*This contest is now closed, due to issue with last month’s entries- I did a re-draw and the two winners are Lisa and Jennifer from this month! Congrats ladies 
This recipe comes from my buddy Natalia, writer and creator of
Pure Pleasures
Luscious Live Food Recipes from the Glowing Temple Kitchen
and makes a garnish on top of any italian pasta or salad! It’s like a parmesan cheese or something and wow – can you believe it’s only 5 ingredients?
So who participated in a Meatless Monday in the last few weeks? Are you participating in this challenge with us or do you always eat meatless? I would really love to know – we all would! Share your thoughts here, a recipe, a passion for or lack-of, towards eating meatless. It can be a struggle for many who are used to and enjoy eating meat (which is our family), but this is really an eye-opener to see how easy and tasty it can be to give up meat even once a month – and how great it is for our health and the environment!
Share you story or thoughts below and you could WIN your very own copy of Pure Pleasures (ebook of course! Come on, it *is* in honor of Earth Day – paperless, yo!).
Herbed Hemp Parmesan
makes 1 cup
INGREDIENTS:
1 small clove of garlic
1/4 tps. miso
1 cup hemp seeds
1 tsp. italian herbs
1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
PREP:
Place the garlic and miso in the food processor fit with S-blade. Process to finely chop the garlic and distribute the miso. Add all other ingredients and pulse a few times to combine. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Full disclosure: I did receive a copy of Pure Pleasures in order to review. This in no way shaped or influenced my thoughts or opinions on it!
I love Meatless Monday! I’ve been vegetarian for about 8 years now, but I still cook meat for my husband and 3 sons….not every day, but it is still sometimes tough for me to rethink all of the traditional ways that I grew up eating and also to hear from everyone around me that I should be feeding my boys meat…have to get better at tuning out!
I have some finicky eaters in the family, but chick peas are our friend – everyone loves them, so I always add them to salad and even put a small bowl out for the boys to nibble as a snack. If I take a little time to prep veggies and fruits, they are always devoured, even by my pickiest eater. The herbed hemp parmesan would be more of a challenge, I think, but it’s worth a try! I tend to stick to simple meals that I tweak a little bit if they originally had meat. I used to make pasta with chicken and broccoli and it was a favorite, so I kept it and just added more broccoli and got rid of the chicken. It’s fun to hear ideas from other people of how they incorporate more meatless dishes into their week – it makes it less intimidating and more doable! Thanks for the great topic!! 
Almost 3 years ago, me and my then 10 year old daughter watched the movie “Eating” by Mike Anderson given to me by a friend who has crohn’s disease. We became vegan immediately and have been transitioning to all raw. We are eating about 10% cooked right now. Giving up meat has been easier for my daughter because she never really liked it in the first place (smart girl!). I ate animal products for over 40 years so it was a little more challenging but it’s getting easier. I remind myself each day how much better I feel, what I’m doing to help the environment and that I live more aware and in the present moment. And thanks to sites like these, there is tons of support and great information. I am so grateful!
My family has been transitioning to vegan and I think that planning is key as with most changes in life. When you first give up meat it can be hard to get past the mindset of meat,starch,veggie on your plate. Alot of us were raised that way and food is a very passionate topic, so letting go of old habits can be hard. When first transitioning meat substitutes can be helpful, but after time it becomes easier to move away from them and have veggies as the center of your plate. When planning meals for my family I often use standard recipes we loved with things like mushrooms or eggplant for texture instead of the meat. I also involve my kids in the decision making for meals because they are more likely to eat what they pick.My hope is that more people start to realize how beneficial it would be if more people would adopt a meat free or at least less meat centered diet,while at the same time discovering how many delicious options also exist.
Oddly enough, I only miss meat when I have a vegetarian substitute that doesn’t taste very good but reminds me of the real thing. I tried Mollie Katzen’s polenta pie for dinner last night http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=polenta_pie and enjoyed it. It’s kind of a deep dish pizza with tons of vegetables that are first sauteed and then briefly broiled. The proportions were a bit off for me (I ended up with quite a bit of extra polenta), but it still tasted good. It does involve a little cheese, which can be cut down on or replaced with a vegan cheese, though it won’t melt and brown the same way.
Oooooh! This looks good! And, yes, I’m doing Meatless Monday. As you’ve may have guessed, it’s a pretty big stretch. For a vegetarian.
We have been vegetarian for almost two decades now and I have never looked back. My first veg cookbook is dogeared and was well loved. In fact, many veg cookbooks later, I think I need to go revisit some of those recipes! Now, if I purchase a new cookbook it is a living foods book. Love this recipe above, brilliant!