Saturday Stumbles April 30

I'm super excited that my first OAMM post is coming up on Monday. For those who missed it, I am the vegetarian writer for Onceamonthmom.com and Monday my first vegetarian OAMM freezer recipe will be on the site. Hooray! I will post a link here; I hope you'll all check it out. The site has a great bunch of ladies writing menus and I'm so glad to be a part of it.

On to the stumbles.

Italian Beef Sandwiches: Mmm...Italian beef sandwiches. I've never had a "real" one, but these sound excellent!

Pasta al Pomodoro: Simple. Delicious. Yum.

Tomato Crisp: Wow, what a great idea! I've never even heard of a tomato crisp, but this sounds yummy.

Superfast Kofte: Kofte!? Who's been hiding this? I see a veggie version in my future.

Steamed Asparagus with Sweet Miso: In case you haven't noticed, I <3 asparagus. This miso sounds yummy. I think I'd grill or roast my asparagus, though. It's just so much tastier when fire is involved.
Are you a food blogger? Meat-eater? Vegetarian? Vegan? Please consider·Joining the Meatless (Vegan) Mondays Challenge.

This post is shared at·Saturday Stumbles,·Friday Favorites·and·Share Your Faves.

Vegetarian Chile Chicken Wings with Tzatziki Recipe

Day 120.

Mmm....chicken wings. I love buffalo wings, well, the meatless kind. And these chile chicken wings just sound excellent. The creamy cucumber dip sounded so much like tzatziki I just converted the recipe to a simple tzatziki sauce. Yum.

Chile Chicken Wings with Tzatziki
Adapted from Chile Chicken Wings with Creamy Cucumbers.

Ingredients
For the Chile Chicken Wings:
    1/2 C buffalo wing sauce
    2 tsp. sriracha sauce
    2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter
    1 tsp. rice vinegar
    1 tsp. soy sauce
    1 tsp. chopped garlic
    1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
    2 C vegan "chicken" strips or pieces
    Canola oil, for deep-frying
    Cilantro leaves
    Sliced scallion
For the Creamy Cucumbers:
    1 English (hothouse) cucumber
    1 Tbsp. kosher salt
    1/2 C Greek yogurt
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1/4 tsp.dill
    Juice of 1 lemon
    1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions
      To make the Chile Chicken Wings: Combine the sriracha, buffalo wing sauce, tahini, vinegar, soy, garlic, and ginger in a blender and process on high speed for 10 seconds. Set the chile sauce aside until ready to use or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Use about 1/2 of sauce to coat wings.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F in a countertop electric fryer or deep pot.

Carefully add the wings to the hot oil and fry in batches until they are crispy, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the wings to a large bowl. Add enough of the remaining chile sauce to coat and toss well.

To serve, arrange the wings on a platter and garnish with cilantro and scallion. Serve immediately with the creamy cucumbers and the remaining chile sauce on the side for dipping.

Dice cucumber. Put the cucumber in a medium stainless steel or glass bowl; add the salt and mix thoroughly to combine. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice. Toss to combine; season with the pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 2 days.

The Results
So, I can't really read directions. And also I didn't have all the original ingredients, so I ended up making a lot of originally unintended changes to these wings. But they were freaking fantastic. I'm pretty sure I could eat a bowl of that chile peanut butter sauce, followed up by a bowl of the tzatziki. And I used gardein "wings" for the chicken and they were awesome also. They fried up really well. I completely did this recipe. I'll have to remember these for Father's Day. These would be a great lounge around and watch a game on TV kind of meal.

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday and Muffin Tin Monday.

Roasted Veggie Pizza Recipe

Day 119.

Now that Easter has passed, we're back to Pizza Fridays and I just had to make it gluten-full this week with a delicious throw-every-veggie-in-the-oven pizza. You could make this with just about any combination of vegetables your family likes.

Roasted Veggie Pizza
Ingredients
1 pizza crust (I use the Betty Crocker recipe)
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 bunch asparagus
2 portabella mushrooms, sliced
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
1 small or 1/2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
House seasoning, to taste
1.5 C Mozzarella cheese.

Directions
Par-bake crust at 400 for 20 minutes. Place all vegetables on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with House seasoning. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes, flipping vegetables once about halfway through.

Top pizza crust with additional olive oil, veggies and mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

The Results
Fantastic! The veggies are so much more delicious when they are fire roasted. Delicious. And I loooove the thick crust version of this pizza crust (I usually do thin because I'm impatient and don't want to wait twice the time for my pizza).

This post shared at Fat Camp Friday, Crafty Friday, Friday Favorites, Potluck Friday,·Frugal Fridays, Foodie Friday and I'm Lovin' It.

