Carne-Less Asada Fries (Vegetarian Flank Steak)

seitan beef strips
onion
green pepper ( or any peppers you choose )
cucumber
carrots
tomato
salt
pepper
taco seasoning
avocado dressing
french fries
cheddar cheese
taco blend cheese


Slice your seitan into thin strips or dice if you choose.  Saute over onions and your favorite seasons while your french fries are air frying.  Dress your baking dish with french fries, topped with some cheese, then add your sauteed seitan.  Top with the rest of your veggies (diced or chopped).  Sprinkle cheese on top and cover, heat to melt cheese in a convection oven.  Remove.  Top with Avocado Dressing.

Greek (Inspired) Vegetarian Burger

One of my high school mates shared a Greek Turkey Burger recipe with me on Facebook.  At first I was taken aback, but then she offered that I could turn this into a Vegetarian Burger...and so I did!

If you want the recipe from root to stem, drop a comment and follow!!!

Directions.

Follow this recipe for the basis of your burger mix.  Add a 1/2 cup diced black olives.  You may also boast more protein by simply adding 1 cup cooked brown lentils.  I do!!!

I use a scale to make sure all of my burgers have approximately the same mass.  If you do not own a scale, use the 1/3 measure cup.  With each portioned burger, you will add 1-2 T of Vital Wheat Gluten.  This will help hold your mix together along with steaming it.  If you have a steamer use it.  Otherwise use a double boil system of a strainer or colander over a pot of boiling water. 

The secret to its form is the spring form pan. 

After mixing in your gluten, allow the burgers to rest in the refrigerator while you prepare your steam pan and mix your tzatziki dressing.

Form your patties by pressing them into the spring form pans.  Place pans into the double-boil or steam system.  You should steam this for an hour.  Then let the burger rest and cool for an additional 30 minutes.  Broil.  Dress to your desire, but keep it Greek!!!

Steaming

Spinach Pepper Jack Cheese Pinwheels

Start with the multigrain roll recipe here.

This is a great recipe that can be used for pizza as well.  I like to make a recipe and then divide it into fourths.  Last Friday I wanted pizza, then had a chance to experiment with pinwheels.

Spread melted margarine!

Add Pepper Jack Cheese, sauteed onion and bacon, salt pepper

Top with spinach and roll...

Just like you would a log of cinnamon rolls!

Using a bread cutting knife and cut into pinwheels.
Cover for 20 mins. (with plastic under a towel) in a warm place.
Brush the tops and sides with mix of 1 T melted margarine and milk.
For the pinwheels I added ranch seasoning!

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown

As you can see, I baked both side-by-side in an 11" x 7" brownie pan found at Dollar Tree.  I usually use a silpat mat and I did this time, but I also lined the pan with some parchment and sprayed butter.

Because this was not a full recipe, I used what I had in the freezer saved from other cooking preps.

The ingredients for the Pinwheels:  thawed spinach-strained (Stevia), sauteed onions & Morningstar Farms Bacon, minced garlic, salt, pepper jack cheese, ranch seasoning.  

Taco Salad

Ingredients
sliced carrot
sliced jalepeno's
diced cucumber
chopped green pepper
chopped tomato
chopped onion
chopped Romaine lettuce
jalepeno's
shredded cheese
sour cream
taco sauce
taco seasoning
tortilla chips
Gardein burger (thawed, ground)

Preparation.  I thawed three vegetable burgers and ground them in a chopper.  Using a couple of T of olive oil, add ground burgers to skillet, Brown, season, then de-glaze pan with a little water.

Prep your salad.  I like to do this in layers, placing lettuce on the bottom then a few chips, add small drops of sour cream, cheese, veggies, repeat.  When you reach the top, sprinkle your vegetable crumbles and the rest of your toppings.  Add more sour cream and taco sauce.  And you're done!

National Pizza Day...my way!

From last weeks bread bowl, out comes a sleeve of hoagie rolls adjacent to the slider buns.  They did not get much game play during the Super Bowl Party, but this past week, plenty of turnovers!

One of those featured pizza.  In honor of National Pizza Day (2/9/18), I share this culinary delight.

Process: You take one of those hoagie rolls, steam it, slice it open, lay it flat (we're talking flat bread ICYMI) and fill with your favorite vegetarian toppings.  The starting lineup...Smart Bacon diced, micro-diced red and green pepper, sliced onion, minced garlic, mozzarella cheese, oil, and oregano!

