The Lazy Vegetarian

What We Ate Last Week #20

2011-05-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy with our son graduating from college, moving all of his stuff back into our house, and then heading off for the summer for the jungles of Central America (Mayan archaeology project). I should now be back posting regularly again.

Monday: *New Recipe* Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Stew

This was a meal I created using Stonehouse27 tomato & chilies sauce. It was amazingly delicious! Recipe coming with review of this brand soon.

Tuesday: *New recipe* Quiche with spinach and tomato

I used a healthy crustless quiche recipe, but with a prepared frozen crust (since my husband didn't feel that a quiche could be "crustless"). It was mostly a disaster, although the flavor wasn't bad. We certainly won't repeat this one.

Wednesday: *Pescatarian meal* Mango, papaya, & avocado salad served on mixed greens. I used salad shrimp in this, although I have made it in the past with baked tofu. It's a delicious recipe that I will likely share in the future (the tofu version of course).

Thursday: Bread, fruit, and cheese. This is a favorite celebration dinner at our house - based on a meal that my husband and I used to get at a college pub back many, many years ago when we were dating.

Friday: Spaghetti and meatless meatballs (Veggie Patch brand).

Saturday: Enchiladas - our son wanted to try these after seeing the recipe on my blog!

Sunday: *New Recipe* Vindaloo

Another recipe I created using a Stonehouse 27 sauce. Not quite the success of the others.

See Previous Week Menu

Give Them a Try! - Beets

2011-05-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

There are few vegetables that I disliked as a kid, so I remember thinking beets were OK, yet I never made them as an adult until recently. (I think perhaps my husband had a less positive childhood memory and that influenced my choice.)

A while ago, Seneca foods sent me a couple of jars of pickled beets to try.

I used the whole beets in a roasted vegetable recipe and the sliced beets in a salad. (Note, I did rinse them first to reduce sodium.) They were quite delicious, and convinced me that beets are something I want to regularly include in our diet.

These jarred beets, available at most supermarkets in the canned food area, or online, are an easy way to give beets a try.

You also may want to look for Melissa's peeled baby red beets in the produce area of your grocery store (Super Target carries it in my neighborhood). They are steamed and ready to eat as a snack, or to add to a salad, or to use in a cooked dish.

Of course, you can also pick up fresh beets at your grocery store or farmer's market. They are a bit more work to prepare, but are also delicious. (Look for golden beets too.) Plus, if you get beets with the greens still attached, they are good to eat too (and very nutritious).

When roasting prepared beet products, you don't need to cook them very long, so either add them later in cooking or roast with other fast cooking veggies.

Will you give beets a try? Or do you already eat them?

Recipe: Curried Tofu Salad

2011-05-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe uses the tofu salad by serving it over greens, but you can also stuff it in a pita with some lettuce for a delicious sandwich.

1/2 package extra firm tofu, pressed and drained, cut into small chunks, misted with olive oil, and baked at 375 degrees for 20 min and cooled. (See here for full tofu directions) - usually I make this the day before.

Mix with:

1/2 c plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp mayo (or equivalent)
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup halved red grapes
freshly ground pepper

(if you have it, you can add in some thinly sliced celery too)

Place in fridge until ready to use.

Toss:
1 package mixed greens
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Put the greens on plates and scoop the tofu salad into center.

Serve with bread or pita/tortilla wedges.

What We Ate Last Week #19

2011-05-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

No pics this week. Sorry about that!

Monday: dinner out at a local Italian restaurant (spinach roll, yum!)

Tuesday: *Pescatarian Meal* Fish tacos (which could easily be made with baked tofu strips) - tortillas, fish, coleslaw mix, avocado, and (vegetarian) ranch dressing served with a can of no-salt added black beans cooked up with diced onions and peppers

Wednesday: Sausage (Field Roast brand), potatoes, and cabbage fry up (recipe in previous post)

Thursday: Quesadillas

Friday: Fired up the grill! Hamburgers (Franklin Farms brand), corn-on-the-cob, and squash. We recently bought a non-stick grilling grid which makes cooking veggies on the grill much easier!

Saturday: Scrambled eggs mixed with bell peppers and the rest of the sausage, toast, and fruit salad

Sunday: PBB&J sandwiches with baby carrots and Popchips after lunch out at CPK (I tried their new roasted vegetable salad, and I can highly recommend it).

See Previous Week Menu

Review: Field Roast Grain Sausage + Recipe

2011-04-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

Field Roast Grain Meat Co - Smoked Apple Sage Vegetarian Sausage

Have you tried these sausages? I will go out on a limb and say they are the best tasting sausages I have ever had. Notice that I didn't say "best tasting vegetarian sausages" - nope, best sausages ever!

I'm also a big fan of the Field Roast Celebration roast, which has become our new tradition for Christmas dinner. And here is a quick tip - cook a variety of veggies in your crock pot and add the celebration roast for the last 30 - 45 minutes to heat. It will be much juicier than the suggested cooking method on the package. I'll try to remember to post my recipe in the fall.

The only wish I have is for the company to reduce the amount of salt they use in their retail products. I'm sure they would taste just as awesome with half the salt, and then I would feel comfortable eating them more often than just as an occasional treat.

So here is a quick recipe with the apple sage sausages. It's reminiscent of the eastern European dishes I grew up eating.

Sausage, Potatoes, and Cabbage Fry Up

For 2 servings:

2 Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages (don't forget to remove casing), sliced
2 medium potatoes (or equivalent of smaller potatoes), cubed or sliced and boiled until tender
1 very small head cabbage, sliced (or about 1/2 - 2/3 of a bag of coleslaw mix)
1/2 med onion sliced (I like using a sweet onion, but that is optional)
2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in wok or non-stick skillet on med high. Cook onion, add cabbage and some pepper to taste (I like lots), and cook until both are ready to eat and hopefully, a bit browned. Remove to serving bowl.

Heat other Tbsp of oil and add sliced sausage and potatoes. Cook until heated and browned a bit. You can also add pepper for these.

Stir together in serving bowl. Salt if desired.

Traditionally this type of recipe would use butter rather than canola oil. Some of my family will make similar dishes using half oil and half butter to get the flavor and browning of butter but still keep it a bit healthier.

Do You Tofu?

2011-04-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I only ate tofu at restaurants. I liked it, but I never tried to cook with it. Nowadays, I cook with tofu several times a month. It's not only healthy and delicious and cheap; it's also super easy and versatile.

I almost always purchase extra firm organic tofu - the kind that is refrigerated. (Unless the recipe asks for silken tofu to blend.) At most regular grocery stores, you can buy this for under $2. It has 4 servings; I usually plan two meals from the package (or one big meal that leaves leftovers).

First, pierce the package over the sink and let most of the water drain out. Then cut it open and take out the block. Although, if you are in a hurry, you can skip the pressing step (really), I usually go ahead and press the tofu for about 20 minutes. Sure you can buy a tofu press, but I like to just put the tofu on a plate, cover with a second plate, and place a full kettle on top! Cause, hey, the kettle is right there in the kitchen, and it's pretty heavy when full, and it fits nicely on a plate! Lazy at it's finest.

When pressed, drain off the extra liquid and place on a cutting board. Then cut up the tofu for whatever recipe you are making. The day I took these photos, I was making a curry one day and stuffed poblanos later. That meant half into cubes and half crumbled to make a ricotta-type cheese replacement.

The cubes were than placed on parchment paper, sprayed with olive oil, and baked at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. The crumbled tofu was mixed with 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast and stored in the fridge for the next day.

Here's the finished baked tofu, which was added to my curry:

It's that easy! I like to also bake tofu sticks with some seasonings added to use in wraps and other sandwiches (Mrs Dash lemon pepper is awesome). You can also make cutlets and bake or grill those - especially good when marinated first. Of course, you can pan-fry or deep-fry tofu (like restaurants do), but I prefer the healthier and less messy baking method. With parchment paper, clean-up is practically non-existent! And don't forget the shake and bake option.

I'll be including more tofu recipes down the line, so I thought I'd share the basics here.

What We Ate Last Week #18

2011-04-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

Monday: dinner out at Double Dave's (pizza buffet)

Tuesday: Black beans & rice, sauteed mustard greens, and corn-on-the-cob

Wednesday: Pasta Primavera (adapted from this recipe)

Thursday: *Pescatarian Meal* Salmon cakes (I used whole wheat panko crumbs in these - nice), fries, and sauteed spinach

Friday: *New Recipe* Tofu, sweet potato, and broccoli stir fry over brown rice - using Stonehouse27 tamarind & garlic sauce (review of these sauces coming soon)

This was more of a quick throw-together than an actual recipe. Just baked tofu, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and garlic stir-fried in some canola oil -- then add the sauce. Delicious!

Saturday: *New Recipe* Stuffed poblano peppers (grilled) and "Mexican" rice

I created a simple filling for the poblanos by using crumbled tofu and 2% Mexican style cheese - it was simple and absolutely amazing off the grill! The rice was done in my Zojirushi rice cooker - just by adding a can of drained no-salt-added petite diced tomatoes, chopped jalapenos and black olives, and some Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning!

Sunday: *New Recipe* Egg salad sandwiches and tomato with avocado soup

This was a new soup recipe, from the cookbook Vegan Comfort Food. Of course, I altered the recipe a bit - left some tomatoes chunky and made it thicker by skipping adding vegetable broth. I thought it was great soup!

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #17

2011-04-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Monday: spaghetti with Lightlife brand Italian sausage served with a side salad

Tuesday: *New Recipe* Seitan pot roast in slow cooker
This recipe was from the cookbook I recently reviewed, Vegan on the Cheap. It didn't turn out very well, and I'm not sure if that's due to me or the recipe.

Wednesday: *Pescatarian Meal* Salmon burgers, roasted asparagus, and sweet potato baked fries

Thursday: *New Recipe* Pizza made on a polenta crust - used the rest of the Lightlife Italian sausage, along with mushrooms and olives for the toppings
The polenta crust recipe was also from the same cookbook mentioned above, although I used veggie broth instead of water for the liquid. This was quite good, except I would pre-bake the crust for longer than the 12 minutes stated in the recipe next time, but then I like a well-down pizza crust! I had never made polenta before the vegetarian cooking class we took last month, but I can see quick cooking polenta becoming a staple in my pantry.

Friday: *New Recipes* Carrot ginger soup and roasted baby beet & grapes salad served with toasted pita spread with Laughing Cow cheese wedges

Carrot ginger soup tasted yummy - easy recipe when using a food processor and my handy-dandy immersion blender (the greatest kitchen gadget ever). The salad was very different, using roasted grapes (a first for me) and baby beets. We were pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

Saturday: PBB&J sandwiches with baby carrots and Popchips after lunch out at Qdoba (first visit to this restaurant - I thought it was a good option for vegetarians, and a so-so option for eating healthy)

Sunday: whole wheat pancakes, Boca sausage links, and cut-up fruit

See Previous Week Menu

Review: FiberGourmet Pasta

2011-04-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, when I make a pasta dish, this is the brand of pasta that I use.