Leftover Creation: Vegetarian Butterbean Ragout Tortilla Casserole Recipe

Day 118.

It's leftover day. Hooray! So, I've kinda been making leftovers all week. Hmm....what do I have left that's not already recycled? Butterbean Ragout! That stuff is almost so good I don't want to tinker with it; but alas, there is that possibility that it can be even better. So here we go.

Butterbean Ragout Tortilla Casserole
Ingredients

2 C Butterbean Ragout
1.5 C Mexican cheese, shredded
6 corn tortillas
1/2 C sliced green onions

Directions
Spray 8 x 8 or 9 x 6 baking dish with non-stick spray. Layer 2 corn tortillas on bottom. Top with 1/3 of ragout and 1/2 C of cheese. Repeat for 2 more layers. Add green onions to top. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

The Results
Mmm...this is so tasty! I debated about lasagna, but didn't think the Mexican flavors would go as deliciously with the noodles. I love this dish a lot. I'll make it again in the future. This ragout was a total "ooh, let's put this in" kind of create-a-recipe, so I'm super excited that the original and the leftover creation from it turned out so well.

Project Food Budget:
$8 on milk is all we spent this week. Wow! We were broke, again. Sigh. Babies are expensive I tell you.

Goal: $75/$300
Actual: $8/$246

Hooray! Under budget for April! 

Participating Blogs:

• Emily Levenson
• Maria Marz
• Veggie Converter
• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Motor City Girl In the Steel City
• Veggie Burgher
• The Happy Cactus
• Test Kitchen Tuesday
• Newly Vegan
• Always Sick and Tired
• Veggie on the Cheap
• MeloMeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day
• A Guy, A Girl, And a Dinner Plate
• The Amateur Low Carb Flexitarian
• The Veggie Life
• Caroline Cain Holistic Health
• Under The Apple Tree

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Grocery Cart Challenge, Cooking Thursday and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Curried Egg Salad with Caramelized Onions Recipe

Day 117.

More leftover Easter eggs? No problem! I've never been a lover of egg salad sandwiches, which is a shame as it's a staple for deli-going vegetarians. It's one of those you could even get in a gas station sandwich shop if you were so brave. To me, it always tastes like egg yolks and mayonnaise. Fine ingredients with other things, but not so great for the overall taste, in my opinion. My husband likes egg salad. We both love curry. Curried egg salad sandwiches? Win!

With the pink and green speckles, these look like
"funfetti" eggs, but they tasted normal.

Curried Egg Salad
Adapted from Curried Egg Salad.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
3/4 tsp. House seasoning
1/2 tsp. sugar
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 medium red or orange organic bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
 3/4 C mayonnaise
 2 Tbsp. minced cilantro or about 1 tsp dry
 1 small green serrano chile, minced (I subbed jalapeno)
 2 teaspoons hot Madras curry powder
 1 tsp. hot mustard powder

Directions
Caramelize the onions: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until it becomes transparent. Add House seasoning, the sugar and saute for another minute. As soon as it changes color, remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, mash the boiled eggs with a fork or potato masher or finely chop them. Add the onion and bell pepper and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, jalapeno/chile, curry powder, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the mustard and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and mix.

Serve on toasted bread, pitas or bagels.

The Results
Mmm...I dig it. The husband likes it, too. I lobbied for increasing the curry powder even more, but he said he liked it fine as is. So, we settled for me mixing a bit extra into my serving. It's delicious. I like egg salad, who knew? Too bad I still won't like the standard version.

What's your favorite deli meal?

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

Vegetarian Mexican Deviled Eggs Recipe

Day 116.

What on earth can you do with all those leftover dyed boiled eggs? In my house, deviled eggs are a big hit. To spice things up (at the risk of possible disdain of my traditional deviled egg-loving husband), I'm making Mexican Deviled Eggs this year with our leftover rainbow of eggs. Another possibility for later in the week (if you have a bunch) is Curried Egg Salad.

Mexican Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
12 Hard Boiled Eggs, large, peeled
1/4 C Mayonnaise Or Salad Dressing
1 Tbsp Cumin; Ground
1 Tbsp. Capers (or diced, brined mushrooms, or green olives), finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Mustard; Prepared
1/2 tsp. Salt
1    Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Red Chiles; Ground
Cilantro, to taste

Directions
Cut the eggs lengthwise into halves. Slip out the yolks and mash with a fork. Mix the mashed yolks with the mayonnaise, cumin, capers, mustard, salt and the jalapeño pepper. Fill the egg whites with the egg yolk mixture, heaping lightly. Sprinkle with ground red chiles, a bit more cumin and garnish with the cilantro (I just mixed in some dry cilantro).