...for the field goal, topped this yummy pizza with sauce and baked it at 450 covered in foil for 15 minutes, then 5 minutes uncovered!  We have a champ!  

Veggie Burger Sliders w/ Warm Relish

***

For Super Bowl LII, I opted to not do anything that would stress me out, considering I really did not have a team to support.  However it was a great game and full of excitement.  Congratulations to the Eagles!  

All I needed to do was make slider buns.  Now sure you can do this with four-squared bread, but I was ready to make some bread.  I literally placed it on my 'to do list'.  I even secured some fresh dry yeast.

Thawed veggie burgers and divided each one into fourths.  Everything else was basic cooking and preparation.

The yeast bread/roll recipe can be found right here on this blog: multigrain yeast rolls.  The warm relish consisted of sauteed green peppers, onions, and diced Morningstar Farms bacon.  Delish! The sliders were a culinary hit!  

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients.
1/2 c frozen mixed vegetables
1 serving Gardein Beefless Tips (quartered)
1/4 c chopped celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1/2 small diced tomato
1 small baker potato
1 T minced garlic
1 pk Hunt's tomato paste
water
canola oil
margarine
milk powder
2 T shredded Colby Jack Cheese
salt, pepper, onion powder, chives, ranch flavor (potato), Italian Season, garlic powder, sugar or sweetener

Directions.  Wash and Boil your potato for 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, saute onion and celery in a small skillet, then toss in your tips.  Add your spices and tomato paste.  Squeeze in the tomato paste and water, 1/4 cup at a time.  Stir.  Fold in your mixed vegetables.  Sweeten to enhance the flavor of the tomato paste.  Reduce heat to low simmer.  Sauce should be thick but not stiff, forming the consistency of stew.

Remove potato from heat, rest in a ice water bath for 5-10 minutes until cool to touch.  Remove the skin.  Mash with a fork.  Season with onion powder, ranch flavor, garlic powder, and salt to your taste.  Add 1 T of margarine and 1 T of milk powder.  Stir with fork.  Add a little water, 1 T at a time, whipping potatoes into stiff peaks.  Sprinkle in chives.

Pour the stew into a large ramekin.  Do not over fill.  Leave room for the potatoes.  Add potatoes.  Sprinkle with oil, chives, and cheese.  Bake until bubbly, cheese melts, or to your desired result, starting at 350 degrees F, but only increasing heat to brown if you desire.

🍃Vegan Variant.  Omit or substitute dairy for non-dairy.  Substitute dairy for non-dairy.  

White Bean Soup

Ingredients.
3/4 c dry Great Northern Beans
medium sauce pot, skillet for saute
cold water
2 T of sugar
Italian season, salt, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin
2 T of canola oil, additional oil for saute
1 slice Morningstar Farms Bacon🙝, diced
1 c baby spinach
3 T minced carrot
1/4 c diced onion
1 celery rib diced


Directions. You want to either slow cook the beans or pressure cook them.  However this recipe was prepared using the pre-soak bean method.  Soak the beans for 6-8 hours in cold water.  Rinse and discard deformed beans.  Place beans in a medium pot filled with cold water, about two inches above the resting line of your beans.  Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to low, cover. Add your seasons at the mid way point after about 2-3 hours of cooking.  Season gradually, which is the hallmark of scratch cooking.  You will season to your taste.  Near the end, you want to bring up the heat again (after another 2 hours) add your oil, boil high for about two minutes...this will create your gravy.  Reduce to low and leave uncovered.

Meanwhile, saute bacon, onion, and celery.  Add this along with your minced carrots to your beans.  Finally, stir in the spinach.  Serve it hot!  It is yummy.  Post your reflections in the comment section. 

🙝Morningstar Farms Bacon contains soy and milk.

Vegetable Pot Pie (Vegan)

Ingredients
1-2 16 oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 pkg Beyond Meat (beyond chicken) cubed
1/8 c diced celery
1/8 c diced onion
1/4 c diced mushroom
diced garlic cloves (1-2)
flour for roux, hot water
Oil for saute (safflower, sunflower, or canola)
Pie shells (1-2) 9 inch

Preparation:
Heat a large skillet, add oil, season, then lightly saute celery, onion, mushroom, and garlic cloves.  Remove to an adjacent plate or dish. Mix 2-4 teaspoons of flour with equal parts hot water to make a slurry.  Add more oil, saute beyond chicken cubes until brown bringing up heat to create a slight tacky sear.  Add a little more oil, pour in slurry, stir, and more water 1/2 cup at a time, creating a roux around your beyond chicken pieces.

