You did it!  You rocked Your Daily Thread’s Meatless in May campaign.  Below is a list of supportive resources to keep you on the meatless path.  Consider:

Phone apps: Good to have on hand.

• Because you can never have too many options when you’re shopping. Download the Don’t Eat That iPhone app ($1.99), which lists over 1,500 additives and ingredients that you may not want in your food. It’s easy to use. The ingredients in red may give you cause for concern. The ingredients in black are generally considered safe and are listed with definitions for easy reference.
• Locavore is a free app for you Android users out there. Locavore will help you find out what lovely veggies are fresh and local to you, no matter where you are. It uses your phone’s GPS to locate farms and farmers’ markets and even gives you some recipes to cook up.
• If you find yourself still yearning for a burger, the 21-day vegan Kickstart app, free for iPhone, is the app for you. Designed for newbie vegans, this app helps you plan your meals, telling you what to eat and how to make it.

Online support.

• National Resource Defense Council. Go to the ‘Smarter Living’ page, click on the map or enter your zip code and enter the current month and you can pull up in-season, local produce. In addition, there are daily posts on food production and on the food page, you can look up chemical names by entering them in the ‘Chemical Index’ box or click on ‘Facts & Tips’,  ‘Shopping Wise’, or ‘Cooking Essentials’.
• Greener Choices by Consumer Reports. The ‘Green Shopping’ tab on the Consumer Reports, Greener Choices website is a wealth of information. It has Buying Guides, topics on bagged salad, BPA updates and genetically modified foods. Also, don’t miss the ‘Eco-Labels’ sections, it will give you a report card on any label you happen to be looking at and help you check out the certifying organization.
• Treat yourself to a Vegkit. New vegetarians reward yourselves by grabbing this free kit. There are several helpful newsletters with veggie recipes, action alerts and nutritional information.

Now go forth and be (ahem) fruitful.

Article written by Guest Contributor, Kris Kahrs, who is a kidlit writer, humorist and essayist and whose work has appeared online as a founding member of The Pen and Ink Blog. Her essay on the pratfalls, pitfalls and spit-up of motherhood, “The Fierceness” was selected by the Listen to Your Mother Show – LA 2011, a national show about topics of modern motherhood. Kahrs is also  the author of two picture books, “The Cautionary Tale” and “Dinosaur House” and is finishing work on her first novel, “Cat of Destruction.”

Images via Etsy users chicalookate and oliveirabags.

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We know you have an unbending organic foodie spirit and have the best spots to eat well mapped out in Los Angeles. We also know that sometimes making the trek to these places, even for your favorite veggie dish, can be a lot of work. Well, journey no further. Here are a few of our favorites from the long list of deliciously mobile eats.

My Organic Oasis

As they say, “If it ain’t organic, it ain’t on the truck.” This rolling oasis serves up vegan smoothies in exotic flavors such as Dragonfruit, Matcha Green Tea and Tripleberry (acai, goji & blueberry) and savory bites like the Jungle Nori Roll and Kale Chips. Feeling more indulgent? One bite of Strauss Organic Creamery Frozen Yogurt covered with chocolate covered goji berries will whisk you away to into daydreams of summer sun.

Rokyo Gourmet Ramen

Small bundles of organic ramen noodles float in an umami broth at this Asian comfort food outpost on wheels. Topped with organic vegetables and slices of all natural, humanely raised beef or pork, Rokyo’s ramen will surely hit the spot with their unique take on this very popular dish. We recommend the Tempura Avocado Special!

Komodo

After an education at Le Cordon Bleu and an apprenticeship with Wolfgang Puck, Chef Erwin Tjahyadi took his talents to the streets with his farm-fresh Asian fusion tacos. Depending on what’s in season, Komodo mixes up their flavor combinations like their spicy Singaporean shrimp with cilantro, and Indonesian Rendang pork with cucumber salad. All entrees are available as tacos or burritos. For a Meatless in May meal, don’t miss their Soi tacos: soy tempeh salad with savory peanut dressing.

Green Truck

Dreaming of a juicy burger during veggie month? Hunt down the impressively eco-minded Green Truck, for the best Mother Truckin’® vegan burger in LA. Their fleet of super trucks is powered by yesterday’s cooking oil and they don’t use any Styrofoam or plastic! For the dedicated carnivore in your life, try the free range Grilled Chicken Pesto Wrap or Wahoo Chipotle Fish Tacos.

Images via Green Wedding Shoes Wedding Blog.

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You’ve taken the Meatless in May challenge, but the carrots and rice staring at you from the fridge aren’t exactly getting you excited for another meat-free day. Well, the Your Daily Thread team is here to share our favorite spots for getting your green grub on. From Santa Monica to Silver Lake, there are plenty of places with fantastically delicious vegetarian options that will satiate your appetite and keep you going through your no-meat mission. Might you go meatless in June? After you try these dishes, we think so.

Lani Trock / Writer

Bulan Thai Vegetarian Kitchen

Favorite menu items: Eggplant Lover with Veggie Chicken or Tofu and Busaba Pumpkin.