Results
OK, I didn't think this was possible. But I like these MORE than regular deviled eggs. Deviled eggs are one of my go-to holiday gathering "meals" since a lot of people focus on meats. When these and other tasty sides are available, I can fill my plate without any special meal made just for me (which I love, I hate asking for something without meat or making a big deal out of my dietary choices). Now, I might just have to bring my own fiesta-style eggs. Yummmm.

What did you do with your Easter leftovers?

This post is shared at·Tuesdays at the Table,·Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,·Tasty Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday,·Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,·Delicious Dishes,·Real Food Wednesday, Recipe of the Week, Hearth and Souland Tasty Tuesday.

Meatless (Vegan) Monday: Vegan Butterbean and Tomato Ragout Recipe and Link-up

Day 115.

I received Speckled Butterbeans in my CSA box this week. Which, I'll admit, I've never even heard of. So, I thought I'd make a tomato and butterbean ragout just sort of on-the-fly for Vegan Monday. I ended up with a tomatoey, almost pasta saucey meal. I dig it.

Also, be sure to check out last week's recipe Palak Paneer Tofu, which is featured today at MeatlessMonday.com.

Butterbean Ragout
Ingredients
2 C speckled butter beans, raw

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can rotel (I used rotel with habaneros)

3 oz. tomato paste

1/4 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

House seasoning, to taste

Olive oil

Directions
Brown onions and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, rotel, tomato paste and butterbeans. Add a bit of water, if necessary, to fully cover and cook your beans. Season to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until beans are cooked through.

Serve over rice or pasta if desired.

The Results
Wow. Seriously delicious. Nice and spicy and super filling. Bonus: ridiculously cheap to make. A definite repeat for a quick and inexpensive family meal.

To participate this week on Veggie Converter, you will be able to comment or link your Meatless Monday meals while I post my Meatless Monday challenge to myself, Vegan Mondays. If you're a vegetarian or vegan blogger and would like to be featured for Vegan Mondays, link up, or contact veggieconverter@gmail.com.·

Today's Meatless·Vegan Monday meal is Girlichef's Roasted Vegetable Salad with Garlic & Rosemary.Yum! I love roasted vegetables and garlic.I make a roasted vegetable pasta but I've never had a roasted vegetable salad. This is definitely going on my to-try list.

Now for the link-up rules: post your link to a meatless (vegan or vegetarian, or even an attempted meatless) recipe that you've posted on your blog.

Next week, a reader recipe that was linked up this week will be highlighted on Meatless (Vegan) Mondays. Each week you link up or comment, gives you an opportunity to be featured the following week.

Please join the Meatless (Vegan) Monday link-up. What Vegan or Meatless Monday Meal is your family having today?





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This post is shared at·Mouthwatering Mondays, My Meatless Mondays, Cravings, Menu Inspiration Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday,·Happy Homemaker Monday,·Homemaker Monday.·Meatless Mondays,·Mingle Monday, MMMmonday, Mangia Monday,Make a Food-e Friend and Monday Mania.

Menu Plan Monday April 25

Don't forget to check out the Meatless (Vegan) Mondays


Last week's successes:

• Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Biscuits Recipe
• Gluten Free Black Bean Burgers Recipe
• Vegan Thai-Style Dumplings Recipe
• Vegan Beefy Tacos Recipe
• Palak Paneer Tofu.

Last week's failure (if you're looking for a challenge):

• Vegan Beef Wellington Recipe

This week's hopefuls:

·

Monday·Day 115

Meatless (vegan for me) Monday

Butterbean Ragout

Tuesday·Day 116

Mexican (Taco) Tuesday

Mexican Deviled Eggs

Wednesday·Day 117
Curried Egg Salad with Caramelized Onions

Thursday·Day 118

Leftovers and Pantry·Frankenstein Creation.·

Friday·Day 119

Veggie Pizza

Saturday·Day 120

Chile Chicken Wings with Creamy Cucumbers, veggie-converted

Sunday·Day 121 Sunday Brunch

Asparagus Frittata

Don't forget to comment if you chose to do a·Meatless Monday·meal.

This post is linked at·Menu Plan Monday.

Vegan Beef Wellington Recipe

Day 114.

Beef Wellington is one of those "family favorites" I've never actually had. But it seems intriguing. There are, I'm sure, a million different variations. But this one, filled with yummy olive tapenade, sounds delicious to me.