The main reasons are:

(1) the calories are lower than standard pasta - 130 cal vs the 200 cal or so for a 2 oz serving, and
(2) the great flavors available in the fettuccine.

Although the higher fiber count is a selling point by the company, as a vegetarian, I get plenty of fiber normally, so that is not a big influence on my decision to use this pasta.

But, keeping the calories low in a pasta that tastes great? That sold me!

The most recent order I placed from their website, I got the shapes sampler pack that includes 3 each of penne, rotini, lasagna, and spaghetti. This is my first time to order the spaghetti and lasagna, which are newer additions to their line, but I'm sure they will be as great as the penne and rotini. I also bought a build-your-own-box of fettuccine. I got 6 boxes - 2 whole wheat, 1 garlic parsley, 1 Cajun spice, 1 red & black pepper, and 1 spinach. Garlic parsley makes an absolutely delicious pasta primavera, which I will probably make soon.

This pasta is more expensive, but it is one of those foods that I splurge on and justify by spending less on something else (for example, I buy most of my bread from a bakery outlet).

You can also buy many of the fibergourmet products through amazon, like the pasta mini sampler, which is a good way to give them a try. They are eligible for super saver shipping and subscribe & save purchase.

Recipe: Muffuletta Roll-Ups

2011-04-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

This is a super quick sandwich, which can be served with a nice soup or a salad.

For each sandwich:

1 flatout flatbread (or any other thin flatbread, such as tortillas)
6 - 8 slices of 2 or 3 varieties of vegetarian deli slices (for example, Yves or Tofurkey or Lightlife)
1 slice of cheese (or grated cheese)
mix of 8 - 10 olives, any variety (or 1 - 2 Tbsp of prepared muffuletta mix or olive salad)

(1) Chop olives, if not using prepared jarred variety (I have an old-fashioned chopper which, although squeaky, still works great for small amounts).

(2) Put deli slices, cheese, and chopped olives on flatbread

(3) Toast in toaster oven or regular oven just long enough for cheese to melt and everything to get warm but not so long that the flatbread gets crisp (I usually do 200 degrees until I see the cheese has melted, which takes just a few minutes)

(4) roll up and serve

That is super lazy!! But, still, very good.

What We Ate Last Week #16

2011-04-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Monday: *New Recipe* Garbanzo, peanut, & kale soup with naan
This was an absolutely delicious soup that uses peanut butter. It's from the cookbook New Vegetarian by Robin Asbell. Photo is blurry, but I wanted to share anyway.

Tuesday: *New Recipe* Bowtie pasta with roasted cauliflower
We have been trying to give some vegetables we aren't big fans of a chance, so I thought this recipe was a good idea for cauliflower. The recipe roasts cauliflower with red onions, and then adds raisins for the last 10 min of roasting. Roasted veggies are combined with pasta and Parmesan cheese. It was quite good, and is certainly one we would eat again!

Wednesday: Sweet potato and spinach salad (One of my favs, which I can share if readers are interested)

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Muffaletta roll-ups (recipe coming later this week) and salad wedges

Saturday: PBB&J sandwiches with baby carrots and Popchips after lunch out at Red Robin

Sunday: *New Recipe* Black Bean Cocoa Quinoa
This was very delicious and easy to make. I would give the following advice if you want to try the recipe: (1) use more bell peppers, perhaps 2 or 3 of different colors and be sure to use a nice big onion (2) in my rice cooker, the quinoa took way longer to cook than the recipe suggests, so start it much sooner and avoid waiting around like we did (3) I can tell she is from Ohio when she says that the recipe, as written, may have a "kick", if you like spicy food, increase the hot spices by 2 or 3 times (4) this is at least 3 servings, so plenty for leftovers.

See Previous Week Menu

Cookbook Review: Vegan on the Cheap

2011-04-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

I recently checked this cookbook out of my library (which I try to do before purchasing any cookbook). This is the cookbook that contradicts the commonly held belief that eating vegetarian or vegan is expensive - every recipe even includes an approximate cost per serving of between 50 cents and 2 dollars.

Because these recipes include many "from scratch," they are not completely lazy-friendly. Nonetheless, many of the recipes feel do-able. I am actually going to finally try making my own seitan because the recipe in this cookbook doesn't seem scary! I also like how the author includes options for each recipe like the "splurge a little" suggestions that will make it slightly more expensive, but usually a bit easier.

I would like to add this cookbook to my collection because I could see myself eventually trying many of the recipes, so it is going on my wishlist!

What We Ate Last Week #16

2011-04-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

The pantry/freezer/fridge clean out project is mostly complete, although I still have a few items to use up. It was such a good idea that I plan to repeat it each September and March. My new project is to try to actually make many of the recipes I have gathered recently, whether on the internet, from magazines, or in cookbooks. Of course, I will likely do a bit of altering to the originals, because I rarely make a recipe exactly as written. So in upcoming weeks, I will be attempting new recipes, which I will try to mark and include a comment about.

Monday: Papa John's Pizza

Tuesday: Lightlife brand hotdogs with sauerkraut and fries

Wednesday: TVP chowder with potato rolls

Thursday: Sushi salad (an attempt to make a salad that had many of the flavors of sushi - pretty much unsuccessfully!)

Friday: *New Recipe* Lasagna roll-ups with tofu ricotta - a combination of 2 recipes I found on-line. The tofu ricotta was an excellent substitute, although I have since found some simpler versions than the one I made. The lasagna roll-ups were ok, but not as good as regular lasagna, and not really less work as the recipe indicated.

Saturday: *Pescatarian meal* grilled tuna burritos (tuna salad made with green olives, bbq sauce, and mexi-cheese wrapped in tortillas and grilled on the stove top) plus raw veggies on the side

Sunday: Stuffed grape leaves

See Previous Week Menu

Recipe: Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Seitan

2011-03-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

"Sounds good, but ..."
If you are newer to vegetarian eating, or you are just getting started cooking your own meals, you may come across recipes that sound like they would taste good, but contain ingredients you choose to not eat. However, it is surprisingly easy to alter a recipe (for as a wise man once said "cooking is art"*). This recipe, which originally used steak, is one I found in a magazine and tweaked to make it both vegetarian and healthier. The recipe serves 2, but can be easily doubled.

4 oz rotini or penne pasta (whole wheat or other healthy option)

2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
1/2 - 1 onion (depending on size and taste), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, or any combo), diced
1 package WestSoy Seitan cubes, cut into slices

1/2 of 8.5 oz jar sun-dried tomato pesto
6 (or to taste) reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
2 oz crumbled feta (or other crumbled cheese), optional

Cook pasta according to directions.

In non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil. Add onion. Saute for a few minutes. Add peppers and saute until both are tender. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.

Remove veggies from skillet. Heat 2nd Tbsp of oil and cook sliced seitan until brown and warm.

When pasta is done, drain and return to pot. Add in veggies, seitan, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss in cheese if using and serve.

* He followed this statement with "but baking is science" - which was a warning to be careful about following baking recipes exactly, because baking is not very forgiving of experimentation.

What We Ate Last Week #15

2011-03-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Monday: Pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto and seitan ... Recipe to be posted later this week

Tuesday: Manwiches made with TVP, fries, and sauteed spinach

Wednesday: Fajitas made with Morningstar Farms Chik'n Strips, bell peppers, and onions. Served with "refried" beans made in my crockpot. (Another recipe I will share in the future. Much easier to make than you may think, and so much healthier than the canned version!)

Thursday: Bean burritos (cause I had to use up the rest of the beans made the night before).

Friday: Vegetable Lo Mein

Saturday: PBB&J, baby carrots, and pop chips - after lunch out at Sweet Tomatoes (have I mentioned that it is my favorite restaurant?)

Sunday: Scrambled eggs with lots of grilled veggies, Boca sausages, and fried potatoes

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #14

2011-03-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Yep, still trying to work through the pantry/freezer/fridge backlog. Man, I feel like this will be going on forever!

Monday: gardein chick'n filets as sandwiches served with roasted purple potatoes and brussel sprouts

Tuesday: Curry made by mixing Kashi Moroccan Curry envelope (a product I see that the company no longer makes, so I gotta wonder how long it was sitting in my pantry) with lots of veggies like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and sugar snap peas.

Wednesday: Boca burgers, potato salad, and roasted asparagus

Thursday: Frozen pizza (book club night)

Friday: Dinner out at Bennigans (celebrating our son's 22nd birthday, day 1)

Saturday: Dinner out at Pizzeria Unos (celebrating our son's 22nd birthday, day 2, because, yeah, we are pushovers when he drives home from college to visit us)

Sunday: Mixed warm vegetables (bell peppers, onions, etc.) combined with quinoa and served over a spinach salad

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #13

2011-03-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Note for this and upcoming weeks: I am in the process of using up the older food in my freezer, pantry, and fridge, so my meals may be less interesting and even a bit odd.

Monday: Shepherd's Pie (the classic one, made with a combo of Morningstar Farms crumbles - I had a half package left - and TVP)

Tuesday: Buckwheat pancakes, Boca sausage links, and fruit

Wednesday: leftovers (shepherd's pie)

Thursday: Stew (made with seitan) and potato rolls

Friday: Salad made with roasted asparagus, Aunt Nellie's sliced pickled beets, & hard boiled eggs served over mixed greens with a Greek yogurt dressing. (Recipe was slightly adapted from the one on the jar.)

Saturday: Dinner out at Zio's Italian Kitchen

Sunday: Salmon piccata (yep, one of those pescatarian dinners)

See Previous Week Menu

Recipe: Fruit Salad, the Lazy Way

2011-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that I often serve a "fruit salad" about once a week, often when I serve a traditional breakfast type food for dinner. Following is a mix-and-match recipe for fruit salad options.

Select 2 or more fruits

Yes, two or more. Most people think of fruit salad as needing a huge variety of fruits, which is delicious, but is also a lot of work. But, just a few fruits can also be great. Think strawberry and kiwi, pear and orange, or apple and blackberry. Or select a trio of similar fruits: summer berries, winter citrus, or melons.

Add exotic

If you are big fruit eaters like us, these may be common in your house, but, if not, try some less common fruits like mangoes, papayas, figs, starfruit, cherimoya, kumquats, persimmons, pomegranate seeds, etc. Just one can make a fruit salad extra special. Find what is in season, so they taste best and the price isn't exorbitant.

Add canned

It's quick and easy to fill out a fruit salad with some canned or jarred fruits - pineapple and mandarin oranges are great choices, but really any fruit in juice works.

Add dried

A handful of dried fruit (chopped if needed) is great in a fruit salad, whether it's a basic like raisins or dried cranberries, or something less common like papaya, blueberries, or cantaloupe.

