Bread Steak is essentially savory French toast, topped with Parmesan and a tiny bit of sugar for caramelization. If Tamarkin is feeling fancy or especially hungry, he’ll also pile on raw vegetables and herbs. To be honest, it sounds pretty good! But it does not sound like a steak.

If this recipe had been called anything other than “Bread Steak” and if it had been published anywhere besides Bon Appétit, which was the site of a much-publicized racial reckoning last summer (and even before that had a rather smug and obnoxious tone), it probably wouldn’t have gotten the attention it did. But it was, and it did, and Today gleefully published a summary of responses on social media:

“Whenever I feel like I haven’t had enough vegetables in my diet I just cut my steak into the shape of broccoli,” wrote one Instagram user. “That way it’s satisfies my vegetable cravings without having to eat vegetables. My meat broccoli is healthy, slightly grassy, and down right has bitter notes of cruciferous vegetables.”

Others pointed out that Parmesan is not vegan, and that it comes from the same cattle that make beef so environmentally unfriendly.

There were a few supporters, however, who praised Tamarkin for acting on his stance against beef. “Genius,” said one.

Today, meanwhile, recommended Red Dog Toast, an old ’70s recipe from Women’s Day that has been making the rounds on Reddit. It, too, is French toast, but soaked in tomato soup for that extra umami punch.

Have you tried either of these? Can carbs ever be an adequate substitute for beef?