Beef Wellington
Adapted from Beef Wellington.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1.package seitan

2 sheets frozen ready-rolled butter puff pastry (25 x 25cm), thawed

Montreal steak seasoning, to taste
1/2 cup olive tapenade

 

Gravy:
1.5 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. plain flour
2 C mock beef stock (2 C veggie stock with 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast)
1/2 C red wine (I sub cranberry juice)
1 tsp. dried tarragon

Directions
Season "meat" with steak seasoning, to taste.

Make a rectangle with the pastry sheets. First connect 2 whole sheets together by placing 1 edge on top of another. Brush the edges with olive oil and press the edges to seal. 

Preheat the oven to 400F and slightly grease the baking tray with oil.

Spread 1/4 of the tapenade on the pastry. Place the beef and spread the remaining tapenade on the beef. Gently fold the pastry over the beef to wrap it. Tuck the sides of the pastry to secure it. Cut the excess pastry as needed.

Place the beef Wellington on the greased tray seam down. Brush it with olive oil and spinkle on kosher salt and bake it for 1 hour or until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and transfer the beef Wellington to a serving plate.

To prepare the gravy, let butter and melt for 2 minutes while stirring. Add the flour and 1/4 cup of stock and continue to stir for another 3-5 minutes or until it bubbles. Remove from the heat and pour in the remaining stock and the wine gradually while stirring constantly. Add the tarragon and place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook for another 5 minutes or until it thickens. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom if the pan to avoid burning. Place the gravy on a jug or small bowl. Serve warm with the beef Wellington.
The Results
Too salty! All that olive tapenade completely overpowers the beef. Bummer. The pastry is fantastic and all the individual ingredients were great. But I'd say definitely choose a very low sodium homemade tapenade recipe if you try this recipe. Once I added the gravy and some sour cream, it was pretty yummy, but it pretty much tasted like a bowl full of olives before that. Not a bad thing, but probably not very Beef Wellingtony.

What are you having for Sunday Brunch, Breakfast or Lunch?




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This post is shared at·Sundays at One Food Club, Just Something I Whipped Up, Penny Worthy Project, Cookbook Sundays·and·Potluck Sunday.

Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Biscuits Recipe

Day 113.

Mmm...buffalo chicken...and mmm biscuits. I don't think it gets any better, or simpler. I'm a huge fan of veggie buffalo wings and, more recently, buffalo "chicken" pizza. I saw a buffalo chicken panini recipe in a magazine and had originally intended to make that. Until I remembered I was out of sour dough. But, I had biscuits! What's better than "chicken" on a biscuit, right? Not much, I say.

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits
Ingredients
1 package buffalo/southwest chicken "wings" or chicken tenders (I used Quorn)

8-12 biscuits (homemade or canned will work)

1/4 C Hot sauce

2-3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Blue Cheese Dressing

Directions
Heat "wings" or chicken pieces through. Mix hot sauce and butter to make "wing" sauce.

Dredge wings through sauce. Slice open biscuits.

Place 2-4 chicken pieces inside each biscuit and top chicken with blue cheese dressing. Try to remember you love your family and really do want to share.

The Results
Mmm...so incredibly good. And I think it took all of 5 minutes once the biscuits were baked to complete this meal. This is the perfect lazy Saturday lunch. Fantastic.

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday and Muffin Tin Monday.

Gluten Free Black Bean Burgers Recipe

Day 112.

It's gluten-free Friday. Hooray! This adaptation of a Betty Crocker-favorite is inspired by The Flying Biscuit's Love Cakes. For those outside of the Atlanta area, Love Cakes are these delicious little bean patties topped with tomatilla salsa and feta cheese. They're incredibly fantastic and you can even order them as a side. Yes, a Side of Love. So, I have made the love cakes at home before (I have the actual recipe), but I just think these burgers are a little simpler and pretty darn tasty to boot! Plus, bonus, they are easy to convert to gluten free.

Black Bean Burgers

Adapted from California Black Bean Burgers.
Ingredients
2 C black beans, cooked
1 can (7 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning or chile powder
1 C masa (mixed in)
1/4 C masa (coating)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. olive oil
gluten-free buns, toasted
1  Tbsp. feta cheese or bleu cheese salad dressing
3 Tbsp. salsa (I use tomatilla salsa) 


Directions 
Squish beans in a ziploc bag (or throw them in the food processor, if preferred) until slightly mashed, but still chunky. Throw in 1 C masa, egg, chiles and taco seasoning. Squish more. Lay out a large plate and cover it with remaining masa.

Form beans into patties (I do about 12 slider-size patties). Smoosh down into the masa; flip, coating both sides. Put olive oil in pan or on griddle. Cook patties for about 5 minutes per side or until crispy.

