Meatless Loaf

You can't get a more homestyle comfort food than "meatloaf" and mashed potatoes... it's been 10 years since I even tried to make something like this, but with the new vegan plant protein grounds, it's possible again. This is honestly the best "meatloaf" I ever made. My family cleaned their plates tonight. This recipe will make 2 loaves, so you may want to divide it if you're not feeding a big family. I like to make one for dinner & one for sandwiches tomorrow, so I made two. 

Recipe- 

8 oz. White mushrooms 

1 medium carrot, chopped & peeled 

8 oz. Chopped spinach 

Olive oil to saute (optional)

2 (12 oz.) Packs of ground plant protein (like Beyond beef)

1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning*

1 Tbsp. Soy sauce

1 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Paprika

1 envelope of onion soup mix

Red pepper flakes (optional) 

Salt & pepper 

1 cup bread crumbs 

6 oz. Tomato paste 

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese 

4 oz. Shredded vegan cheddar cheese 

For the glaze- 

1 cup ketchup 

1 Tbsp. Yellow mustard 

1/8 cup brown sugar 

Method- 

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Chop mushrooms, carrot, & spinach in a food processor until fine. 

3. Saute your chopped veggies over medium heat with a little olive oil, until tender and the "water" has cooked out of the mushrooms. 

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked veggies, ground plant protein, Greek seasoning*, soy sauce, cumin, paprika, onion soup mix, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, bread crumbs, tomato paste, vegan cream cheese, and vegan cheddar cheese. The best way to do this is with your hands. Mix well.

5. Coat a cookie sheet with non stick spray.

6. Divide your meatless mixture in half. Form 2 loaves. 

7. Place the loaves on your cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. 

8. Mix the ingredients for your glaze together  in a mixing bowl. 

9. Remove the loaves from the oven and coat with the glaze.

10. Return to the oven and cook 15 more minutes. Glaze should become caramelized. 

11. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.  Check to make sure it is cooked throughly. If it is not cooked throughly, return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes.

*I use Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning (see picture below). It is easy to find at almost any grocery store in the spice isle. It is usually near the bottom shelf with the other specialty spices (like Ms. Dash). You can also order it off Amazon for under $5. It's really worth purchasing. We use it almost daily.

If you want to just use what you have on hand, Italian seasoning will work too. Still use 1 Tbsp.. it may seem like a lot, but the beefless ground products are really bland & need a lot of flavor.

"Eggplant Lasagna" A moussaka inspired dish

Eggplant lasagna... That's what I'm calling it & it was delicious! I used eggplants and fresh basil from my garden to create this dish because my eggplant bushes are doing amazing things this year! Hope you will enjoy this random, improvised meal I made my family with your loved ones. Also... This is a reminder to ALWAYS write down everything as you cook. Even if you have no plan in the beginning. In fact my best recipes happen when I am just going with the flow and have no idea where I'm going to end up at!

Recipe:

3 medium or 2 large eggplants sliced 1/4" thick lengthwise (think lasagna noodles)

For the "meaty" sauce-

1 package of beefless crumbles (or 2 cups cooked lentils if you don't like vegan "meats")
1 tsp. Miso paste (soy sauce can be used if you don't have miso)
Greek seasoning blend to taste
1/2 dried mint flakes
Chopped fresh basil (about 6 leaves)
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
6 oz. Fresh spinach
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh cracked pepper & salt to taste
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
12 oz. Prepared tomato sauce

For the cheezy sauce -

2 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp flour of choice
1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
2 cloves of pressed garlic
2 cups unsweetened plant milk
1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
4 oz. Vegan mozzarella

Topping-

4 oz. Vegan mozzarella
2 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast
1 tsp. Greek seasoning blend

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Combine all ingredients for "meaty sauce" EXCEPT the garlic and tomato sauce in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Once beefless crumbles are browned & onions are soft, add garlic and tomato sauce. Reduce to simmer & cover with a lid.

3. While the sauce simmers... melt your vegan butter and flour in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Once butter is melted, allow to cook one more minute to cook off the raw flour taste. Add you remaining ingredients and whisk to eliminate lumps. Allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat and let your sauce thicken for about 5 more minutes- it is ready when it coats a spoon.

4. Spray a 11×13 casserole dish with no stick spray of choice(or use vegan butter to coat). Layer in 1/4 the meat sauce, 1/4 cheeze sauce, cover with a layer of eggplants (think lasagna noodles). Repeat these steps until you end with a layer of meat sauce & cheeze sauce on top.

