Happy 2010, folks! It's a new year, and Lee is still fully committed to his Meatless Monday pledge.Yay!

So, what's on the menu for today? Well, dear readers, I'm not really sure. Meatless Monday lunches are typically composed of weekend leftovers. However, between our New Years Eve party and having one heck of a head cold, we haven't been cooking much lately.

Leftovers currently in our fridge include a tub of tofu sour cream and onion dip, white bean hummus and, if I'm not mistaken, a bit of white rice. There's not exactly a meal in there, so Lee will be fending for himself for lunch today. He'll be dining out near his office and encountering firsthand the challenge that many veg-heads struggle with everyday: the sheer lack of veg options on most restaurant menus.

Now, remember that the Meatless Monday pledge isn't a vegan promise. Lee's only going vegetarian on Mondays, so he might opt for a Chinese vegetable fried rice or perhaps a cheesy bean burrito. But even finding vegetarian options on many menus can be a big challenge, and secretly, I'm a bit pleased that he'll be navigating this challenge today. It's a good way to see how the other half lives. :)

So, that's lunch... What's for dinner? It's only 10:30am and I'm already wondering that myself! Luckily, the folks at the Meatless Monday campaign send a great weekly e-mail that includes links to featured recipes. You can check out a whole litany of meatless recipes on their website, with a new menu every week. There's a wide variety of dishes to choose from, so the only real challenge is making a decision!

Today's featured dinner dish is calling my name. It's Creamy Tomato Gnocchi which is entirely vegan! The recipe is from Kinzie at To Cheese or Not to Cheese and, having tried several of her recipes, I've come to trust her as a talented vegan cook and recipe writer. Tender little gnocchi dumplings are right up our alley, and it just so happens that we have a little carton of cherry tomatoes on hand already. I'll plan to pair the gnocchi with some steamed broccoli or perhaps a mixed green salad with mustard vinaigrette. I haven't decided yet!

There you have it, folks. Our first Monday of the new year and we're off and running! If you'd like to check out some of our previous Meatless Monday posts, here are some links to help you out, including the first one, the second one with a great lasagna recipe, the third one with soup and pizza and the fourth one with our favorite crock pot meal.