The Results
Mmmm...so incredible. I love them gluten-free and gluten-full. I think I like the masa version better than the original bread crumb version. It just goes better with the Tex-Mexy bean blend. Vegans could also leave out the egg or use egg replacer. I think that probably wouldn't even be necessary as squished beans adhere pretty well to other squished beans.

This post shared at Fat Camp Friday, Crafty Friday, Friday Favorites, Potluck Friday,·Frugal Fridays, Foodie Fridayand I'm Lovin' It.

Leftover Creation: Vegan Dumpling Pasta Recipe

Day 111.

Those dumplings were super tasty. But, I'll be honest, I just didn't want to make 60 of them. Especially when I realized I forgot the store-bought wraps and had to make my own (or go to the store with two kids by myself, no thanks). So, I had a bit of leftover filling, and today is leftover day. A sign, right? I thought so.

Dumpling Pasta
Ingredients
1 C Dumpling filling
1/2 pound pasta, cooked
Olive oil, to taste

Directions
Throw all ingredients in pan. Mix and heat through. Eat. Drool.

The Results
So good. I miss a little bit of the crispiness of the dumplings (the little pan-fried bottoms). But the chewy pasta and spicy meat...yum. I love it. It's definitely a quick and easy use of the leftover filling for lazy, ahem, I mean, busy, moms.

Project Food Budget:
I think (but I can't seem to find my receipt) that I spent about $100 at the wholesale club this week. That makes $238 so far for the month out of my $300 budget. So, even though I'm over for the week, I'm still doing great for the month.

Goal: $75/$300
Actual: $100/$238

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Grocery Cart Challenge, Cooking Thursday and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Vegan Thai-Style Dumplings Recipe

Day 110.

My sister asked about a vegetarian version of this, one of her favorite dumplings recipes. The pork was an easy swap, but the fish sauce I had to look up. Hopefully she'll like them, and so will you. I love dumplings so I'm sure they'll be a hit in our house.

Thai-Style Dumplings

Adapted from Thai-Style Dumplings.
Ingredients

For the filling

1/4 C minced scallion
1 pound ground "beef" or 1 package seitan, chopped
2 tsp. minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1 bell pepper, minced (about 1/2 C)
2/3 C minced cabbage
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. Oriental sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh coriander
1 large "egg," replacement beaten lightly

60 shao mai wrappers (round won ton wrappers, available at Oriental and Southeast Asian markets, specialty foods shops, and many supermarkets), thawed if frozen
cornstarch for dusting the baking sheet

For the sauce

1 Tbsp. vegan naam pla (vegetarian fish sauce, available at Oriental and Southeast Asian markets and some specialty foods shops), recipe follows
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. white-wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar, or to taste
2 tsp. minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1 Tbsp. shredded fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh coriander
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
coriander sprigs for garnish

Vegan Naam Pla (Thai Fish sauce)
1 1/3 C water
2/3 C soy sauce
Six 1½ inch pieces kelp
1 sun dried tomato (dry, not oil marinated)

Directions

Make the filling:
In a bowl combine well the scallion, the "meat," the gingerroot, the bell pepper, the cabbage, the garlic, the oil, the soy sauce, the coriander, the egg, and salt and pepper to taste and chill the filling for at least 1 hour or overnight. 

Put about 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of 1 of the wrappers and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Gather the edge of the wrapper up and around the filling and form a waist with the wrapper, pushing the dumpling from the bottom and keeping the filling level with the top of the wrapper. (The filling should not be enclosed.) Continue to make dumplings with the remaining wrappers and filling in the same manner and arrange them in one layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper dusted lightly with the cornstarch. (The dumplings may be prepared up to this point 8 hours in advance and kept uncovered and chilled or 1 month in advance and kept covered tightly and frozen. If the dumplings are frozen, do not thaw them in advance.) 

Make the sauce:

In a bowl whisk together the naam pla, the lime juice, the vinegar, the sugar, the gingerroot, the mint, the coriander, salt and pepper to taste. 

I marinated mine overnight because I forgot to
buy my wrappers and had to make my own. :)

In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it fry half the dumplings, flat sides down, over moderately high heat for 1 minute, or until the undersides are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and steam the dumplings, covered, over moderate heat for 3 minutes, or until the "meat" is cooked through. 

Tip: Have leftover meaty filling? Try Dumpling Pasta.

The Results

Drool. The seitan and the crunchy cabbage make these super delicious. And I really like how the "fish" sauce turned out.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

Vegan Beefy Tacos Recipe

Day 109.

Mmm....tacos. My husband requested "normal" tacos for dinner this week. So this is what he got. It's a little more pepper-filled than your average beefy taco, but it's pretty "normal" ... sort of like a fajita taco.

