We already know what your number one New Year's Resolution is—going vegan, right? It turns out that some celebrity chefs are also resolving to be kinder to animals—and their arteries—in 2011. In the current issue of O magazine, four gourmet gurus made the following veg-olutions: 

• Mario Batali, who previously announced that all his restaurants would be participating in Sir Paul McCartney's Meatless Mondays program, is continuing the trend by resolving to "master more vegetarian dishes" like spicy chickpea bruschetta. 
• Ellie Krieger, cookbook author and host of Food Network show Healthy Appetite, vows to "make sure to include a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack."
• Alton Brown, Iron Chef commentator and host of Good Eats on the Food Network, wants to try to avoid supporting egg factory farms. "I don't want to have to worry about the chicken's welfare or what's in the egg," he says, probably referring to this summer's massive salmonella outbreak. 
• New York Times columnist Martha Rose Shulman wants to incorporate more quinoa (a high-protein grain that contains all eight essential amino acids) into her cooking and cites her quinoa salad with tofu, snap peas, and ginger vinaigrette as a tasty example.

Written by Alisa Mullins

Not long ago, we told you that celebrity chef Mario Batali was introducing special "Meatless Mondays" options at all of his 14 restaurants. Well, thanks to Freep.com, we get to meat meet up with Mario for a progress report: He says that he feels better as his diet becomes increasingly veggie-heavy. And he predicts that environmental concerns will prompt others to embrace a vegetarian diet. Oh—and he reveals that his own vegetarian cookbook is in the works.

Could Batali be channeling vegan chef Tal Ronnen? I'd love to think so, but one thing's for certain: Both Chef Mario and Chef Tal are inspiring countless flesh-loving foodies to think outside the T-bone.

Written by Karin Bennett

Foodies everywhere are buzzing about Mario Batali's declaration that he is a "big believer in the Meatless Monday movement" and his announcement that all 14 of his restaurants will offer at least two vegetarian options each and every Monday.

Batali believes that "most people in the U.S. eat way more meat than is good for them or the planet" and supports efforts to "focus on a more plant-based diet." And get this: He's also created a logo to further promote the flesh-free options at some of his restaurants. Woo-hoo!

Batali's eateries are known for cooking up just about every bit of animal one can name, including bone marrow and cockscombs (yes, cockscombs), so it's no wonder Batali's announcement is a hot topic for offal eaters and vegans.

We can't wait for the day when chefs like Batali embrace "Turkeyless Tuesdays," "Wings-Free Wednesdays," etc., or declare "Meat Mondays" as the only day they serve the stuff, but in the meantime, Batali's support for Meatless Mondays will do wonders to spotlight humane cuisine's plethora of pluses for animals, human health, and the environment.

Written by Karin Bennett