5. Sprinkle your topping over the eggplant lasagna. Coat tin foil with no stick spray (or vegan butter) to keep it from ripping your cheeze off when you remove it. Cover dish with tin foil (coated side against the cheeze).

6. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove tin foil and cook an additional 5 minutes until cheeze becomes golden.

Remove from oven & let cool at least 5 minutes before serving- it will be REALLY HOT, so have a glass of wine and relax before calling your family to dinner.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Cheezy Stuffed Shells

It's been 15 years since I made this dish. It wasn't vegan last time I made it for my family, so this was really an "experiment". It was fun cooking with my kids, stuffing the shells, tasting as we went along. In the end, it turned out great and it will not be another 15 years before I make it again! 

RECIPE: 

1 (12 oz) box jumbo shell pasta

1 (12 oz) jar artichokes, drain & chopped

6 oz. Fresh spinach, chopped 

6 oz. Mushrooms, chopped

10 kalamata olives, chopped & pitted

2 tsp. Minced garlic 

Salt & pepper to taste

24 oz. Marinara sauce of choice

8 oz. shredded Vegan mozzarella cheese 

For the tofu "ricotta":

14 oz firm tofu, pressed well

1/8 cup nutritional yeast 

1/4 cup (+/-) unsweetened plant milk 

1/8 cup Olive oil 

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Minced garlic 

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

2 tsp. Fresh lemon juice 

Fresh basil (optional) 

METHOD: 

Preheat oven to 425°.

Prepare pasta, but make sure it is slightly undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. (Example- my directions said boil 14 minutes. I only boiled the pasta for 10 minutes).

Over medium heat, sautee your spinach & mushrooms . Season with salt & pepper to taste. 

Once they are tender, remove from heat & drain any excess water from the pan. 

Still cooking over medium heat, add 2 tsp. of minced garlic to your spinach and mushrooms and continue to cook another 2 minutes.

Pour spinach and mushrooms into a large mixing bowl. Add your artichokes and olives. Mix well. Taste & season if needed. 

In a blender, combine all ingredients for your tofu ricotta and blend until almost smooth. 

Mix tofu ricotta, veggies, and 1/2 of your vegan mozzarella cheese together in your mixing bowl. This is your filling for your pasta.

Stuff your pasta with the filling.

Grease a 11×13 baking baking dish. 

Pour a small amount of marinara sauce into the dish, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish. 

Place each stuffed shell into the dish, careful not to overcrowd your pasta. (Use 2 dishes if needed.)

Top your shells with marinara sauce. 

Bake for 25 minutes. 

Remove shells from oven & top with the other 1/2 of your vegan mozzarella cheese. 

Bake an additional 5 minutes to melt your cheese. 

Makes 24 - 28 shells (depending on how much filling you put in each shell). Serving size is 3-4 shells. 

The BEST vegan Sausage-less balls Ever!

What happened today, changed my life & upped my cooking a HUGE notch! I got a tip today about adding cream cheese to your Sausage-less balls to keep them tender. O-M-G!! I will NEVER make them any other way again!! 

Recipe: 

1 package LightLife smart sausage 

1 (8oz) bag vegan shredded cheddar style cheeze. 

1.5 cups Bisquik 

4 oz. Vegan cream cheeze 

1/2 tsp. chilli powder (optional)

Salt & pepper

Dipping sauce: 

Vegan ranch (or sour cream)

Hot sauce to taste.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Combine all ingredients for Sausage-less balls in a large mixing bowl by hand (*plastic gloves makes this easier, if you have long nails)

3. Roll mixture into 1/2" balls

4. Place evenly on a greased cookie sheet.

5. Cook for 20 minutes, or until Sausage-less ballsare thoroughly cooked.

6. In a mixing bowl, combine vegan ranch & hot sauce to taste.  

7. Remove Sausage-less balls and serve immediately with spicy ranch. 

Makes 8 -10 servings

Greek Pinwheels

Merry Christmas Eve!! This is the best night of the year in pur family! The night when everyone gathers at my Grandparents house for finger foods, gift exchange, and quality family time. This is our holiday tradition ❤ 

Tonight I came up with something new to share with my family. Thankfully,  after many years bringing vegan food to our gathering, they have come to trust me & try it! I'm so lucky to have a family who is open minded and loves my food! 

Now, on to what you really came for...