Think beyond fruit

Sure, we call it a fruit salad, but you can also add vegetables (jicama, cucumber, fennel, or grated carrots for example) or nuts/seeds! Yum.

Now dress it

(1) In a hurry - just splash the fruit with a juice like lemon, lime, orange, or pineapple.

(2) Try my favorite. 1 small container Greek yogurt, 1 - 2 Tbsp lime juice, and 1/2 - 1 Tbsp honey (or other sweetener). To really perk it up, add 1 tsp - 1 Tbsp cinnamon, cardamon, allspice, etc.

(3) Or for a real taste treat - lime juice, chili powder, and salt! Especially good on a mix of tropical fruits.

What We Ate Last Week #12

2011-03-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

Note for this and upcoming weeks: I am in the process of using up the older food in my freezer, pantry, and fridge, so my meals may be less interesting and even a bit odd.

And, oops, forgot to snap a pic this week!

Monday: Gardenburgers and frozen veggies

Tuesday: Pizza on Boboli whole wheat crust (toppings: Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and olives)

Wednesday: Annie's mac & cheese with Yves hot dogs pieces mixed in + brocolli

Thursday: Quesadillas

Friday: Salad made with chickpeas and toasted strips of pita

Saturday: Grilled cheese, creamy tomato soup, and fruit salad

Sunday: PBB&J, baby carrots, and pop chips (after lunch out at Which Wich)

See Previous Week Menu

Some LazyVeg Updates

2011-03-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

I have done a bit of re-vamping here on the lazyveg.

(1) I made the body a bit wider. Please let me know if I messed it up for your browser (seems to work well in Firefox, and OK in IE).

(2) I added a bookshelf in the left sidebar of the cookbooks I'm currently using regularly. This list should change periodically!

(3) I added the more recent recipes I've posted into the recipe links in the right sidebar.

(4) I finally updated the blog links in the right sidebar. If you sent me an email asking me to list yours but it still isn't there, feel free to email me again. I get copious emails, and some important ones get lost in the flotsam.

Blog link request:

I've received a couple blog link requests from blogs that review restaurants in a particular city/area. I'd like to add a category for these, but would like a few more first. So if you write, or read, a blog of restaurant reviews from a vegetarian/vegan point of view, please send me the link, or leave it here in the comments.

Hope everyone likes the changes!

What We Ate Last Week #11

2011-03-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

Monday: Stir fry (tofu, asparagus, broccoli, etc.) over brown rice

Tuesday: We went to a vegetarian cooking class at Central Market - ate Texas caviar, polenta, potato tomato gratin, and granny smith apple crisp (also had leftovers, including eggplant portobello chili, for lunch the next day).

Wednesday: Morningstar Star Farms turkey burgers, bananayams, and crispy kale

Thursday: Scrambled eggs with chorizo (Yves brand), toast, and fruit slices

Friday: PBB&J sandwiches, carrots, and popchips (after lunch out at Sweet Tomatoes - my favorite restaurant!)

Saturday: Went to Chipoltle (Did you get that B1G1 coupon last week? I couldn't pass that one up - love getting their vegetarian bowl, even though it's pretty unusual for us to eat out twice in 1 week, especially 2 days in a row!)

Sunday: Baked tofu strips (with lemon pepper seasoning) served in pitas with lots of veggies, plus canned Progresso soup (yep, went the easy route, instead of making my own)

Note for upcoming weeks: I spent yesterday making a detailed inventory of all the food I have in my pantry, freezer, and fridge that needs to get used up sooner, rather than later. I will be planning around these items, so I may have some weird meals in the near future!

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #10

2011-02-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Monday: Tuna casserole (one of those pescatarian days)

Tuesday: Veggie muffalettas (grilled portabellas, bell peppers, & onions with chopped olives and spinach on grilled pitas) and leftover bean soup

Wednesday: Nachos

Thursday: Tortellini with homemade sauce (portabella & shitake mushrooms, canned diced tomatoes, garlic, and chopped spinach + a little red wine)

Friday: Waffles, Boca sausage, and fruit salad

Saturday: Went to Zoes Kitchen - if you have one of these near you, give it a try - healthier than usual fast food, with lots of vegetarian options ($20 for dinner for 2)

Sunday: Chorizo (Yves brand) pumpkin stew & spinach/couscous salad

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #9

2011-02-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

Monday: Lasagna made with a combination of TVP and Lightlife sausage with spinach

Tuesday: Leftover Lasagna

Wednesday: Quesadillas

Thursday: Homemade 15 bean soup and mixed green salad

Friday: Pizza made on flatout bread

Saturday: Boca hamburgers (with pepper jack cheese, bbq sauce, & jalapenos), roasted potatoes and asparagus (used Mrs Dash Caribbean Citrus seasoning on these, which was yummy)

Sunday: Dinner at India Grill (buffet)

See Previous Week Menu

Recipe: Enchiladas

2011-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Using several other recipes as reference, and a few of my own ideas, I've created a fairly easy, and not that unhealthy, vegetarian version of chicken enchiladas. Recipe makes 4 generous servings.

A few notes and variations:

Cheese - I use 2% 4 cheese shredded Mexican blend when making this recipe. You could easily use a combination of cheeses (cheddar, monterey jack, colby) or vegan versions of these (make sure they melt well). You might even want to use a lower calorie/fat cheese, but maybe only to replace some of the cheese in the recipe. My recipe uses about half the cheese (or less) than the recipes I started with, but I don't feel it sacrifices taste.

Chik'n - I use Morningstar Farms Recipe Starters Chik'n Strips. Although I haven't tried it yet, I believe you could bake small cubes of extra firm tofu with Mexican-style seasonings and replace the chik'n with that. Or substitute a variety of firm mushrooms cut into small chunks and sauteed. Or use a well-rinsed can of beans (such as black, pinto, kidney, or black soybean).

Enchilada sauce - I found a vegetarian version of red enchilada sauce that isn't too heavy on the salt, but there are many recipes out there to make you own, if you prefer. Also, I mix a small can of sauce with a can of diced tomatoes, but you could use double enchilada sauce instead. Of course, green enchilada sauce is also an option.

16 corn tortillas, 5" - I prefer the "extra thin" variety
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 cups Mexican 4 cheese blend 2% shredded cheese (8 oz package)
1 small can, 4 oz, diced green chilies (or jalapenos)
1 package Morningstar Farms chik'n strips, cooked in a tiny amount of oil in a non stick pan, then chopped/shredded into small pieces
1 package (10 oz box or 12 oz bag) frozen chopped spinach: thawed, drained, and extra water squeezed out
10 oz can red enchilada sauce
14.5 oz can diced (or petite diced) no-salt-added tomatoes, quick drained (ok to leave some liquid)

Lightly oil the bottom of a 13"x9" pan or casserole dish. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine diced onions, cheese, green chilies, cooked and cut up chik'n strips, and thawed and drained spinach. Combine well.

Using a damp folded paper towel, heat the tortillas in microwave in groups of 4 for 20 - 30 sec.

Fill the tortillas generously with the filling, rolling and placing seam side down in dish.

Use same bowl to mix together enchilada sauce and diced tomatoes. Pour on top of filled tortillas, making sure that no tortilla spots are left completely dry.

Cover with foil and bake 15 min, then remove foil and bake another 10 - 15 min.

What We Ate Last Week #8

2011-02-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Monday: Egg & sausage (Lightlife) English muffin sandwiches & fruit salad

Tuesday: Homemade black bean soup & Caesar salad

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: frozen pizza

Friday: Fried rice made with broccoli (lots) and sun-dried tomatoes

Saturday: Taco salad

Sunday: Dinner at Superbowl party!

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #7

2011-02-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Monday: Tofu curry salad ( a baked tofu version of a chicken salad using Greek yogurt - quite yummy) on a bed of mixed greens

Tuesday: Blueberry pancakes, eggs, and fruit

Wednesday: Spaghetti with (vegetarian) Italian sausage

Thursday: Enchiladas made with Morningstar Farms chik'n strips, spinach, and cheese (recipe coming)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: frozen pizza (after a busy day at the Ft Worth rodeo and stock show)

Sunday: Morningstar Farms riblets and mashed sweet potatoes

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #6

2011-01-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Vacation, holidays, and 3 different illnesses have interrupted my weekly menus, but I'm finally back!

Monday: Papa John's Pizza (light cheese, lots of veggies)

Tuesday: Three Bean Chili & cornbread (w/ green chilies)

Wednesday: Pasta Della California (from Veganomicon cookbook)

Thursday: Baked potatoes with leftover chili and a little shredded mexi-cheese

Friday: Morningstar Farms grilled turkey burgers, fries, and sauteed spinach

Saturday: Italianni's Restaurant (thanks to Groupon deal!)

Sunday: Green Curry made with asparagus and sweet potatoes (if you make this, I recommend boiling the sweet potato chunks first before adding to stir fry). Served over brown rice made in my new awesome Zojirushi rice cooker!

See Previous Week Menu

Recipe: TVP Chowder

2011-01-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

This recipe was my attempt to create a vegetarian (vegan) version of a ham chowder my mom used to make. It was a real "comfort food" for me growing up. Although vegetarian versions of ham exist, they are mostly available for restaurants, rather than consumers. They also tend to be an unhealthy option. I instead made this using TVP chunks (actually NOW brand TSP chunks). Not that the result tastes like ham at all, but I thought it was a satisfying winter meal. If you want a low sodium meal, just make sure that broth and corn is low salt or salt-free.

1 lb potatoes (any variety), cut into chunks and boiled for 10 - 15 min, until soft (use a large enough pot for all ingredients)

As potatoes are finishing, combine:

1 cup hot vegetable broth (or hot water with vegetable bouillon cube)
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup TVP chunks

Drain potatoes and add to the pot:

1 can creamed corn
1 can corn, drained (or frozen corn kernels)
TVP chunks that have soaked for a few minutes, discard extra broth
plenty of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup soy milk

Heat over medium for 10 - 15 minutes. Add more soy milk if needed/desired.

Serve with hearty bread and a salad or greens. Serves 3 - 4.

Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Soup (+ cookbook review)

2010-11-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great fall soup that is super easy to make, this one is it. This recipe is from the cookbook Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food which is an amazing cookbook! I borrowed it from the library and loved the recipes I made so much that it's now on my Christmas wish list. For example, I never even considered making enchiladas myself until I got this cookbook, and the result was so delicious, we will be eating them regularly. Give this cookbook a try; I don't think you will be disappointed.

My version of the soup recipe is almost identical to the one in the cookbook, with just a couple lazyveg-tweaks. (I just can't help it.)

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 14 oz can lite coconut milk
1 cup vegetable stock (I use Imagine brand low sodium)
3 packets Splenda (or 2-3 Tbsp of your sweetener of choice)
1 tsp red pepper flakes (which is pretty spicy, use less if desired)

Whisk together in a stockpot. Bring to a low boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 min (or more is fine if you are cooking the rest of dinner).

