Cooler temps prevail and there is need to cook warmer meals. Being a Vegetarian is so easy in the Summer months…you can get by on just salad but with Fall on our doorstep, it is time to step up with fully cooked meals that will satisfy both the Vegetarian and non-Vegetarian.
I have been making Stroganoff for as long as I can remember using Ground Beef, Yves Just Like Ground Round, Meatballs and now I have discovered Yves Veggie Meatballs! Meat-eaters got nothing on me now! Though I am sure they would beg to differ….Whip up this Meatless version of Meatball Stroganoff and see what you think.
Vegetarian Meatball Stroganoff
1 pkg Yves Veggie Meatballs
1 medium Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube, crushed
Freshly ground Pepper
15 Mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 1/2 oz can) Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery soup, undiluted
1/2 cup Water
1 cup Sour Cream or Plain Balkan Style Yogurt
300 grams Hot cooked pasta as per directions on package – Fettucine or Egg Noodles
In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, sauté onion for about 3 minutes.
Add chopped garlic and continue sautéing for another few minutes.
Add flour, stirring constantly, and cook for a minute.
Stir in soup and water and bring to a boil, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low and stir in crushed stock cube, sliced mushrooms and Veggie meatballs; cook until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.
While pasta is cooking, stir sour cream into Stroganoff to heat through.
Serve over hot pasta and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
This recipe came through me FB feed the other day; I liked it because it sounded like it would be packed with flavour and incredibly easy to make.
I am going to go back to cooking more Vegetarian meals because, quite frankly, I am getting tired of eating you know, rice, potatoes and a vegetable and/or salad all the time. I have to eat, too! Now what I have found is that it is often quite easy to turn a Meatasaurus dish into a Vegetarian one. I have made this recipe both ways…I can’t speak for how the real Chicken batch tasted but mine was YUM! Both the Vegetarian and Meatasuruses concluded that the recipe might be improved with the addition of ginger, reduce the soy sauce by half and more garlic.
At any rate, I will list the recipe here as I will make it next time.
Vegetarian Sesame Chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thick strips
OR 2 pkgs (170g) Yves Chicken Tenders or another brand of Meatless Chicken Strips
1/2 cup Honey*
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 medium Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Ginger, grated
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
3 Tablespoons Water
Sesame Seeds, to taste
Green Onion, garnish
Lightly spray Crock Pot with vegetable oil spray for easier clean up.
Place Chicken or Soy Chicken into Crock Pot.
Slice onion, chop garlic and add to chicken (soy chicken).
In a large measuring cup combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup and oil; pour over chicken (soy chicken), onions and garlic.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 – 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Remove chicken (soy chicken) from the Crock Pot to a medium size heat proof dish.
Pour liquid into a small saucepan over medium high heat.
Make a paste with the cornstarch and water; pour into hot liquid.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for a minute.
Remove from heat, pour over chicken and toss to coat all the chicken well.
Stir in sesame seeds.
Serve over warm rice and garnish with chopped green onion.
Serves 4 – 6
Crock Pot Sesame Chicken
* When purchasing Honey, avoid products that include Blends….they could come from ANYWHERE! In the Summer we like to drive to Keremeos…you should hear how my husband says that name! …to buy pure honey straight from the farm….nevermind that we live a stone throw from some of the best Honey in the Valley 😉
I have been making this recipe so long that the recipe page is now sandwiched between two layers of packing tape so that it will not deteriorate any further! I got the recipe from a Tupperware dealer when Ultra21’s were all the rage! I loved those so much! I have long since lost the Ultra 21 and now use a 10″Springform pan instead. I like how easy it is to serve from a Springform pan and how easy a Springform is to clean!
My Very Favourite Vegetable Pie
Crust: 1/2 cup Butter
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain Yogurt Filling: 3 cups finely chopped Broccoli (it is important that all your veggies [use a combo of Broccoli, Cauliflower, Peppers, Grated Carrot, Mushrooms] are finely chopped with the exception of zucchini)
1/3 cup diced Onion Topping: 1 cup Grated Cheddar, or a combination of cheeses: Monterey Jack, Mozza, Swiss, a sprinkle of Parmesan, loosely equal to a cup of grated cheese
2 medium Tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup Mayo combined with 2 Tablespoons plain Yogurt
8 fresh Basil leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Basil
Preheat oven to 450F. (230C)
Prepare a 20″ Springform pan by spraying with Vegetable Oil Spray and lightly dusting with cornmeal. Or use the same size Quiche pan.
In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yogurt and stir until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into prepared baking pan and, if using a springform pan, halfway up the sides.
Layer filling over crust in order given.
In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup Mayo and 2 Tbsp Plain Yogurt; spread this over the Vegetable Filling.
Top with grated cheese(s).
Arrange sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves on top. (If using dried basil, sprinkle on top of cheese(s)
Bake at 450F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F (175C) and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, let stand for 15 minutes, serve.
The Lentil Loaf recipe that I found eons ago in a Canadian Living magazine is a versatile staple in my Vegetarian lifestyle: sometimes I bake it in a loaf pan, make a Cashew Nut Sauce to go with it; sometimes I scoop the mixture into a muffin tin for single serving portions, wrap ’em up, freeze ’em and use ’em when I need ’em; and finally, my fave, I use it as a base for Shepherd’s Pie.