Recipe:

1 (13.2 oz) package of refrigerator puff pastry 

1 cup shredded spinach

1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes 

10 kalamata olives ,pitted & chopped

1/2 cup Vegan mozerrella 

1/3 cup vegan butter, melted

Greek seasoning 

Chopped parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Roll out your puff pastry.

3. Top with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, olives, & vegan mozerrella cheeze. 

4. Roll pastry up tightly.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap & place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes 

6. Grease a baking sheet

7. Cut cold pastry into 1/3" strips

8. Place each piece on your greased baking sheet.

9. Mix Greek seasoning with melted butter. 

10. Brusheach piece with Greek butter.

11. Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

12. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving .

Makes 16-20 pieces.

Easy Chick'n & Dumplings

I grew up in the south eating my Grandma's Famous Chicken and Dumplings. Every get together we attended she was in charge of this dish & the collard greens. No One else was allowed to touch that dish. This has been the one dish I hesitated to "veganize" because I thought my family would not approve of me attempting to make her famous recipe - in any form. 

Let me start by saying, this is not my Grandma's recipe. I cannot make handmade dumplings as delicate and perfect as she did - I have tried, but she has a talent there that no one can match. I decided not to copy her recipe. Instead, I decided to make this dish the most simple and quick way I could because this blog is about how to feed your family vegan meals on a budget and as quick as possible. I used all the "cheater" products I could & I'm not sorry. My husband and family loved this & appreciated how quickly I got them a hot meal on this freezing Winter day. It's not the old fashion way, but it's the way that I make it now. 

Recipe: 

1 (24 oz.) box of frozen flat dumplings - do not thaw. 2 (8 oz) Tofurky slow roasted chick'n 2 (32 oz.) boxes of Vegetarian Chichen broth* 2 bouillon cubes 1/2 cup of vegan protein broth to thicken** 1 tsp onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat vegetarian chicken broth, vegan protein broth, salt & pepper, onion powder, and bouillon cubes to rolling boil over medium high heat.

2. Add your dumplings about 10 at a time. Stir after adding each batch of dumplings. Stir several times while cooking to keep them separated. Do not reduce heat.

3. Cook about 10 minutes- until dumplings are tender. You may need to add some water as the dumplings cook to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the dumplings without burning the dumplings at the bottom of the pan.

4. Add Tofurky chick'n. Stir to combine. Cook about 2 more minutes and serve.

Makes enough for 6 -8 servings.

* If you cannot find vegetarian chicken broth - use enough bouillon cubes and water to make the 32 oz. of "chicken" broth

** I found the vegan protein broth at Walmart. It should be easy to find anywhere, but if you cannot find the vegan protein broth, you can take about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid from your pot and mix with 2 tsp. corn starch. Once this mixture is smooth, return to the pot. This will thicken your "soup".

Vegan Southwestern Frittata

This is my new, absolutely favorite recipe!!! So easy to whip up using any veggies you have on hand. Easy brunch meal for company or just a weeknight dinner. Trust me... this is your new favorite recipe!!

Recipe:

Filling -

14 oz. LightLife vegan sausage
1 cup butternut squash
1 small onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
2 cups chopped kale
8 oz. Baby bella mushrooms
15 oz. black beans, rinse & drain
11 oz. Corn, rinse & drain
Salt & pepper
Chili powder (optional)
Paprika
Cumin
Olive oil to cook

Also -

4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese

"Egg" mixture-

2 cups garbanzo bean flour
2 cups veggie broth (or water)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Indian black salt (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Amazing sauce -

1 (10 oz) can rotel w/ green chillies
1 cup butternut squash
4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
Salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Cook all filling ingredients together in a large non stick pan over medium high heat until tender.

3. Spray 11×13 casserole dish with no stick spray.

4. Pour filling into the pan. Add 4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese.

5. Combine all ingredients for the "egg" mixture in a mixing bowl. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.

6. Pour "egg" mixture over filling & stir to combine well.

7. Put casserole dish in the oven for about 30 minutes.... check starting at 20 minutes.

8. While the frittata is cooking, boil your 1 cup of butternut squash in a small pan over medium high heat until tender.

9. Once the butternut squash is tender, drain well and add to a high speed blender.

10. Add rotel, 4 oz.of vegan cheese, and vegan sour cream to the blender.

11. Puree sauce until smooth. taste. Add salt & pepper to taste.

12. Heat "amazing sauce in a small sauce pan before pouring over frittata.

13. Remove frittata from oven. Allow to cool a few minutes.

14. Serve frittata topped with "amazing sauce".

Makes 8 servings (maybe... this NEVER survives 4 hungry people at my house).