Makes 2 - 4 servings.

What We Ate Last Week #5

2010-11-09T06:55:00.000-08:00

Notes:

1. If it's before 11/25/2010, you can still enter my most recent contest and win a t-shirt of your choice from fibers.com!

2. There will not be a post next week, because we are vacationing.

Monday: French toast, Morningstar Farms sausage, and sliced mangoes

Tuesday: Tuna casserole (remember, we are pescatarians, so we do eat the occasional fish recipe)

Wednesday: BLATs (soy bacon, of course) and delicious spicy pumpkin soup (recipe coming soon)

Thursday: Pizza on a store bought whole wheat thin crust with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives

Friday: Fried rice with broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes

Saturday: another "fake it" dinner after lunch out - I believe it was PBB&J yet again

Sunday: Tacos (made with TVP and Mrs Dash seasoning) and refried black beans

See Previous Week Menu

What We Ate Last Week #4

2010-11-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Monday: Fajitas made with Morningstar Farms chik'n strips

Tuesday: Pizza on a store bought whole wheat thin crust with spinach, mushrooms, and olives

Wednesday: Spinach and roasted sweet potato salad (has a warm dressing salad made with fake bacon) - delicious!

Thursday: Moussaka (a casserole made with eggplant and TVP) served with warm pita bread

Friday: Stuffed peppers (filled with salsa, brown rice, and kidney beans and cooked in a crockpot)

Saturday: Went to a Halloween party and ate there

Sunday: Leftover moussaka

See Previous Week Menu

Contest - Win a T-shirt from Fibers.com!

2010-10-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

This week (October 24 - 31) is the 5th annual "World Go Vegan Week"! Although all my meals planned this week aren't vegan, I have been slowly increasing the vegan dishes in our diet.

So, in celebration of Vegan Week, fibers.com has generously offered to sponsor a contest. The winner will receive a $35 voucher to purchase a t-shirt.

Fibers.com is a great website where you can create your own custom shirt (how cool is that!) or purchase a shirt from the many designs available. Plus you can put that design on everything from a t-shirt to a hoodie to even a bib for your baby! They have lots of color choices, too.

Just as an example, here's a product I would love:

Please read the following rules carefully to enter!

(1) US and Canada addresses only.

(2) To enter, first visit one of these links

Vegan t-shirts
Vegetarian t-shirts

(3) Then, leave a comment below describing a vegan/vegetarian design that you like.

(4) Be sure that either your blogger account includes an email link, or leave your email address in your comment. If I can't contact you, I'll have to select a new winner!

(5) One entry per person, 18 years old + (If younger than 18, please ask a parent or guardian to enter for you.)

(6) Entries will be accepted through 11/25/2010 at midnight. I will send an email to the winner, who will have one week to reply. Once you verify your email, I will forward it to the company so they can email you the $35 voucher.

Good luck!

Also, just leave one comment! I moderate comments, so it may take some time for your comment to appear on the blog. Thanks.

What We Ate Last Week #3

2010-10-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

Monday: Spring Mix Greens Salad with Tropical Fruits (uses mango, papaya, avocado, and jicama in a lime dressing) plus baguette slices spread with a light Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

Tuesday: Pitas stuffed with hummus, lemon pepper flavored tofu strips, and lettuce plus what was supposed to be a spinach soup, but was more of a "creamed spinach".

Wednesday: Three Bean Chili and cornbread

Thursday: Nachos made with leftover chili

Friday: Waffles, Morningstar Farms sausage, kiwi and strawberry fruit salad topped with Greek yogurt

Saturday: after eating lunch out, we decided to have a "fake it" dinner, which this week was PBB&J sandwiches with baby carrots

Sunday: Mushroom Pasta served over wild mushroom fettuccine (rather than penne) plus garlic bread

See Previous Week Menu

Recipe: Shake and Bake Tofu

2010-10-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

My favorite method of cooking tofu is to bake it, mostly because it is less messy than pan frying, but also because it creates a nice texture. It really helps to cook on parchment paper (or with a reusable non-stick liner) to prevent sticking and make clean up easy. This recipe is slightly adapted from the cookbook, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet.

1 package extra firm tofu, pressed, then cut into cutlets, sticks, strips, or cubes

1/4 cup wheat germ (or use unseasoned bread crumbs, panko crumbs, crushed all-bran or Fiber One cereal, etc.)
1/2 - 1 tsp salt-free seasoning (you can use any flavor that complements your dish)

Put wheat germ and seasoning in a plastic bag. Adding small amounts at a time, shake to coat each tofu piece. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or lightly oiled).

Bake at 425 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes.

Some suggestions for use:

Mix cubes in with a stir-fry or chill and toss with a salad.
Serve sticks with a dipping sauce.
Cutlets make a nice main dish, in a sandwich, or served on top of a salad or pasta dish.
Strips are delicious in a wrap (especially good with lemon pepper seasoning).

What We Ate Last Week #2

2010-10-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

We had company for part of last week, so I forgot (or was too busy) to take photos. I also remade curry, since this is a dish we thought would be popular with our guests.

Monday: Baked sweet potatoes topped with canned vegetarian chili and sauteed spinach

Tuesday: Quinoa salad with autumn fruits over spring mix greens

Wednesday: Tofurky kielbasa with sauerkraut and potato salad made with Greek yogurt

Thursday: hummus sandwiches at Which Wich (love that place!)

Friday: Arugula Pasta and garlic bread

Saturday: after eating a large lunch out, we decided to have a "fake it" dinner, so a combo of leftovers and sandwiches

Sunday: Thai Green Curry with brown rice

See Previous Week Menu

Making Soup

2010-10-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this fall/winter is to make my own soup every week or two. You may be thinking, "how could that be lazy?" But, to tell the truth, it's much easier than you may think. I do use some convenience foods - like Imagine brand low sodium vegetable stock (now a staple in my house) and some canned or frozen vegetables. I also look for recipes that use just a few ingredients.

For example, I recently made this asparagus soup. I made a half recipe, which was just right for dinner with a sandwich. That's my "Parisian sub" recipe, with arugula added.

I do want to get (1) a medium size stock pot without a non-stick surface and (2) an immersion blender - mostly to cut down on cleanup time, and because my regular blender is the one we got as a wedding gift 24 years ago (and, well, the motor smells like it's burning and the base leaks a little).

So, expect some soup recipes over the next few months.

Quick update from my last post: I am back on my feet, and my seat, with only moderate lingering pain, so I think my tailbone was not broken, just bruised.

Just To Keep You Updated ...

2010-10-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

So, last week -

My husband started the week working the 2 AM - 11 AM shift (and sleeping through dinnertime)

then -

We had a vacation day, went to a baseball game, and, due to traffic, stopped at Soup 'n Salad for dinner

then -

I fell in my bathroom and (probably) broke my tailbone. (My not-so-great Dr's office felt there was no reason to x-ray since there is nothing they can do for a broken tailbone, except wait for it to heal.)

So, we have been eating frozen dinners, sandwiches, takeout, etc. And I am typing this kneeling on the floor in front of my computer, because I still can't sit!

I will return to the "what we ate last week" as soon as I can do something besides lie on my side.

Recipe: Flexible Thai Green Curry

2010-10-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Adapted from a recipe in "The 30-Minute Vegan" cookbook.

As written, recipe makes 4 servings.

1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1/2 - 1 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp canola oil + 1 Tbsp sesame oil (or 2 Tbsp canola)
1 cup sliced carrots (or halved baby carrots)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups chopped bok choy or Chinese (napa) cabbage
1 cup basil leaves (larger ones halved)

Optional additional vegetables: 1 eggplant, cubed; 1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces; mushrooms, whole or quartered; sweet potatoes, cubed.

2 - 3 Tbsp green curry paste
1 can coconut milk (I always use a lite, unsweetened one)
red pepper flakes, to taste (I use about 1 tsp)

Heat oil in wok or large skillet (med-hi) and pan-fry tofu cubes until brown. Remove and set aside. (Alternately, you can toss tofu cubes in oil and bake in a 350 degree oven or toaster oven for 30 min.)

Heat remaining oil (med). Add vegetables and cook until they are done (if you are using eggplant or sweet potatoes, cook these first before adding the rest of vegetables). Add the reserved tofu cubes, coconut milk, green curry paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 - 10 more minutes. Serve over rice (preferably brown).

To make 2 servings: use half the tofu and oil, reduce vegetables as desired, and use between 1/2 and 1 can coconut milk. I sometimes have used part of the can for a soup recipe, and plan this as a second meal that week.

What We Ate Last Week #1

2010-09-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

I liked the idea suggested by a reader to include pictures of our meals, so I will try to include 1 or 2 pictures each week.

Monday - leftover Papa John's pizza

Tuesday - eggs, Morningstar Farms sausage, apple slices, and toast (this is what I ate, my husband made migas for himself)

Wednesday - shepherd's pie (the traditional style, made with TVP rather than crumbles, see recipe link at right)

Thursday - shake & bake tofu, baked sweet potatoes, and sauteed spinach with raisins and pine nuts

Friday - leftover shepherd's pie

Saturday - PBB&J, baby carrots and popchips (we had lunch out, so we wanted something easy)

Sunday - Thai green curry (a recipe requested before which I am committing to post later this week) over brown rice

Lazy Veg Changes Directions ... Kind Of

2010-09-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've been away for a while. Guess since I'm pretty upfront about the "lazy" aspect of my nature, I don't need to make any excuses! (Let's just say I had some personal issues I needed to wrap my head around.)

Posting the meal plans was fun, but it felt like a lot of pressure. Maybe I should stick to posting what we ate last week rather than what we will be eating. I'll see how that goes - although I expect I will not post absolutely every week. (And I know at least one reader who will not like this idea as well ... hi E!)

I'd also like to do more product reviews, cookbook reviews, and actual recipes! Wouldn't that be nice?

So, the title of this post ...

I have really been doing some switching in my cooking. It all started this spring when my doctor mentioned off-hand that my blood pressure was "a little high". Knowing that I am genetically predisposed to high blood pressure, I thought it was probably time to cut back on sodium, along with the other healthy diet changes we have made.

Well, to that end, I have been slowly making the following changes:

Mrs Dash seasonings are my new best friend. Whether I'm seasoning roasted veggies or making tacos, I can get a great flavor salt-free. (Oh yes, you can skip the taco or fajita flavoring packets and make it yourself with water, Mrs Dash, and some flour for thickening when needed.)
When using canned items, I buy the lowest sodium option possible, and make sure I rinse when I can.
I'm using less processed foods and more fresh - although still being as lazy as I can.
I try to plan 4 meals a week that are high vegetable, whole grain, & low sodium, 2 that I would call "comfort" or "convenient," and 1 for eating out, leftovers, etc.
Because many meat analogues are high in sodium, I am using more tofu, and starting to use TVP.