Versatile Lentil Loaf
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups Red Lentils, washed and well drained
3 cups Vegetable Broth
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2/3 cup Bread Crumbs
1 Tomato, chopped
2 + teaspoons Basil
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg, lightly beaten (optional)
1/4 cup Water
5 – 6 potatoes
Heat olive oil in a medium size saucepan with tight fitting lid.
Cook onion in heated oil for 2 – 3 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking for another few minutes.
Stir in lentils until coated.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
Remove from heat, stir well, mashing any whole lentils remaining.
Stir in lemon juice, bread crumbs, tomatoes, basil and salt, water and egg, if using.
If making Shepherd’s Pie, Cook potatoes now to make your favourite Mashed Potatoes
Preheat oven to 350F now.
Prepare an 8x4inch loaf pan; spray lightly with vegetable oil spray.
or
Prepare Muffin tin; spray 12 large muffin cups with vegetable oil spray
or
Prepare 4 Ramekins: spray lightly with vegetable oil spray
Scoop Lentil Mixture into your baking dish(es)
If making Shepherd’s Pie, top Lentil Mixture with a layer of Frozen Peas or Frozen Mixed Vegetables and top with Mashed Potatoes.
Bake in 350F:
Loaf – 1 1/2 hours, until knife inserted comes out clean
Muffin Tin – 40 – 45 minutes, until pick inserted comes out clean
Shepherd’s Pie – 35 – 45 minutes, until Lentil layer is Bubbly and Potato topping is golden.
For an unconventional Shepherd’s Pie, coz my Aussie Husband dislikes Mashed Potatoes! (shakes head, who doesn’t like mashed potatoes??)
I parboiled some baby potatoes, drained, sliced and threw them onto a layer of Frozen Peas on top of the Lentil Mixture. Before baking for 30 minutes, I lightly brushed the potatoes with some melted butter and sprinkled the whole thing with fresh ground Pepper and a bit of dried basil.
Unconventional Shepherds Pie
Oh my goodness! I clipped this recipe out of the Vancouver Sun a gazillion years ago and made it quite often when the kids were growing up, though minus the Mushroom Sauce. ( I have two kids who have a strong dislike for mushrooms…one, because the underside looks like gills! ) No worries there though because you can easily sub in another flavour of condensed soup: Cream of Celery, Broccoli Cheddar, Cream of Asparagus, Cream of Broccoli.
Don’t eat meat? No worries there either; sub in Yves Just Like Ground Round.
Don’t do Dairy? Sub in Soy Cheese, Salsa for the Cream of Mushroom Soup, add a few Tablespoons of Sliced Black Olives, a Tablespoon of Adobo Seasoning omit the Chopped Celery and sub in some Corn Niblets and you have yourself a Mexican Style Fiesta Ring! Too easy!
Now the original recipe called for the biscuit ring to be made from Bisquick mix….I think I bought that stuff once! I just use my resourceful Baking Powder Biscuit Recipe! Especially easy if you have a Kitchenaide Mixer! Throw everything into the mixer (by everything I mean all the powdery stuff) Mix on low to incorporate; add cubed, cold shortening or butter and turn on low again for about 2 minutes until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then add milk (soy milk) and stir on low speed JUST until combined. Turn out onto floured surface and knead gently about 10 times and roll out dough. Easy peasy.
Oh, and you will see in the photo that I cheat and add Frozen French Fries right on the same baking sheet as the Cheeseburger Ring…just make a salad while this is baking and call dinner preparation Done!
Cheeseburger Ring – A nice twist for using Ground Beef
Biscuit Dough using Baking Powder Biscuit Recipe or:
3 cups Bisquick Mix
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Soy Cheddar)
3/4 cup Milk (Plain Almond or Soy Milk) Filling:
1/2 pound Ground Beef (1 package Yves Just Like Ground Round)
1/4 cup finely chopped Celery
1/4 cup diced Onion
2 Tablespoons each finely chopped Green and Red Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Pepper, to taste
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (Soy Cheddar)
1/4 cup Cream of Mushroom Soup Mushroom Sauce:
Remaining Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup Milk (Plain Soy or Almond Milk)
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (Omit if Vegan)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Biscuit Dough:
Mix Bisquick and cheese together.
Gradually blend in milk, stirring with a fork to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead gently 8 to 10 times.
Roll into a 14″x10″ rectangle.
Filling:
In a large skillet, with a bit of olive oil, saute onions until soft.
Add chopped celery, finely chopped peppers and ground beef (Just Like Ground Round) breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
Cook and stir frequently until evenly browned.
Stir in remaining ingredients and heat until cheese melts.
Turn oven on to preheat to 400F.
Line a baking sheet with Parchment paper or spray lightly with vegetable oil spray and dust lightly with cornmeal.
Carefully spread onto prepared dough.
Roll up like a jelly roll, starting from the longer side.
Shape into a ring.
Place on prepared baking sheet.
Slash with a sharp knife, 3/4 of the way through ring, at 1inch intervals.
Bake in 400F. oven for 15 – 18 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve hot with Mushroom Sauce.
Serves: 6
Mushroom Sauce:
Combine mushroom soup, 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan and heat through. Oh, I often add fresh Sliced Mushrooms to the sauce.
If Vegan, omit Mushroom Sauce altogether and serve with a Salsa and Avocado Slices.
Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.
