A friend of mine was commiserating with me about all the appeals she’s been receiving to help animals. “I’m only one person. I can’t do everything,” she sighed. Then she asked: “If I can only do one thing for animals today, what should it be?”

For me, the answer is easy: Eat a vegetarian meal. It might not be as flashy as some forms of animal activism, but in the long run, it definitely makes a big impact. One person eating vegetarian can save about 100 animals per year. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I'm comforted to know there’s always something anyone can do to help animals, and sometimes it’s as simple as sitting down to dinner - a vegetarian dinner, that is.

To get my friend started with vegetarianism, I shared my own recipe for Veggie Sloppy Joe’s with her. It's a quick and inexpensive vegetarian dish for family suppers, potlucks or cookouts.