Your roux should be thick and creamy.  Add in your mixed vegetables and your saute vegetables.  Take your skillet off of the heat to bring down temperature.

Cover your crust edges.  Pre-bake your crust for 10-15 minutes on 300-350 but watch it so that is not over browned.  Let it stand for 5-10 minutes.  Fill your pre-baked shell to your desired height, taking into consideration the size of your second shell for the cover/seal. Close your pie with the second crust. Recover the outer edge, bake at 350-400 (350 if convection).

Slice or prick the center to allow steam to escape. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes until golden brown/crust is flaky. 

Chickpea Croquettes, Green Beans, and Potato Hash

Ingredients
1 – 15 oz can organic chickpeas, drained, mashed

¼ c diced red pepper

¼ c diced celery

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

2 T minced carrot

½ c organic whole grain bread crumbs

3 T corn starch

1 jumbo egg or two large

Seasoning: old bay, salt, coarse black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, fennel, cumin, ranch season, and dill

Preparation:

Sauté vegetables in oil. Mash chickpeas. It is okay to leave a few whole. Add vegetables, spices, breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and eggs.

Fry in medium hot oil on each side.  Remove and blot with paper towel. Serve with greens, potato hash, or whatever you like!

Chickpea Salad Sandwich (spread)

Although the title says "sandwich" you can use chips or crackers to dip and scoop.  Over the holiday spent in San Antonio, my nieces enjoyed it in bite sized sandwiches as well as a dip with chips!

Ingredients

3/4 c. dried chickpeas preferred (but canned is fine)

1/4 c. diced celery

1/4 c. diced onion

1/8 c. minced carrot

1/8 t. cumin powder

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. ranch powder seasoning (opt.)

1/8 t. cracked or table pepper

1/8 t. onion powder

a few dashes dill weed. 

2-4 T. mayo or whipped salad dressing

1 t. ranch dressing

Directions: Soak dry chickpea or garbanzo beans in an 1" above grain-line, of cold water, in covered dish, pot, or bowl, for 6-12 hours.  Rinse, put into a pot of cold water, just an inch above chickpeas.  You will notice the size increase from dry to 'bloomed'.  Bring pot to a boil, reduce heat to simmer or low and cook peas from 1.5 to 2 hours.  Test for fork tenderness.  Remove from heat, rinse in cold water, strain in a sift or colander.

If you use canned peas, rinse thoroughly, let dry for about an hour before use.

Pour peas into a large mixing or prep bowl, mash with fork or potato masher.  It is okay to blend but take caution with your chopper/processor to avoid over blending.  If you prefer a 'bite' mash peas.

Add your spices, mayo/dressings, mix with a fork.  Chill.  Serve.

***(add any other vegetables you choose, but if they generate water, i.e. tomatoes or cucumbers, add them into salad only for immediate use)

Black Bean Saute (Vegan)

Ingredients
1/3 c. bias sliced celery

¼ c. onion chunks

1 c. fresh spinach

¼ c. sliced mushrooms

1 c. Beyond Chicken

1 T Black Bean Paste

Water

Cooking Oil

Wok or Large Skillet on medium-high heat

Seasons…are for your taste. Salt,

Turbinado Sugar, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Coarse Ground Pepper

Directions

Mix bean paste with two parts water, sweeten if you desire.  

Heat Wok; add oil, sauté Beyond Chicken until brown.  Set aside.  Add two T. of oil to Wok, pour in bean paste mixture. The starch from the paste, mixed with water, and oil will form a light gravy.  You may add more paste or water to adjust to your desired thickness.  I prefer this to be on the thinner side.

Next, add your sauté Beyond Chicken and vegetables. Turn to coat and cover, watch the wilting of spinach.  After about 3-5 minutes, remove and serve with fried brown rice.

meatless pasta bake

Pasta Bake with Honey Butter Yeast Roll

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked whole grain penne pasta

2 6 oz. tubs Greek Yogurt/Cream Cheese

1-2 c. soy milk

2 T butter

red pepper flakes, salt, paprika,

small onion sliced

2 -3 cups of fresh spinach

browned/fried cubed tofu

sun dried tomato (used my dehydrator but you can use your oven set below 200 for up to 6 hours.

