Flexitarian: Mostly Meatless

Back in the '60s and '70s, when vegetarianism was first catching on in the United States, the term was used more loosely than it is today. Any modern vegetarian, used to being offered fish or chicken by well-meaning hosts, will tell you that this word usage just isn't practical.


Today, vegetarians generally agree that they won't eat any food with a face. Still, with more and more households interested in the vegetarian movement but not willing to forgo meat entirely, there's a growing need for something new. Thus, flexitarianism.


Flexitarian is a loosely defined term, by its nature. In general, flexitarians eat some animal proteins, perhaps just fish and poultry. Most also limit consumption, for example by preparing small portions, focusing on vegetable-based meals at home, or limiting meats to one or two days per week (or less). While not strictly flexitarian, this concept can also be applied to mixed-diet households, where preparing completely separate menus for different people can be a real challenge.


Luckily, this is a common enough situation these days that there are lots of great resources for flexitarians. Almost Meatless is an intriguing new cookbook of vegetable-based meals incorporating a small amount of meat. The Flexitarian Diet includes lots of useful health and menu information (as well as plenty of simple and tasty recipes) for people making this transition. Many Moosewood cookbooks, including Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, even feature a section on seafood in addition to lots of vegetarian favorites.


Since going vegetarian can reduce the average American diet's carbon footprint by half or more, this is a new trend that we can all benefit from, regardless of eating style.

Moosewood: a Sustainable Food Tradition

The Moosewood brand is familiar in many natural households because of the line of popular vegetarian and pescatarian cookbooks by that name, but before Moosewood was a cookbook it was a restaurant. Moosewood was founded in 1973, in Ithaca NY, where it is still run by a workers' collective including many of the original members. Moosewood restaurant is dedicated to serving fresh and delicious vegetable-based dishes. While there are many great vegetarian restaurants today, Moosewood was an early and lasting success story, and was named one of the thirteen most influential restaurants of the 20th century by Bon Apetit magazine. Current scheduling and menu information can be found on the official website. If Ithaca's too far to go for dinner, there are still plenty of ways you can sample Moosewood's stylish cuisine. You can sample a smattering of recipes online, in the recipe archive. You can choose from 11 moosewood cookbooks, from classic to contemporary. If you're lucky, you may even be able to find frozen entrees, salad dressings, and soups introduced by Moosewood in your local health food store, for a convenient taste of hearty and healthful vegetarian cuisine.