Find them in Silver Lake and West Hollywood.

Oren Aks  / Photo Editor

Vinh Loi Tofu

Favorite menu item: Shredded Tofu Sub.

Find them in Reseda.

Christi Thompson / Writer

Lotus Vegan

Favorite menu items: Thai Green Curry, Padthai and Young Coconut (to drink).

Find them in North Hollywood.

Tracy Hepler / Founder

Tender Greens

Favorite menu item: Happy Vegan plate.

Find them in Culver City, Hollywood and West Hollywood.

Eva Goicochea / Editor-in-Chief

Angelique Cafe

Favorite menu items:  Ratatouille, Eggplant and Tomato Casserole and Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche.

Find them in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sara Roderick / Managing Editor

Fresh Bites

Favorite menu item: Beets & Goat [cheese] salad.

Find them in West Hollywood.

Jessica Rounds / Writer

Cru

Favorite menu item: Zucchini Canneloni.

Find them in Silver Lake.

What’s your favorite vegetarian-friendly restaurant or dish? Tell us in the comments section, below.

Image via Fresh Bites.

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• Have you added one new veggie to your diet yet?  No? Try the parsnip.  A root vegetable, parsnips can easily be subbed for carrots and potatoes to add a sweet, slightly peppery flavor to any dish.
• Bring veggies to breakfast. Yes, it can be done.  Remember pumpkin?  It’s not just for Halloween anymore.  These delicious pumpkin pancakes by Jessica Harper of the Crabby Cook are to-die-for.
• Bread, soup and pasta, oh my! With these helpers, you will never run out of ideas.  Toss pappardelle with roasted red peppers, toasted pine nuts and truffle butter.  So simple and so good!  Bonus with soups—they can cook all day in the crockpot and be ready when you get home.  Zucchini and corn make a smashing soup.  Corn is the thickener so you won’t need milk, cream or cornstarch to hold it together.  Soups also travel well to the office for lunch the next day.  What’s not to love?

Next week, we’ll explore the bread option in detail; crusty bread with the right spread and veggies makes for a fabulous meal!

Your Daily Thread Giveaway: Before heading to your local farmers’ market be sure to grab your copy of Fresh From The Farmers’ Market by Janet Fletcher for tips on how to select and properly store your finds, as well as some veggie-friendly recipes. To be entered to win a copy of Fletcher’s book sign up for our free daily newsletter, or if you’re already a subscriber, invite your friends to join!

Article written by Guest Contributor, Kris Kahrs, who is a kidlit writer, humorist and essayist and whose work has appeared online as a founding member of The Pen and Ink Blog.  Her essay on the pratfalls, pitfalls and spit-up of motherhood, “The Fierceness” was selected by the Listen to Your Mother Show – LA 2011, a national show about topics of modern motherhood. Kahrs is also  the author of two picture books, “The Cautionary Tale” and “Dinosaur House” and is finishing work on her first novel, “Cat of Destruction.”

Image courtesy of Your Daily Thread Photographer Alexa Wan.

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Ladies and gents, the time has come once again to: clear your fridge of any leftover chicken; to freeze any unused ground turkey meat; and to cross Ribeye steak off your grocery list—Meatless in May has arrived!

If you took part in last year’s meat-free campaign, then we don’t need to remind you that “livestock uses 30% of the Earth’s arable land for pasture, an additional 33% of the land to grow and cultivate their feed and 5,000 gallons of water to produce a single pound of meat…” Livestock farming contributes to 18% of greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to the 13% of greenhouse gas emissions generated by all of the cars, trains, planes and boats around the world.  We also don’t need to remind you that when you say “no” to meat (including chicken, cattle, turkey, pork, lamb and yes, even fish) individually, we can “keep up to 420 lbs of carbon emissions out of the air.”

Aside from the impact eating meat has on our environment, red meats such as beef can take a toll on your health.  Not only is it very high in saturated fat and cholesterol, it has also been linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and higher risks of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers. Even fish, like albacore tuna, swordfish, and shark are culprits to health problems including cardiovascular disease and can cause damage to developing brains in fetuses due to high levels of mercury.

Regardless if you’re a newbie looking to change your carnivorous ways, or you’re looking to give Meatless in May another go, over the next couple of weeks we will provide you with resources to making your meat-free life mighty simple. From vegetarian and vegan recipes to environmental stats and what’s currently in season at your farmers’ market, we’ll cover it all.

But wait, we want to hear from you too! Share your progress on our Facebook page Ask us questions. Submit tips, inspiration, recipes – in fact, since beef is not what for dinner, what is? Each week we will be offering a giveaway as incentive for you to keep on with the meat-free grub!

So what are you waiting for? Pledge to go meat-free for the month of May and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, invite friends to join the campaign, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates on living meat-free!

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I was given the opportunity to try out the services offered by Paleta, a Los Angeles company specializing in fresh, local and in season meals delivered right to your door.  With completely customizable meal plans and even cleanses, Paleta has a wonderful assortment of tasty options sure to please any palate.