6 oz grated Parmesan cheese

1 c mozzarella, Havarti, or provolone for top

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Boil pasta al dente.  In a skillet with olive oil, sauté onion, garlic, dried tomato, and browned tofu.  In a sauce pot add butter, yogurt/cream cheese blend, soy milk, red pepper flakes, salt, and paprika.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.  Rinse and dry your pasta.  Oil a large glass or ceramic baking dish.  Pour 1/3 c. of the cream sauce on bottom of baking dish.  Place 1 cup of spinach on top of the sauce.  Next add half of pasta, sprinkle Parmesan cheese, and then tofu/onion mix.  Repeat.  Sprinkle Mozzarella on top.  Bake covered in foil.  Toss pasta to mix cheesy sauce if necessary.  Serve hot.  It serves best when reheated.

northern bean soup

Ingredients:
2 cups of dry northern beans

1 large diced carrot
2 diced celery ribs
1 small white onion diced
1/2 c spinach
2 diced tomatoes
1 c corn
6 cups water
3 T olive oil
1/4 c flour
2 T butter
thyme, sugar, salt, coarse black pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin

Preparation:
Wash, sort, and then soak your beans for 6-8 hours in water, inside a covered bowl or container. Fill your stock pot with 6 cups of water. Pour beans into the pot. Cover with lid. Bring to a fierce boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 2-3 hours. In the last half hour add your vegetables and season your beans to taste.

In a skillet, melt butter and whisk in flour. Add a little water to form a thick paste. Add to your beans. Continue to taste until you've reached your desired flavor.

vegetarian pizza on multi-grain crust

Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 T sugar
1 t salt
3/4 c warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
oil
1/2 c all purpose flour for kneading

Toppings: Eggplant, Onion, Mushroom, Spinach, Pasta Sauce, Havarti Cheese,

Preparation
Mix ingredients. Sprinkle with oil. Cover dough and place in a warm draft free place to rise for 1-2 hours. Check every 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast vegetables separately. Season to your desired taste. Pour dough onto counter. Divide in half. Makes 2-12 inch crusts. Press your dough onto pizza pan. Pre-bake for 5 minutes. Watch. It should rise. Spread sauce and vegetables. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Place cheese on top. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

chicago style vegetarian sausage wrap

 Ingredients
multi-grain garlic naan wrap
Field Roast Apple Sage Sausage
  cut in half lengthwise
1 slice Smart Bacon
1 c heirloom peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
1/4 c sliced onion
1 t minced garlic
Italian herbs
salt
pepper
olive oil (for sauteing) about 2 T

1 T margarine or butter
cheese (1 slice Asiago Cheese)
Ranch dressing

Preparation
Saute peppers, onions,garlic, sausage, and bacon in a large skillet on medium high heat until browned. Season to taste. Heat naan wrap. I used the Multi Grain Garlic Naan. Check here for recipe. Place sausage saute onto wrap, including your peppers, onions, and bacon. Add cheese of your desired taste. Place in convection broiler or oven to melt cheese. Add Ranch dressing. Enjoy!

tofu and grits...

Corn Flake Tofu, Asiago Cheese Grits, Red Pepper & Onion Gravy
w/ Collard Greens

veggie loaf (mock meatloaf)

Ingredients

1 1/2 c Organic Textured (non-GMO) Soy Protein (T.S.P.)

1 1/2 c boiling water

Baked Vegetarian Loaf

3/4 c cooked whole grain brown rice

2 T ketchup

2 T spicy brown mustard

2 T soy or liquid aminos

1 celery stalk diced

¼ c minced carrot

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

1 c bread crumbs

2 T flax meal

1 flax egg

3 T Olive Oil (divided)

Seasoning: Old Bay, Onion Powder, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Preparation:

Sauté celery and onions in 1 T of olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Combine water with T.S.P. and the remaining ingredients plus 1 T of oil. Season the mix to your desired taste. Pack this into loaf pan (cover with foil) or roll in parchment then double roll in foil. 

*For this try, I used the latter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Place into the refrigerator to chill overnight to slice for storing. 

Green Beans in Stewed Tomatoes, Mac 'n Cheese,
and Veggie Loaf w/ Peppery Onion Gravy