Paul McCartney Launches ‘The Meat Free Monday Cookbook’

Beatles legend Paul McCartney has launched his very first cookbook, 'The Meat Free Monday Cookbook,' based on his family's 2009 campaign to encourage people to go meat-free for one day a week. The 240-page book has already shipped approximately 40,000 copies throughout the United Kingdom and is expected to hit U.S. stores in February 2012.

McCartney has been a long time vegetarian, as was his first wife Linda McCartney (now deceased), who wrote several vegetarian cookbooks and started her own food company specializing in vegetarian and vegan foods. 'The Meat Free Monday Cookbook' will feature some of McCartney's favorites dishes such as 'refried bean tacos' and a 'super vegetable salad.'

Other celebrities were also invited to contribute, so expect to see model Twiggy's recipe for 'mozzarella pasta' and actor Kevin Spacey's specialty, 'lentil stew with pan-fried halloumi and pomegranate,' to name a few.

All the proceeds of this cookbook will go directly to finance the Meat Free Monday campaign. McCartney fully believes that going vegetarian for just one day a week can make a huge difference. The Telegraph reported that McCartney says this cookbook "goes to the heart" of several important political, environmental and ethical issues such as pollution, health and the ethical treatment of animals.

Another point that McCartney suggests in the foreword of the cookbook is that going meat free one day a week can save people money. During difficult times, when keeping on a budget can be a challenge, this healthy notion is worth banking on.