OK, here we go ... again ....

Weekly Meal Plan (4/5/2010)

2010-04-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Don't forget: Enter my April / May Contest here!

General notes for weekly meal plans

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th is often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 4/5/2010

Well, I'm a day late posting this, but I'll include last night's meal anyhow. Feeling extra lazy this week, so I'm sticking to easy classics.

(1) Egg salad sandwiches and soup

(2) Stew in my crock pot (V-8 based recipe) using gardein beef tips and bakery bread

(3) Broccoli and carrot pasta -- a lazy veg recipe

(4) Shrimp tacos and re-fried beans

(5) Baked potatoes topped with canned vegetarian chili and sauteed spinach

(6) Hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls, french fries, and frozen veggies

April/May Contest - Echiomega - Vegetarian Omega 3 Supplement

2010-04-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

If you currently take (or would like to start taking) omega supplements for heart health, high cholesterol/triglycerides, inflammation, arthritis, macular degeneration, or another condition - this contest is for you!

Echiomega is a vegetarian formulation of omega fatty acids, which delivers superior health benefits over the commonly available vegetarian oil preparations. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans, those allergic to fish, or really just anyone.

Echiomega provides SDA-rich echium seed oil. The omega-3 fat SDA is a closer relative to EPA and DHA found in fish oil, and converts to these long-chain fats up to 5 times more than ALA in flaxseed oil.

What You Can Win:

There will be 4 winners.
One person will win a 3 month supply (worth over £35/$55).
Three other people will each win a one month supply.

General Rules for Echiomega Contest Entry:

(1) US, Canada, and UK addresses are eligible to enter this contest.

(2) Each household can get two entries (see details below).

(3) Ages 18+ only for this contest.

(4) If you don't have a blogger account with an email address link (you may want to check your profile), be sure to leave your email in the comment so I can contact you if you are a winner. Don't forget this step; I cannot add you to my spreadsheet if I don't have your email address, so you will not be able to win!

(5) Entries will be accepted through midnight 5/31/2010.

(6) 4 winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winners will be contacted by email and given 72 hours to respond. If the first selected winner(s) do not respond in that time, alternative winner(s) will be picked.

How to Enter (you must do the 1st one, and may also do the 2nd):

First entry:

Leave a comment on this post. You must answer the 2 questions below to be eligible.

Visit the website for Echiomega and share something you learned about the product.
If you are not a selected winner, may I forward your email to the sponsor so they may send you a discount offer?

Second entry:

Blog about this contest (with a link to it, of course) and leave a second comment with a link to your post.
If you don't have a blog, you can promote this contest through any appropriate online community (vegetarian, food, diet, health, contests, etc). As long as you leave a comment that provides a link that I can check out and info to let me know that it's you (like your screen name), I'll take it as a 2nd entry.

Thanks and Good Luck!

Weekly Meal Plan (3/29/2010)

2010-03-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Be sure to scroll down and enter my March contest - just 3 more days to get your entry in!

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th is often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 3/29/2010

Due to sickness last week, we didn't get around to a couple of the planned recipes, so they are reappearing this week.

(1) *New Recipe* Curried tofu salad over mixed greens (I'm adapting this from a curried chicken salad recipe, but using baked tofu instead)

(2) Meatloaf Wellington (a recipe I plan to add to the site as soon as I perfect it) and roasted veggies

(3) Stirfry (made with frozen stirfry veggies, sauteed tofu, and stirfry sauce) served over brown rice with vegetable eggrolls

(4) *New recipe* Moussaka (which I will attempt to adapt from several online recipes, including healthy and vegan versions) ... wish me luck

(5) *New recipe* Pasta Primavera (made with lemon pepper fettuccini)

(6) Salmon burgers, steak fries, and sauteed spinach

Weekly Meal Plan (3/22/2010)

2010-03-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

Be sure to scroll down and enter my March contest! And, oh yeah, requested recipes are coming soon, honest.

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th is often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 3/22/2010

(1) Spaghetti w/ Italian sausage and garlic bread

(2) Chicken & mushroom Zürcher Geschnetzeltes over spaetzle (using Morningstar Farms Chik Strips and a Knorr Fix envelope purchased at our local German Deli - you can also order from them online)

(3) Meatloaf Wellington and frozen veggies (a recipe I plan to add to the site as soon as I perfect it)

(4) Buffalo wings po'boys ( a lazy veg recipe, being made for the first time with gardein brand buffalo wings) and roasted veggies

(5) Egg, cheese, & sausage English muffin sandwiches and fruit salad

(6) *New Recipe* Curried tofu salad over mixed greens (I'm adapting this from a curried chicken salad recipe, but using baked tofu instead)

Weekly Meal Plan (3/15/2010)

2010-03-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Be sure to scroll down and enter my March contest!

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th is often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 3/15/2010

(1) Thai green curry over brown rice

(2) Breakfast tacos and home fries

(3) Lasagna (made with spinach and Italian sausage)

(4) Philly cheese steaks (Lazy Veg recipe, see sidebar -- made with seitan) and fruit salad

(5) Salmon cakes, spinach, and baked sweet potatoes

(6) Leftover lasagna

Weekly Meal Plan (3/8/2010)

2010-03-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

Be sure to scroll down and enter my March contest!

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th if often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 3/8/2010

(1) Grilled mahi-mahi, mac&cheese, eggplant (never had this last week, so it has been bumped to this week)

(2) Pasta with Arugula (a Lazy Veg recipe, see sidebar)

(3) Morningstar Farms riblet sandwiches, french fries, sauteed spinach

(4) Chili (may use a new recipe, or the one in the sidebar) and cornbread

(5) Nachos made with leftover chili

(6) Quesadillas (another Lazy Veg recipe)

March Contest - VeggieMealMaker.com

2010-03-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

VeggieMealMaker.com is a new vegetarian and vegan meal planning website. Every week, you get a fantastic meal plan with recipes, plus a shopping list and a price comparison for many major grocery stores.

I participated in beta testing for the site and really liked the recipes offered, which are generally easy and nutritious. Our favorite recipe was the Bowtie Asparagus Pasta. I made it with 4 oz of pasta (to serve 2) and reduced the soymilk/water a bit, but kept the spices and vegetables at the original recipe amounts (being the vegetable fan that I am). I loved the "creamy" sauce that was dairy-free. We will definitely make this one again.

What You Can Win:

There will be 3 winners.
One person will win a 3 month free subscription ($19 value).
Two other people will each win a one month free subscription ($8 value).

General Rules for VeggieMealMaker Contest Entry:

(1) All countries are eligible to enter this contest.

(2) Each household can get two entries (see details below).

(3) If you are under 18, be sure to check with a parent or guardian before entering.

(4) If you don't have a blogger account with an email address link, be sure to leave your email in the comment so I can contact you if you are a winner. Don't forget this step; I cannot add you to my spreadsheet if I don't have your email address, so you will not be able to win!

(5) Entries will be accepted through midnight 3/31/2010.

(6) 3 winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winners will be contacted by email and given 72 hours to respond. If the first selected winner(s) do not respond in that time, alternative winner(s) will be picked.

How to Enter (you may do one or both):

First entry:

Leave a comment on this post. You must answer the questions below to be eligible.

After visiting the demo My Meal Plan page on VeggieMealMaker.com, answer the two following questions in your comment:

How much does your family spend each week on groceries?
Describe your family's meal planning strategy in a few short sentences.

Second entry:

Go to the subscription page of VeggieMealMaker.com.

Sign up for the free one week trial (no credit card required) of either the vegetarian or vegan meal plan.

After signing up for your free trial, go to the Contact Us page and send a message that says "lazy vegetarian." This is a required step to get a second entry!

*Note* VeggieMealMaker.com will then give me your email to add to my spreadsheet to select the winners. (You do not need to leave another comment below.)

Thanks and Good Luck!

Weekly Meal Plan (3/1/2010)

2010-03-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th if often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 3/1/2010

(1) *New Recipe* Quinoa salad served on mixed greens

(2) Vegetable pizza on flat wraps (Flatout brand)

(3) French toast, sausage, and fruit salad

(4) *New Recipe* Paninis (hummus, spinach, mushroom, etc) and soup

(5) Eggplant Parmesan over spaghetti

(6)Grilled mahi-mahi, mac&cheese, frozen veggies

Recipe: Quick Puttanesca Sauce

2010-02-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

If you are tired of serving jarred spaghetti sauce on your pasta and want another quick option, try this!

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic & onion

Note: Of course you can also use plain diced tomatoes and either add a little onion and/or garlic or garlic powder and dried minced onions. Also, if you'd like a thicker sauce, try diced tomatoes in tomato sauce.

Heat over medium, and add the following items, to taste. (I use the larger amounts, but I thought I'd give a range for those who aren't the olive/caper fans that we are.)

5 - 10 sliced green olives (any variety)
5 - 10 sliced black olives (any variety)
1 - 2 Tbsp capers
1/4 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Once heated either serve over your pasta, or mix the pasta in first and then serve.

Weekly Meal Plan (2/22/2010)

2010-02-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

I know that weekly meal plans are fairly popular on blogs, so I was thinking about starting it here. Is this something you, the reader, would like? Please let me know in the comments!

General notes

Remember we are actually pescatarians, so don't be shocked or offended by the 1 or 2 fish based recipes included each week.

Feel free to request in the comments that I post any recipe that you'd like to see. If it's labeled as a "new recipe," I'll only post if I enjoyed it, of course.

I generally plan 6 meals a week, since the 7th if often eaten out, or leftovers, or something quick like peanut butter.

Week of 2/22/2010

(1) Greek salad with flat bread and hummus

(2) Chicken (Morningstar Farms strips) fajitas with vegetarian refried beans

(3) Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Penne

(4) *New Recipe* Seitan Stifado over rice (cookbook - Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker)

(5) Eggs, vegetarian sausage, toast, and (probably) fruit salad

(6) Chicken Club Ranch Subs (a lazy veg recipe, see sidebar) with soup

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie - 2 Versions

2010-02-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

I have become a huge fan of shepherd's pie (mentioned before in a cookbook review), and was especially excited when I found a second version.

For both recipes start with:

1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 package Morningstar Farms Recipe Crumbles
1 package frozen mixed veggies (the classic version with peas, carrots, corn, etc., usually 10 oz)

Heat oil in large skillet. Cook onion until tender. Add Crumbles, cook until defrosted. Add veggies, cook until defrosted.

Version 1 (Classic)

Add in a can of mushroom gravy (about 15 oz) or shepherd's pie envelope/mushroom gravy envelope mixed with approx 1 cup water (whatever envelope says to use). I use Colman's brand shepherd's pie envelope, which is sold at my local Kroger's and is vegetarian-friendly. You will have to check ingredients on other brands!

