Veg-out at PON and shrink your carbon foodprint!

For those of you vegetarians that are reading this post, we are not going to give you much science that you don’t already suspect. But for the rest of the curious folks out there, here’s what you may want to know about how our diets effect the environment and why we are emphasizing vegetarian menus during Plate of Nations 2015: according to a recent study, a vegetarian’s carbon foodprint is about two thirds of the average American and almost half that of a meat lover.

When we talk about carbon footprints related to food consumption, we are considering everything that goes into that production – food to feed animals, positive and negative gasses produced, fertilizers, water, packaging, refrigeration, transportation. Producing meats simply uses up more resources than foods traditionally included in a vegetarian diet. There is ample evidence that shows that even shifting diets toward eating more fruits and vegetables in season, and minimizing animal proteins will have a positive impact. You can read more at http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/food-carbon-footprint-diet#wq8i4z0d9ay6vqtF.99

We can all take action NOW by sampling the special vegetarian menus offered by every one of our Plate of Nations 2015 participants. We have featured a few of our favorites below, but as you browse the Plate of Nations site, look for this symbol to bring you straight to vegetarian menus.

Remember, all menus shown are made to share with two or more people.

Bananas Grill – Somali/Mediterranean
$15 4 Falafal
2 vegetarian sambusas
2 dolmas, salad
Humus pita

Café Ibex (link to page) – Ethiopian
$15 Misir Wet (spicy lentil sauce): Split red lentil cooked with sauteed onion, red pepper and tomato sauce
Spinach: chopped spinach in vegetable oil, garlic and home ground spices
Salad Atakletlte Alicha (mild vegetable): a mixture of cabbage and potatoes sauteed in vegetable oil, garlic, and home spices Kike (yellow split pea sauce)
Shiro: typical Ethiopian style stew prepared from ground beans, peppers, onion and oil/butter
Served with Injera: soft, spongy, sour bread made from Teff (rye-like grain)

Huarachitos – Mexico City
$25 Serves Two
Four Cheese Molotes (fried maize dough filled with cotija cheese)
Four Tacos al Verduras a la Parrilla (handmade tortillas filled with grilled vegetables and smothered in our new guajillo tomato sauce served with refried beans, rice, guacamole and pico de gallo)
One Chile Relleno
Sweet fried plantains for dessert

Huong Duong – South Vietnamese
$25 dinner menu for two
Eggplant hotpot
Mango salad
Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls
Steamed rice

Joy Palace – Cantonese
$15 Soy sauce chowmein
Chinese brocoli with garlic sauce
Sesame ball
Vegeterian eggroll
Onion bun

Momona – Eritrean
$15Vegetarian Combo Plate with Miser (red lentils)
Shiro (yellow lentils)
Silicy Fitfit (hot sauce) salad
Spinach & cabbage
Served with injera

Rainier Restaurant – Traditional Vietnamese
$15 Vegetarian Vietnamese Crepes with Vegetable wraps
Stir Fried Bean Curd with Mixed Vegetables
Rice

The Original Philly’s – Philly
$15 Two half vegetarian sandwiches – mushroom, onion, green pepper and hot pepper
1 regular fries
1 cheese fries
2 soft drinks

Bon apetit! Or…Bon leaf apetit?