In case any of you meat-eaters out there weren't aware, today is World Vegetarian Day, an annual celebration that marks the start of the North American Vegetarian Society's Vegetarian Awareness Month. The aim of World Vegetarian Day is pretty much what it sounds like - to encourage non-vegetarians to go meat-free and to promote the health, animal rights and environmental reasons for switching to a meatless diet.
Die-hard bacon-lovers may not be swayed by such reasons, but they might just think twice if you appeal to their taste buds.
To that end, Food & Wine magazine has posted an online slideshow of mouth-watering, meatless mains, such as fusilli with roasted eggplant and goat cheese, vegetable potpies filled with sweet celery root, Brussels sprouts and parsnips in a sage-infused cream sauce and topped with flaky sweet potato biscuits, and crispy, bubbly-crust pizza with charred cherry tomatoes and pesto.
As the folks who participate in Meatless Mondays http://meatlessmondays.ca already know, meat-free meals can be just as delicious - if not more so. The global campaign to reduce meat consumption has even celebrated meat-loving chefs like Mario Batali http://www.mariobatali.com/ and Marcus Samuelsson http://marcussamuelsson.com cooking without animal parts at least one day a week.
If you somehow miss out on the veggie fest this month, don't sweat it. World Vegan Day kicks off World Vegan Month starting Nov. 1.
Wency Leung