Owner and Chef Kelly Boyer was kind enough to not only share one of her mouth-watering recipes with us (see below), but also a few helpful tips for your next trip to the local farmers’ market:

• Get there early, or late.  For pre-planned meals, it is better to arrive early for the best selections and highest quality.  However, if you are new to the market and don’t really have a set menu, later trips may lead to discounted products.
• Befriend the farmers.  Introduce yourself and ask questions.  Farmers often love to talk about their produce and may even recommend a recipe or two.
• Green bag it.  Be sure to bring your own recyclable bags; many markets are moving toward plastic free zones and may no longer supply disposable bags for customers.
• Get creative.  Experiment with produce you’ve never tried before.  Food should be fun; at your next dinner party, wow everyone with a rainbow of multicolored carrots instead of the classic orange.

Get the recipe for the Paleta Harvest Veggie Umami Burger here.

And that’s not all, Paleta is offering 15% off any order to all Your Daily Thread readers.  Simply use the code “dailythread” when ordering online.

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Sara R. | Weekend Editor
Real Food Daily
Favorite Menu Item: Real food meal
Find them in Santa Monica and West Hollywood.

Sarah M. | Green Living Writer
Stuff I Eat
Favorite Menu Item: Organic tofu tacos
Find them in Inglewood.

Angie | Contributing Writer
M Café de Chaya
Favorite Menu Item: Bi-bim bop
Find them in Beverly Hills, Culver City and Melrose.

Connie | Fashion Editor
Bawarchi
Favorite Menu Items: Cashew curry and Sarson ka saag
Find them in Culver City.

Emily | Eat & Drink Editor
Bo De Tinh Tam Chay (Vietnamese)
Favorite Menu Item: Hoan hy xot chua ngot (sweet and sour veggie ribs)
Find them in Westminster (Located at 15352 Beach Boulevard, 92683. Phone: (714) 891-4455).

Native Foods Café
Favorite Menu Items: Scorpion burger and Lavender lemonade
Find them in Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Tustin and Westwood.

Planet Raw
Favorite Menu Items: Macho nachos and Mocha mylk shake
Find them in Santa Monica.

And, while not quite a “vegstaurant,” I’d like mention a cool eatery/tavern that serves up some authentic Greek cuisine from their dedicated vegan menu:

Café Ambrosia
Favorite Menu Items: Homemade vegan loaf and a side of Skordalia (garlic spread)
Find them in Long Beach.

For more local vegetarian and vegan restaurants be sure to visit the L.A. version of happycow.net. We’d love to hear from you—post a comment to let us know your favorite veg finds!

Photos by Julie S. of Yelp and Emily Goldstone

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Why you need protein. Protein helps strengthen your cells and tissues. Diets high in animal protein have been linked to cancer, heart disease, kidney problems and intestinal disorders. So do your body a favor and fill-er-up with mostly plant-based sources like vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes.

The average daily requirement for dietary protein is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. (For you mamas out there the figure is a little different.)

So what’s a veg to eat?

• Tempeh: soybean cake made from natural culture and controlled fermentation
~ Try our speedy and tangy Barbeque Tempeh Burgers

• Legumes: come in a variety of forms including peas, beans, lentils, peanuts, carob, alfalfa, clover and soy
~ Try Baked Falafel, made with chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans)

• Quinoa: a mild, protein-packed seed that works well as a rice or couscous substitute

• Portabella Mushrooms: high in vitamin D, this vegetable makes a great meat analogue for burgers and sandwiches
~ Try our multifarious Marinated Mushrooms
~ Try Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

• Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP): made from defatted soy flour, it can be used interchangeably with ground beef
~ Try our Peppy Tacos

• Eggs: categorized as meat by the USDA, these protein spheroids can be prepped (and gobbled) in a variety of ways
~ Substitute: scrambled eggs for meat in breakfast tacos
~ Substitute: egg salad for tuna sandwiches

• Nuts and Seeds: these nutritious little guys come from a variety of different plant groups and can be devoured in an abundant number of ways
~ Hint: Snack on your own trail mix of seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and don’t forget dark chocolate bits for antioxidants!
~ Hint: For a filling entrée, bake a nut loaf—your carnivorous friends will be impressed
~ Hint: Add some flax seeds to pancake mix, shakes and yogurt

• Sea Vegetables: as a super food, these goodies contain protein and all of the minerals needed for health
~ Hint: Sauté arame with vegetables; use dulse in soups; add nori to wraps

• Dairy: from yogurt to cottage cheese to plain ol’ milk, this moo juice is a great source of vitamins and minerals and will keep you satisfied

• Seitan: made from the gluten of wheat; some types have a chewy and stringy texture similar to meat
~ Hint: complement your favorite veggies in kabobs and fajitas

And, of course…

• Tofu: this high-iron, low-fat food is derived from soy milk; its near-flavorless quality makes it the chameleon of meatless bliss
~ Try our sweet Baked Coconut Tofu

We’d love to hear from you—post a comment to let us know what fills your vegetarian plate!

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