Given that celebrity chef Mario Batali is better known for his relationship with prosciutto than parsnips, last week’s announcement that all 14 of his critically acclaimed restaurants are offering Meatless Monday options came as a surprise to many. The story has spread far and wide, as people of all culinary persuasions are congratulating the chef for offering flexible choices that fit into a healthy lifestyle.
Media hubs like ivillage, NBC, ecorazzi, trueslant, and New York Magazine are trumpeting the news. The story first broke on Huffington Post, and their readers have had no qualms about making their opinions known! Over 4,000 people have responded to the new initiative and comments have been overwhelmingly positive. Here are a few of our favorites:
I commend Mario for taking the step to encourage his diners to consider adding more vegetables to their diets. I, for one, will be participating in meatless Mondays with enthusiasm.
I help a lot of clients with this and suggest that they think of adding vegetables. One way to get your meat joy but eat less of it is to make some great stew or chili with beans & veggies. It’s filling and delicious. Steak “now and then” isn’t what Batali or the Meatless Monday movement is fighting; it’s the mindless, habitual shoveling of huge amounts of low quality, mass-produced animal food that this culture currently supports.
Batali has always been an inspiration for years. Glad to hear that he’s joining the ‘meatless’ movement’ the tasty-looking meatless dishes in his new Easy Italian recipe book were the biggest impetus for me to purchase it.
Casa Mono Beet Salad
One look at Mario Batali’s new meatless meals and its easy to see what the buzz is all about! With inspired entrees like Sweet Capelacci with Sugar Snaps and Casa Mono Beet Salad it’s no wonder that carnivores and veggies alike are excited about the delectable dishes.
So be sure to check out one of Mario Batali’s 14 restaurants this Meatless Monday! None nearby? You can experience some of Batali’s meatless cuisine by picking up his newest cookbook, Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking. Molto Gusto offers simple, mostly meatless dishes inspired by Batali’s own Otto Enoteca Pizzeria. Bon Appétit!