Beefy Tacos
Ingredients
1/2 "pound" ground beef substitute (about 1 C)
2 bell peppers, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
taco shells
optional toppings: olives, cheeze, lettuce, salsa, diced avocado

Directions
Brown onions and garlic in skillet with olive oil. I store my "beef" in a ziploc bag, so if you don't, or you don't want to just cut your packaged "beef" bag open, get out a bowl. I'm all about saving the dirty dishes. So this is how I do it. Squirt some olive oil in that ziploc and add taco seasoning. Squish it all up until well mixed. Meanwhile, throw peppers in with the onions and cook to desired tenderness. Add beef to cook until heated through.

Fill taco shells with meat mixture and top as desired.

Results
Here's a fine case of laziness for the win. We were out of cheese upstairs and I didn't really want to make the trip to the basement for more while the kids were up (not to mention I was hungry). So, I went without the cheese and I'm so glad I did. Between the peppers and the onions, wowza, this is perfect as is. And, bonus, it's vegan!

This post is shared at·Tuesdays at the Table,·Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,·Tasty Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday,·Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,·Delicious Dishes,·Real Food Wednesday, Recipe of the Week, Hearth and Souland Tasty Tuesday.

Meatless (Vegan) Monday: Palak Paneer Tofu and Link-up

Day 108.

Mmm...palak paneer the creamy cheese is my favorite part, I'll admit it. But the spinach can be super yummy, too. I'm really particular about the spices though and sometimes even the best Indian restaurants have icky-flavored spinach, in my opinion. So, I'll make my own for Vegan Monday!

Palak Paneer Tofu
Ingredients
1 bunch spinach, chopped
1 red onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. curry (to taste)
2 C veggie broth
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
8 oz. paneer (or substitute vegan ricotta or cream cheese)
1 C cubed tofu or other "meat" substitute (maybe "chicken" cubes)

Directions
Coat large saucepan with olive oil. Brown onion and garlic. Add spinach, broth and nutritional yeast and stir. Add spices (feel free to do your curry to taste). Cook until spinach is wilted on medium-low. Add cheese and tofu and stir. Cook until cheese is melted/heated (paneer will stay in cubes, others will get melty).

The Results
Wow! I love it. It's the perfect spice seasoning for my paneer. A definite repeat. And so surprisingly simple

Vegan Monday Link-up, Week 12

To participate this week here on Veggie Converter, you will be able to comment or link your Meatless Monday meals while I post my Meatless Monday challenge to myself, Vegan Mondays. If you're a vegetarian or vegan blogger and would like to be featured for Vegan Mondays, link up, or contact veggieconverter@gmail.com.·

Today's Meatless·Vegan Monday meal is Type A Housewife's Shipreck Casserole.

Mmm...I've never even heard of this casserole. It sounds great!

Now for the link-up rules: post your link to a meatless (vegan or vegetarian, or even an attempted meatless) recipe that you've posted on your blog.

Next week, a reader recipe that was linked up this week will be highlighted on Meatless (Vegan) Mondays. Each week you link up or comment, gives you an opportunity to be featured the following week.

Please join the Meatless (Vegan) Monday link-up. What Vegan or Meatless Monday Meal is your family having today?







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This post is shared at·Mouthwatering Mondays, My Meatless Mondays, Cravings, Menu Inspiration Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday,·Happy Homemaker Monday,·Homemaker Monday.·Meatless Mondays,·Mingle Monday, MMMmonday, Mangia Monday,Make a Food-e Friend and Monday Mania.

Menu Plan Monday April 18

Don't forget to check out the·Meatless (Vegan) Mondays


Last week's successes:

• Green Chile Cheese Eggs
• Vegan Meat and Potato Pie Recipe
• La Bamba Mexican Casserole Recipe
• Cucumber Tomato Pasta

Last week's failure (if you're looking for a challenge):

• Vegetarian Tandoori Chicken Recipe

This week's hopefuls:

·

Monday·Day 108

Meatless (vegan for me) Monday

Palak Paneer with Tofu

Tuesday·Day 109

Mexican (Taco) Tuesday

"Beefy" Tacos, veggie-converted

Wednesday·Day 110
Thai Style Dumplings, veggie converted

Thursday·Day 111

Leftovers and Pantry·Frankenstein Creation.·

Friday·Day 112

Lent: Gluten-Free Friday

California Black Bean Burgers 

Saturday·Day 113

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits

Sunday·Day 114 Sunday Brunch

Beef Wellington, veggie-converted

Don't forget to comment if you chose to do a·Meatless Monday·meal.

This post is linked at·Menu Plan Monday.

