I linked up a vegan tamales with a sweet potato and black bean filling. Soooo yummy!
Uniflame January 16, 2012 at 10:54 am
Thanks for making the new rules clear. As a vegetarian I am always looking for new inspiring recipes. Therefore I do find it a bit inconvenient if I encounter meat recipes in features that are aimed at meatless cooking, so I highly encourage this
Of course I understand that people may not know, but the only way we can learn is if we are shown the alternatives. So thanks again 
Stealthy Mom January 16, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Thank you for hosting! We can always use new ideas for vegetarian/vegan cooking. While we eat meat 2-3 times a week at our house, we rely far too much on dairy products. One can hardly call milk or eggs “meatless” when you factor in roosters and steers.
Amber January 16, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Hello,
This week I shared a vegan & cane-sugar free chocolate pumpkin pudding.
Have a beautiful, healthy-full week,
–Amber
Angela January 17, 2012 at 1:39 am
Thank you for hosting and for re-defining your rules! In total agreement with them.