Season with freshly ground pepper and salt, if desired.

Transfer mixture to a covered casserole dish. Spoon warmed mashed potatoes on top. You can use leftover mash, make your own, or use a prepared package. (I suppose you can even use instant, if you like that sort of thing.) Use about 4 servings worth of mashed potatoes.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If you want, remove the cover for the last 10 minutes to brown the potatoes a bit, but this is optional.

This recipe makes 4 generous servings, or more not-so-generous servings.

Version 2 (Indian)

Add in a jar of Jalfrezi sauce, approx 12 - 15 oz. If using a smaller jar, add some water too. I really like the Shere Khan brand, sold in a pouch, but any brand will do. (World Market is a good source, if your local grocery store doesn't carry any.) You can also use a curry sauce. Again, check the ingredient list!

Add a can of well-drained diced tomatoes.

Season with pepper and salt, if desired.

Transfer to a covered casserole dish. Spoon mashed sweet potatoes on top, approximately 4 servings worth. I like making mine using Ore-Ida steam and mash, then mixing in 1/3 cup soy milk and 1/2 tsp ginger. But again, you can use prepared sweet potatoes or make your own.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If you want, remove the cover for the last 10 minutes to brown the potatoes a bit, but this is optional.

This recipe makes at least 4 generous servings.

Other options:

Combine parsnips with potatoes to make your mash.
Use a different frozen mixed vegetable.
Add the diced tomatoes to the classic version.
Use TVP rather than the Crumbles.
If short on time, serve directly from the skillet (be sure everything is well-heated) and top with hot mash.

January Contest - Kenzoil Olive Oil

2010-01-03T12:31:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity* to sample Kenzoil - a delicious new seasoned olive oil. It's a combination of extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, garlic, and spices. It can be used on salads, pasta, vegetables, bread, and much more! Kenzoil is vegan, low sodium, natural, gluten-free, sugar-free, and preservative-free.

Kenzoil can be purchased at Whole Foods Market in the Midwest (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska), plus some additional stores in Michigan. It can also be purchased online direct from their website.

1 person will win 2 large bottles of Kenzoil (10 oz each) - a $14 value! If you are the selected winner, I will request your address, which I will forward to the company, and then they will ship you the bottles. No catches (no spam)!

Rules for contest entry:

US and Canada Addresses Only!!

(1) You may enter 1 time per household. If you are a minor, be sure to check with a parent or guardian first.

(2) To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment needs to answer the two following questions:

#1 - Stop by their website, check out the recipes, and tell me which recipe you would try first.

#2 - Tell which of the following age ranges you fall into:

18 or under
19 - 25
26 - 40
41 - 59
60+

(3) If you don't have a blogger account with an email address link, be sure to leave your email in the comment so I can contact you if you are a winner. Don't forget this step; I've had winners before that I am unable to contact, so someone else wins instead!

(4) Entries will be accepted through midnight 1/31/2010.

(5) 1 winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winner will be contacted by email and given 72 hours to respond with a mailing address. If the first selected winner does not respond in that time, an alternative winner will be picked.

Good luck, everyone!

* I was sent a free small bottle to try by the company.

Contest! Win Dr. McDougall's Soups

2009-10-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to try the newest offering from Dr. McDougall's: Ready to Serve Soup.

1 person will win a box containing a soup of each of the 7 new flavors (a box is 2 servings). If you are the selected winner, I will request your address, which I will forward to the company, and then they will ship you the soups. No catches (no spam)!

Here are 6 of the new flavors:

So far we have tried the vegetable and the roasted pepper tomato soups. They were both delicious, better than most of the canned soups we usually eat. The vegetable soup had nice-sized chunks of a variety of vegetables. The roasted pepper tomato had just a little kick that made it feel like a grown-up version of classic tomato soup. I especially like that the soups clearly state that they are vegetarian, so I wouldn't have to read through the ingredient list, or hope that "natural flavors" are meat-free!

Rules for contest entry:

US Entries Only!!

(1) You may enter 1 time per household. If you are a minor, be sure to check with a parent or guardian first.

(2) To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment needs to answer the two following questions:

What is something you like about these soups or the company? Visit Right Foods, and find a positive nutrition, packaging, environmental, or other fact that makes you happy about trying these soups. Although a unique fact is not required to enter, they are certainly appreciated!
How many dinners a week do you (or your significant other) cook at home (even lazy dinners count)?

(3) If you don't have a blogger account with an email address link, be sure to leave your email in the comment so I can contact you if you are a winner.

(4) Entries will be accepted through midnight 11/30/2009.

(5) 1 winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winner will be contacted by email and given 72 hours to respond with a mailing address. If the first selected winner does not respond in that time, an alternative winner will be picked.

Good luck, everyone!

Recipe: Roasted Root Veggies with Spinach

2009-10-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from one in "The Hippy Gourmet's Quick and Simple Cookbook." It's a decent pescatarian cookbook that isn't really very "quick" but I am slowly simplifying my favorite recipes from it.

Select any combination of the following vegetables. I find it helps to chop one at a time and make sure they fit on the baking tray you are using in a single layer. (I used my largest jelly roll pan.) All vegetables should be washed, peeled if needed, and cut into large chunks. If you have not cooked with parsnips or turnips before, this is a great recipe to try them in! (We especially loved the parsnips, so don't be shy.)

1 - 2 russet potatoes
1 - 2 sweet potatoes
2 - 3 carrots
2 - 3 parsnips
1 - 2 turnips

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Herbs of choice, optional (I used about 1 - 2 tsps of Herbes de Provence)
1/2 package of baby spinach

Saving 1 tsp of the oil, sprinkle the rest on the cut up veggies of the baking tray. Using clean hands, mix until the oil coats the veggies. Add salt, pepper, and herbs (if desired).

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes. Right before veggies are done, take the spinach and mix with the 1 tsp oil. Add salt and pepper if desired. Stir veggies and lay the spinach on top. Return to heated (but turned off) oven and watch until spinach wilts. Mix spinach into veggies and serve.

I served this with gardein tuscan breasts:

Contest! Win Dominex "The Eggplant People" Coupons!

2009-10-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Can't wait to see if you won to try these products? Email sales@dominexeggplant.com and say in the subject line “The lazy vegetarian sent me here.” Include your mailing address, and they will mail you a $1.50 off coupon for Dominex products.

I had the opportunity to try new products from Dominex "The Eggplant People". And they have generously given me coupons to give away to my readers.

2 people will win 2 coupons each. Each coupon is for a FREE product. The coupons do not have a price limit, nor do they have an expiration date. (My store sold the products for about $5 each, so that would make the value of each prize around $10.) If you are the selected winner, I will request your address and mail the coupons to you. No catches!

We tried both the meatballs and the eggplant cutlets.

The meatballs were an excellent texture, stayed together well when heated, and tasted quite good. There is definitely an eggplant flavor to them, but that was a plus as far as I was concerned. 5 meatballs (1/3 of the package) have 90 calories and 9 grams protein, so a healthy addition to a pasta dinner. I also had the third serving as a meatball sub, which was yummy!

I served the cutlets as a main dish with baked potatoes topped with broccoli. My husband said he would of preferred them as eggplant Parmesan. He also felt the breading was a little thick, although I liked it. We both liked the taste, and felt they made a quick dinner if you don't have the time to slice and cook eggplant yourself. The cutlet box says it includes 5 servings at 100 calories each, but I would say it is more like 3 servings if served as a main dish.

Rules for contest entry:

(1) You may enter 1 time per household. If you are a minor, be sure to check with a parent or guardian first.

(2) To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment needs to answer the two following questions:

What store in your area carries Dominex products? Visit Dominex, click on retail locations, and check your state. I ask this because I want to make sure that the winner will be able to use the coupons.
How do you define your diet? (Vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, omnivore, etc.)

(3) If you don't have a blogger account with an email address link, be sure to leave your email in the comment so I can contact you if you are a winner.

(4) Entries will be accepted through midnight 10/31/2009.

(5) 2 winners will be selected from all correct entries. Winners will be contacted by email and given 72 hours to respond with a mailing address. If the first selected winners do not respond in that time, alternative winners will be picked.

Good luck, everyone!

Want to Share a Recipe?

2009-09-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

I'm interested in having my readers share their own lazy recipes. It's not just due to my own laziness, but because I struggle to create or find (and try) recipes that I love enough to share on here. The result is that sometimes many months go by before I have something new to post, and readers think I've abandoned the blog!

How do I share a recipe?

Email your recipe to annelouise64(at)gmail(dot)com. (You know what I mean ...)

What determines if my recipe is "lazy" worthy?

I will be looking for:

fairly easy to find ingredients that aren't exorbitant in price (aren't we ALL watching our money nowadays?)
limited number of ingredients (it doesn't have to be "5 or under", but not, say, twenty)
use of healthy "processed" foods (for example, I love items like Uncle Ben's brown rice pre-made in a packet)
written in standard recipe format (but excruciating cooking details can be skipped)
and, of course, it should both taste great and be reasonably nutritious.

I'm still not sure if my recipe is "too difficult" or "too lazy"?

I struggle with that too. So here is my range ...

Sometimes for dinner we bake potatoes in the microwave and then pour canned vegetarian chili over them and sprinkle on some grated cheese. I consider that "too lazy" to include as an actual recipe.
At the other extreme, I really hesitated to include my Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas) Recipe, because I felt it was pushing the limit on "lazy".

What else should I know before sending a recipe?

(1) I get lots of email, so make the subject of the email "Recipe Idea for The Lazy Vegetarian".

(2) If you didn't create it, be sure to give credit and mention if you've simplified the recipe.

(3) Tell how you'd like to be listed on the blog if I add your recipe.

(4) Be patient!! I'll want to try it first and that may take some time.

OK, folks, I'm waiting ...

Recipe: Eggplant with Black Beans

2009-08-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a mildly adaptation of a recipe I found on sparkpeople. It's not too hard, but it does take awhile to cook the eggplant.

Note: We are now calling this recipe "Eggplant Chili" in our house.

2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 eggplant peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can petite diced tomatoes, ~15 oz, slightly drained
1 can black beans*
1 tbsp chili powder

freshly ground pepper to taste

cooked white or brown rice (or quinoa)

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Add chopped eggplant, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until eggplant is done (soft and color has darkened throughout). Add tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, and pepper. Cook until heated through. Serve on rice.

Makes 3 - 4 servings, and is awesome reheated!

You can also substitute for the beans (or include in addition to beans) cubed extra firm tofu that has been pan fried.

* I like to occasionally mention that you should rinse canned beans very well before using, to remove most of the unpleasant side effect of eating beans (and the salt).