Sunday Brunch: Green Chile Cheese Eggs

Day 107.
Sunday Brunch for me is all about breakfasty foods for that late morning/early afternoon meal. Sometimes we have a more lunch-type meal, but life just seems better when the brunch recipe includes eggs and cheese. This recipe from Debbi Does Dinner called to me with its cheesy green chile deliciousness.

Green Chile Cheese Eggs
Adapted from Green Chili Cheddar Eggs.
Ingredients

8 eggs
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
4 oz. cheddar cheese
2 (7 oz) cans chopped green chiles

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.

I actually made a half recipe, so I went with a loaf pan (I also doubled the original amount of chiles). However, for the full recipe, use a 9-inch pie plate. Spray the dish with non-stick spray. Pour eggs, flour and milk in dish and whisk to combine. Add cheese and chiles and stir.

Bake until center is set, about 35-40 minutes.

The Results
Mmmm....the green chiles and cheese are just fabulous. I love it. I'd planned on serving this with Debbi's Southwest Potato Hash, but my Meat and Potato Pie ran me out of potatoes. It looks delicious, also, though.

What are you having for Sunday Brunch, Breakfast or Lunch?






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This post is shared at·Sundays at One Food Club, Just Something I Whipped Up, Penny Worthy Project, Cookbook Sundays·and·Potluck Sunday.

Vegan Meat and Potato Pie Recipe

Day 106.

Mmm...meat and potato pie. What can be wrong with that? Well, the meat of course. Hah! But seriously, I love all stews and pies that involve potatoes and veggies. So let's make a veggie "beef" version. This one comes from Kate @ Stolen Moments Cooking, so it's bound to be fabulous.

Meat & Potato Pie
Adapted from Meat & Potato Pie.
Ingredients

1 lb. equivalent (about 2 C) ground beef substitute
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. potatoes, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 C flour
1 3/4 C "beef" stock (I use veggie broth + 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast)
Pie crust for double crust 9 inch pie

Directions
Place ground "beef," onions (I subbed green onions, since they were starting to get old), potatoes and carrots in a large skillet. Season with salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper (I subbed my House seasoning and, whoops! I forgot the paprika). Cook over medium high heat until meat is fully cooked and veggies are tender.

Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in beef stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until thickened.

Press half the pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate. Pour in the meat mixture.


Cover with the remaining pie crust. Cut a few slits in the top and bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and fully cooked. Let for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

The Results
OMG. It's like beef stew. In a pie. I <3 Kate; she's now my favorite. Sorry, kids. If you like beef stew, make this now. So incredibly tasty. Everyone loved it and it smelled fantastic while baking.

What's your favorite savory pie?

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday and Muffin Tin Monday.

Vegetarian Pesto Chicken on Garlic Potatoes Recipe

Day 105.

One of our favorite family recipes is Pesto Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Layered Dinner. I love the sweet potatoes and my husband loves the pesto chicken. So, when I saw this recipe at 21st Century Housewife I thought we might have the best of both worlds. Potatoes my husband will eat and an easy to replace chicken that I would like. We both love pesto and garlic, so this is sure to be a treat.

Pesto Chicken on Garlic Potatoes
Adapted from Pesto Chicken on Garlic Potatoes.
Ingredients
1 bag Quorn Chicken tenders (or 4 C chicken replacement of choice)
¼ C pesto of your choice
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
½ C "bacon" bits 

2 C small potatoes, washed and scrubbed but not peeled
1 to 2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped (optional)salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Put the potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Parboil for ten minutes, then drain and set aside. When they have cooled slightly, slice each potato in two to three slices.

Mix the pesto with about 1 tablespoon of the oil and brush it on the "chicken"  and heat through.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the onion for a few minutes. Grate in the garlic, add the "bacon" and continue to fry. Add the red pepper, if using. Now toss in the potatoes and continue to cook until they are tender and lightly golden. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the chicken is cooked, serve it on top of the potatoes.

The Results
Mmm...those potatoes are fantastic. I actually chose to marinate the "chicken" in the pesto, but I'm not suggesting that in the recipe here. It was actually too pestoy for me. What? Insanity, right? I couldn't taste the yummy garlicky potatoes through all that pesto. So I suggest just brushing on the chicken as suggested here. Unfortunately, I still think the potatoes are the best part and the husband still prefers the chicken. But at least we both can eat the whole meal.

This post shared at Fat Camp Friday, Crafty Friday, Friday Favorites, Potluck Friday,,·Frugal Fridays and I'm Lovin' It.

Leftover Creation: Vegetarian Chicken Divan Pizza Recipe

 Day 104.

