Post by Chef Owen May:
Meatless Mondays are a great way to experiment with vegetarian meals without making a major commitment. My daughter Elyse is the only vegetarian in our family but we all eat meatless meals numerous times during the week. (If we're lucky, she's the one who makes them!)
Meatless meals are generally less expensive, often easy to make, may be better for the environment, and are usually healthier. Those are all nice, but if they don't taste great (or worse yet, if they taste "weird"), the rest won't matter because your family won't buy in.
That's why I am doing this Meatless Monday series. I will post a recipe for a meatless meal that is inexpensive, simple, healthy, and that your whole family will love.
This first one is straight out of our book, Veggie Teens Cookbook: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers. Serve with a colorful Garden Salad and crusty bread. Enjoy!
Garlic Beans
Serves 4
Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 16-oz cans white beans or one 16-ounce bag of dried beans cooked according to package directions (Navy, Great Northern, or cannelini)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oil in large skillet and sauté onion until soft.
2. Add red pepper, garlic, and bay leaves; sauté 3 minutes.
3. Stir in beans (do not drain) and cook for at least 3 more minutes.
4. Stir in vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Discard bay leaves and serve in decorative bowls.