Recipe: Stroganoff

2009-07-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Update: Morningstar Farms has stopped making the "steak strips" which are used in this and several other recipes on this blog. You may wish to contact them and mention how much you'd like to see the product re-introduced! The best substitute I've found is Westsoy's stir-fry strips, but you may need to ask your local health food store to order them. Another possible substitution for this stroganoff recipe might be cutting Morningstar Farms mushroom burgers into strips. Not sure how well strips would stay together, but the taste would fit well.

This is the easiest recipe for a classic stroganoff that I've been able to create. As given, the recipe makes 2 very generous servings. Increase the noodles to 6 oz to serve 3. You can easily stretch the recipe further by adding more mushrooms and onion, always making sure you make around 2 oz of noodles per person.

4 oz egg noodles, or other flat, broad noodles

2 Tbsp canola or olive oil
1 med onion, cut into strips
1 clove chopped or minced garlic
8 (or 10) oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (pre-sliced ones are often sold in 10 oz)
1 package Morningstar Farms Steak Strips

~ 6 oz plain yogurt*
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup warmed vegetable broth (or equivalent made from bouillon cube)
2 Tbsp white or red wine**
2 Tbsp flour (regular or whole wheat)

*I like Greek yogurt, but regular or soy will do fine. Greek plain yogurt is usually a bit less than 6 oz in the cup, hence the approximate measure. I always use yogurt, but you can use sour cream also.
**I prefer red, but white is more classic in this dish

Cook noodles according to package directions.

While noodles cook, heat oil in a large skillet, add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until veggies are getting soft. Add steak strips and continue to cook until heated through.

Mix together the warm broth, wine, and tomato paste. Stir in the yogurt, then the flour.

Add sauce to skillet and cook until it thickens. Serve over noodles.

Recipe: Stuffed Grape Leaves (Crockpot)

2009-06-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

So, this is not really a "lazy" recipe, although I have made it as simple as I can. With slightly different seasoning choices, this can also be used to stuff cabbage leaves or bell peppers.

This recipe is better (and more fun) when 2 people work together. One can make the filling while the second prepares the grape leaves. Then they can roll the grape leaves together.

I use the following LightLife product for this recipe (usually found in the refrigerated vegetarian area near produce):

Most ground beef substitutes have a "crumble" already-cooked texture, which works great in many quick recipes. This one is more similar to uncooked ground meat (although the color is brown) and I like it for making recipes such as meatloaf, meatballs, and stuffing.

Ingredients:

1 jar grape leaves

filling:
1 package LightLife Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style
1 Uncle Ben's brown rice pouch
1 egg --- can be left out, if you prefer
1 can (~15 oz) petite diced tomatoes (drain out just the top liquid)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp allspice
freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Procedure:
First prepare the grape leaves. Carefully remove from jar and rinse the leaves. Cut away the hard stem. Take a few of the leaves that are small or torn up and line the bottom of your crockpot with them.

Mix together all the filling ingredients. Go ahead and stick your hands in to squish everything together!

Now roll up about 1 - 2 Tbsp of filling in each leaf.

(1) Place filling near bottom. (2) Start rolling. (3) Fold in sides. (4) Finish rolling.

Place each rolled leaf in the crock pot, stacking as you go.

You may end up with extra filling or leaves, especially your first few times making this, until you learn to balance the amount of filling in each leaf. No big.

Pour in the olive oil, lemon juice and broth. Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.

Enjoy!

Recipe: "Parisian" Subs

2008-08-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Lazy Vegetarian Abroad

Last year we traveled to Paris. Although I was warned that Paris/France was "difficult" for vegetarians, we found eating there very easy. It helped that we eat both dairy and eggs and that we stuck to less expensive eating establishments. I definitely recommend the Nutella banana crepes found at many street-side cafes. A version of the sandwiches I've recreated here are sold at many bakeries and small cafes.
Note: Vegans visiting Paris may be wise to stay in an apartment where they can cook close to one of the many health food stores located around the city ... or just near one of the few vegan-friendly restaurants.

Bakery-style subs/hoagies/rolls (soft and not too thick)
Mozzarella cheese (cow or buffalo milk), sold in a log or ball
Roma tomatoes
Salt and pepper (freshly ground if possible)
Herbes de Provence* (or substitute some combination of thyme, marjoram, basil, fennel & sage)

Slice bread open, but leave edge attached. Slice both cheese and tomatoes into thick slices. Place on bread and, if possible, toast in toaster oven or oven until just warm. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.

I served this last night with a simple fruit salad. It makes a very nice summertime dinner.

* I have another recipe that uses these herbs which I should post this year closer to the holidays.

Recipe: Philly Cheese "Steaks"

2008-06-24T13:02:00.001-07:00

We ate these the other night and they were both easy and quite tasty! Makes 3 - 5 depending on size of rolls.

Bakery Rolls
1 package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Veggie "Steak" Strips
2 - 3 Tbsps Canola oil
1 onion, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
Cheese of choice (dairy or soy)

folks have strong opinions on the correct cheese for this sandwich - so you may prefer provolone, swiss, american, cheddar, or a jarred cheese product - I do not judge!

Preheat oil in large flat-bottom skillet. Cook onion and pepper over medium heat for about 5 minutes (or until desired crispness). Add strips and cook until strips are warm through. Separate in pan into individual servings. Place cheese on top until melted/warm. Transfer to warmed/toasted rolls.

This is great with a fruit salad in the summer.

Giveaway My Readers May Like

2008-06-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

Though we don't need to live gluten-free, we do like to win things.

If you do too, head over to Mama & Baby: Gluten Free fast and enter her contest for some great products (mostly desserts).

I don't have giveaways here (although hey if any companies want to sponsor one, I'm totally in), but let me know if you like the link to a giveaway and I'll try to throw some interesting ones here occasionally.

Question for Readers ...

2007-08-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Normally, I'm a fan of beans ... except chickpeas/garbanzo beans which, although I like the taste, don't like me much. However, they are very popular in vegetarian recipes. So what do you find is the best substitute?

Thanks for any opinions!

Cookbook Review #3

2007-04-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Please note that I was sent a free copy of this cookbook to test. No strings were tied to receiving the free copy - I was not asked to review it nor asked to provide a favorable review.

Quick-Fix Vegetarian
Author: Robin Robertson
(amazon link - so you can see the cover)

Although the title says "vegetarian", most recipes appear to be vegan, making it a much more flexible cookbook for my readers. I'm not sure if I agree that the recipes are "30 minutes or less", but then those who write cookbooks are never as lazy cooks as we are! (And I believe they tend to have sous chefs to do prep and clean-up.) Of course like most cookbooks, it is padded with some unnecessary recipes - appetizers, desserts, soups - since most of us who are buying cookbooks with "quick" "fast" or "easy" in the titles are really looking for complete dinners we can plop on the table with little effort. And as a mock-meat fan, I'd like to see more recipes using those, but then who would need to read my blog?

My favorite tip I learned from this book is the use of "mushroom gravy" in recipes. It does takes some shopping around to find one that is vegetarian. (I ended up going with an envelope mix, but I'm still on the lookout for a canned vegetarian version. If you find one, please post a comment.) We loved the "Shepherd's Pie" I made (more or less) following the recipe on page 138.

Overall, I'd say this cookbook provides a great variety of flavors and ideas in medium-effort recipes. It's a good addition to a lazy vegetarian's kitchen!

Recipe - Syrian Pasta Bake

2007-03-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

About 15 years ago, a neighbor gave me a family recipe for a baked pasta dish. Recently, I decided to create a vegetarian version of this dish, but could not find the original recipe, so I winged it. Here is my version. The taste is a little different than most pasta dishes, which makes it a bit more interesting. This recipe makes a large batch, good for a crowd or lots of leftovers. It is not totally "lazy", but not that much work. Serve with a Greek salad.

1 box (about 13 oz) penne pasta*, cooked al dente

1 med onion, diced into large chunks
1 clove garlic, minced (can use jarred garlic, or substitute garlic powder when adding spices)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles
1.5 tsp allspice
.5 tsp cinnamon

Cook onion in heated olive oil. Add Grillers Crumbles, stirring regularly. When crumbles are defrosted, add in spices with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Cook a minute or two for spices to flavor the crumbles.

In a sprayed 13x9 pan, combine:

15 oz can tomato sauce**
15 oz can or jar of diced tomatoes**, partially drained
3 Tbsp lemon juice

Add in crumbles mixture and cooked pasta. Stir and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Covering with foil or a casserole lid with prevent it from drying out.

Notes:

Next time, I'm going to try adding some sliced black olives. I'll let you know how it tastes!
In a hurry? Add the sauce, tomatoes, and lemon juice to the crumbles mixture. Cook until heated, mix with the cooked pasta, and serve immediately.

* Or other short pasta shapes. I like Healthy Harvest brand, or other pasta with whole grain.
** Be sure to buy "unflavored" sauce and tomatoes - no spices already added.

Recipe - Quick Vegetarian Quesadillas

2007-02-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

I've moved this recipe up to the top to add a new ingredient option. My son had the idea to include bell peppers (we like red) to the quesadilla. If you slice them very thin, they can be added without precooking. It adds a nice crunch, great flavor, and a bit more veggies to the meal.

...practically a weekly meal at our house

(for 1)

2 tortillas (whole-wheat is healthiest - I have recently switched to Smart & Delicious brand)
1 Boca Spicy Chik Patty (available in the frozen food aisle of most grocery stores and Super Target, where I usually buy it) or Morningstar Farm patty with hot sauce added
Grated dairy or soy cheese (I like Mexican mix, but cheddar or Colby works too)
Baby spinach
Thinly sliced bell peppers (red, green, or yellow)
Sliced black olives
Sliced jalapenos (from jar)
Avocado slices
Salsa

Cook the Boca Spicy Chik Patty as directed in microwave (1 minute). Slice it into thin strips - I use a pizza cutter to do this. Note: my husband, who likes food extremely spicy, coats his chik patty with Frank's Hot Sauce before slicing. Place the chik slices on one tortilla. Add the other ingredients to taste. (Or add whatever ingredients you like, but these taste great.) Cover with the second tortilla. To cook this, we use our George Foreman grill, very quick and easy. You can also cook this on a griddle (careful flipping) or in a quesadilla maker. Slice the quesadilla and serve (use the pizza cutter again).

This is practically a complete meal. Can serve some fruit or a salad or refried beans with it. Or can serve 2 people per quesadilla and add more sides.

Recipe - Fruit Stuffing

2006-11-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I realize I left it a little late for this Thanksgiving, but, just file it away for next year!

Fruit Stuffing (adapted from an older cookbook - Lowfat Meals in Minutes)

1 cup chopped cranberries
2 Tbsp sugar (or equivalent other sweetener)
12 slices raisin bread, cut into cubes *
1 cup vegetable broth **
2 Tbsp melted margarine or butter
2 Tbsp orange juice
salt (1/8 tsp, or as desired)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Can be stuffed in your "turkey". Or cook at 325 degrees for 35 minutes in a covered casserole - taking off the cover for the last 10 minutes to brown.