Mmm...leftover Chicken Divan...so good I almost don't want to mess with it. But I have this leftover pizza crust and some mozzarella cheese. So let's see where this goes.

Chicken Divan Pizza
Ingredients
2 C Chicken Divan
2 C Mozzarella Cheese
olive oil
Pizza Crust 

Directions
Sprinkle olive oil on crust. Spread Chicken Divan onto crust. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

The Results
So, I tried to use the Cook & Hold feature on my oven to do this...and something went awry, so it was a bit overcooked. But somehow, still delicious.

Project Food Budget:
We spent $100 at Kroger for groceries, which, while over budget, was great after a week of no grocery shopping. Our budget is $300/month or $75/week.

Goal: $75/$300
Actual: $100/$138

Participating Blogs:

• Emily Levenson
• Maria Marz
• Veggie Converter
• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Motor City Girl In the Steel City
• Veggie Burgher
• The Happy Cactus
• The Vegetarian Salmon
• Test Kitchen Tuesday
• Newly Vegan
• Always Sick and Tired
• Veggie on the Cheap
• MeloMeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day
• A Guy, A Girl, And a Dinner Plate
• The Amateur Low Carb Flexitarian
• The Veggie Life
• Caroline Cain Holistic Health

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Grocery Cart Challenge, Cooking Thursday and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Vegetarian Tandoori Chicken Recipe

 Day 103.

So, tandoori chicken is one of my husband's favorites at Indian restaurants, but all the authentic recipes call for some specialized furnacey thing to cook them in. I don't have that furnacey thing. When I found this grill recipe, I literally yelled, "yay!" Yep, I'm a food nerd. Homemade tandoori chicken here we come!

Tandoori Chicken
Adapted from Tandoori Chicken.
Ingredients
1 bag Gardein "Chicken" Scallopini (or your favorite chicken breast substitute)
3/4 C plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground ginger or 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions
In a medium sized bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well mixed. Set aside.

Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Stir chicken into the yogurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Preheat grill to high heat and oil grill grates. Remove chicken from the marinade and thread on skewers. After grill has preheated to high, lower heat to medium-high. Grill skewers, turning once, about 4-5 minutes per side. Serve with yogurt sauce.

The Results
Mmm...the spices are excellent! I don't think it really has the tasty crispy furnacey flavor of real tandoori chicken (though I'll admit that's been quite a while since I've had the "real" stuff). But, the spices are very close. I think maybe baking and grilling at the end would be more like real tandoori. Something to try for next time.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

La Bamba Mexican Casserole Recipe

Day 102.

Taco Tuesday! Ole! I have an obscene amount of leftover refried black beans from an overzealous black bean cooking experience a couple weeks ago. I bought about 4 pounds of dried beans and converted about a pound of those crock-pot soaked and cooked beans into refried beans. I also threw in a bit of leftover ranchero sauce.

I planned to serve these with homemade tortilla chips. But, well, you know how I am about frying, right? I just didn't feel up to it today. We were struck by the flour fairy last night (the Bug can open up the cabinet locks and decided that 10 pound bag of flour needed to be dispersed with flair) so I was a tad exhausted. It took a lot to school my mirthful face into stern mommy look while taking photos for her daddy to enjoy. My mirth dimmed a bit when I saw the flour fairy's aftermath in the kitchen and her little sister eating fistsful of the fairy dust. Regardless, we went with tostadas instead. Good times.

La Bamba Mexican Casserole
Adapted from La Bamba Mexican Casserole.
Ingredients

7 oz. can chopped green chilies
Cooking spray
1 pound ground beef substitute
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
(I actually subbed our homemade Taco Seasoning for the spices)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 C corn
2 C refried black beans
1½ C (6 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese
1 C chopped tomato
½ C chopped green onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.

Spray 9 x 13 in pan with cooking spray. Spread green chilies over the bottom of the pan.

Heat a large pan coated with cooking spray, add ground "beef," onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic; sauté until cooked. Add diced tomatoes and refried beans; cook 5 minutes or until some of the liquid evaporates.

Spoon "beef" mixture over chiles. Top with corn. Sprinkle cheese over beans. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; top with chopped tomato and green onions.


Results
Mmm....we served ours over tostadas and it was fantastic! It was like dip on a tostada. Yum. I love the mix of veggies and the cheesy gooey delicious bean and beef salsa "layer." This is a lot like 7-layer Mexican dip if you top it with sour cream and guacamole. So good.

This post is shared at·Tuesdays at the Table,·Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,·Tasty Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday,·Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,·Delicious Dishes,·Real Food Wednesday, Recipe of the Week, Hearth and Souland Tasty Tuesday.