* If you have access to a bakery outlet store - great - cause it's best to get this a tad stale. I do not recommend "Cinnabon" raisin bread for this recipe.

** My store sells a 3 pack aseptic ("juice box") of vegetable broth - 8 oz each. These are great for recipes. Or, if desperate, you can use a vegetable bouillon cube. For those reading here who do eat meat products, you can substitute chicken broth.

Thanksgiving - What's on the Table?

2006-11-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Here in America, now that I've done my duty and voted, my thoughts turn to Thanksgiving.

For the first few years after we started eating vegetarian, we tried other main dishes for the Thanksgiving table (like quiche) - without much success. So, we started on a quest for a turkey substitute.

There are at least 2 major products out on the market - Tofurkey and UnTurkey. Now, you may love these, but we were very unimpressed when we tried them. In fact, one of them (I won't say which, but you know who you are) is affectionately referred to at our house as the "mummy head" turkey.

However, there is a harder-to-find product that taste so much like the real thing that you may be wondering what exactly the "secret ingredient" is! Admittedly, it doesn't look like a traditional turkey, but it still makes a nice presentation.

This product, made by Worthington*, has the mouthy name "Meatless Smoked Turkey Vegetable and Grain Protein Roll"! It come in a 4 pound frozen roll (I have several recipes to use up the leftovers), and is not exactly value-priced. But, then, we only buy it once a year.

I find the best way to get one is to call around to the local small vegetarian store and ask if they will do a special order for me. (I've had no luck with regular grocery stores or Whole Foods.) It helps to know the UPC - 2898927116 - to be sure that you are getting the correct product. And be sure to let them know that you want 1 roll, not a case of 4! Also, so you aren't surprised when you show up to get it, ask what the price will be.

In future posts, I'll give the recipe for cooking it - plus the recipes for the stuffing and roasted asparagus you see in the picture. And, of course, a couple of leftover recipes.

* A division of Kellogg's, who also make Morningstar Farms and Loma Linda products.

Recipe - Mushroom Pasta

2006-10-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

(E, this is for you -- Annie)

My husband and I created this recipe after being served a similar dish at a restaurant (theirs probably had a better name - we aren't talented at naming recipes). It's a very simple, but tasty, dinner. Ours uses way less oil, but feel free to adjust to your taste.

1 large* package white (button) mushrooms - wiped clean (unless you can find pre-washed ones)
1/4 cup water
2 - 3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups penne pasta (whole grain, or part whole grain)
1/8 - 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese**
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

Using a food processor***, slice the mushrooms very thin. Cook the pasta according to package. While pasta cooks, "sweat" mushrooms in a very large skillet with water for 4 - 5 minutes. ("Sweat" means high heat, no cover. It helps to pre-spray the skillet with a non-stick spray. Watch carefully to avoid burning mushrooms.) Heat oil in a small skillet and add garlic, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Add oil/garlic to mushrooms. Add cooked pasta. Stir in cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a nice salad to round out the meal.

* I think it's 1 pound
** not the powdered cheese in the green can - get the good stuff
*** if you don't own one, how do you call yourself "lazy" --- oh, and you'll have to slice them by hand

"I Love My Crockpot" ... Chili Recipe

2006-04-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted (to make it less work, of course) from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, a cookbook I will soon review. This dish is a nice one for company, since it doesn't include any "weird vegetarian foods".

Three Bean Chili

1 large onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper (color of choice), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced (or from a jar)

Cook these in 1 Tbsp olive oil until softened. Alternately, you can add these to the crockpot uncooked, as long as you cook it at least 8 hours, and don't mind a little crunch to the veggies in your chili.

Place veggies, from above, and the following in your crock-pot:

One can (15.5 oz) each black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans*
One 28 oz crushed tomatoes
One small can tomato paste
Chili powder, as desired (1 Tbsp is standard, but we use about 3 Tbsp)
1 cup water (you can add more later if it seems too thick)
fresh ground pepper** to taste

Stir. Cook for 6 - 8 hours.

During the last 30 - 45 minutes, mix up and cook cornbread muffins from a package, adding in 1/2 cup of thawed frozen corn kernels (or one of those small cans, well-drained).

You can add a healthy side salad if you are extra ambitious!

* Rinse beans well to remove some of the salt and much of the gas-causing sugars.

** This is where I draw the line - no one should be so lazy that they don't use fresh-ground salt and pepper! A quick trip to any home store and you can buy your own grinders, already loaded with peppercorns and sea salt.

Well, I Guess I'm Cooked!

2006-04-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I absolutely never expected to get the ten comments on the previous "Save the Blog" post. I thought I was setting the bar too high. But, now, I'm gonna have to get this blog going again - geez, thanks, everyone.

Do you realize the work that's going to be? Huh? I now have to:

Move all of the gifs that no longer work into my own webspace and update the links
Check if my links to other blogs are still valid and update those that aren't
Write posts regularly
To do (3), I'm gonna have to actually feed us something besides PBB&J

So, since y'all are gonna make me work, I expect something back:

consider linking to this blog
leave comments
maybe even occasionally click on my links in the sidebar

Deal??

OK, I'll give it a whirl. But, hey, I'm a busy lady with a family and about half a dozen hobbies, so don't be surprised if I only post once or twice a week!

P.S. Thanks for the support!

SAVE "The Lazy Vegetarian"

2006-03-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

Just post a recipe in the comment area of this blog that would be something that I would cook and eat - OR - leave a plea to me to get off my lazy butt and start posting here again.

If I get 10 or more relevant comments, I will re-start this blog!

Recipe - "Chicken Club Ranch Sub"

2005-07-08T14:31:00.000-07:00

If you've been in a Subway restaurant recently, this recipe name may sound familiar. Because when I was in there getting my standard veggiemax sub, I kept looking at the sign for the this sandwich while I waited in line. It sounded so good to me, that I decided to create a veggie version of it.

Hoagie Roll (get a good one from a bakery)
Morningstar Farms Grillers Chik'n Veggie Patties (one package, 4 chicken patties, makes about 3 sandwiches)
Morningstar Farms Veggie Breakfast Bacon Strips (2 per sandwich)
American or Cheddar Cheese (or soy substitute)
Ranch dressing (low fat)
Normal Subway toppings (I used onions, tomatoes, spinach, and black olives)

Cook breakfast strips in the microwave and layer them on hoagie roll. Cook the chicken in a microwave. Cut into strips and place on top of the bacon. Add cheese. Place open sandwich in a toaster oven or broiler to melt cheese and toast roll. Add ranch dressing and toppings.

This was especially delicious!

Attending a Cookout

2005-07-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you are a newer vegetarian (which I know many of my regular readers are), you may wonder how to handle an invitation to a party where the host will be grilling hamburgers and hotdogs. We usually bring along a box of frozen veggie burgers (Gardenburger) or hotdogs (Boca Smoked Sausages). Just ask your host to cook them first, before the grill is covered with meat drippings.

Another good thing to bring is skewers of diced veggies (squash, peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc) and tempeh (like one from Lightlife). You can marinate the tempeh for a few hours before assembling your skewers in your favorite vegetarian marinade (or a simple mixture of olive oil and lime juice). Then brush the skewers with the marinade before grilling. Again, grill these first.

An easy side dish to bring along that will be very welcome is a fruit salad. Include some combination of apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, kiwi, seedless grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and pink grapefruit (or oranges). Mix plain non-fat yogurt, honey, and lime juice (to taste) for a dressing. I've never had any of this salad come home at the end of a party!

A Summer Greek Salad Recipe

2005-06-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Shape magazine (with some slight changes). We had this for dinner tonight. The beans give it more protein than a typical salad.

For dressing, whisk together:

2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar (or other vinegar with a splash of red wine)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper*
(Next time I make this, I will also add a little lemon juice)

Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together:

A bag of pre-cut romaine lettuce
1 cup packaged shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber (not sliced), approx 1 cucumber
1 cup diced seeded tomato, approx 1 - 2 tomatoes
1 15-ounce can white beans**
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
20 kalamata olives, pitted (look around, I found ones already pitted in a jar at my supermarket)
1 cup croutons

Pour dressing on top and mix. Makes 2 - 3 generous portions. I served this with a piece of garlic bread, but, in the future, would probably serve some tasty hearty bread instead.

* I'm not much for cooking, but even I keep a pepper grinder and whole peppercorns in my house. It is definitely worth the effort. I'm also fond of sea salt in a grinder, but mine corroded.

** When using canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse thoroughly. This removes both a portion of the salt used in canning and most of the gas-causing sugars.

I'm Home

2005-06-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am back home, and oh so happy to be here. If you want to hear about my time away - stop by my Rambles blog (where I will confine my rants and whines).

So, is there anything special you would like me to write about? I need to get back into the routine of blogging and would welcome any suggestions or comments. Thanks!

Fake "Ground Meat"

2005-06-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

Several brands sell a soy mix that resembles and substitutes for cooked ground meat in recipes (although significantly healthier). My favorite is Morningstar Farms Grillers Burger Style Recipe Crumbles. I have also used and liked Boca Ground Burger and Lightlife Smart Menu Crumbles.

For most recipes, you use about 2 cups for 1 pound of ground meat.

Some easy ways to use:

Taco kit (even my son eats this)
Hamburger Helper (especially try the stroganoff version with the addition of small cans of mushrooms and green beans, very good, but high in salt)
Spaghetti sauce
Dirty Rice Mix
On top of frozen cheese pizza
Mixed into mac & cheese

Can also use in recipes, like:

Lasagna
Chili (I will be posting a super-easy chili recipe soon)
Goulash
Hash
Soups or Stews that use ground meat

Recipe- Annie's Banana Bread

2005-06-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Another "not-so-lazy" recipe. Adapted from a BH&G recipe. Delicious for your family or as gifts.

1.5 cups each whole wheat and unbleached white flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Stir together above ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

2 eggs, or equivalent egg substitute
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (approx 3 - 4 bananas)
1.5 cups sugar
1/4 cup canola oil

In a large mixing bowl, stir these ingredients until well-mixed. Stir in flour mixture just until moistened. Separate between two loaf pans (sprayed with non-stick spray). Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45 - 50 min. (Time depends on loaf pan size and material.)

We often freeze the second loaf (wrap in aluminum foil) to enjoy later.

Product Review: Smart BBQ

2005-06-04T06:08:00.000-07:00

LightLife Smart BBQ

Last week, we tried this new product, found in the refrigerated vegetarian section (near produce) of many supermarkets. It is part of a new product line from LightLife that includes Smart Chili and Smart Tex-Mex. I served it on Mrs.Baird's 100% whole grain sugar-free hamburger buns, which are rather small. I noticed the other day in the grocery store that another company has a larger size 100% whole wheat hamburger bun - so look for those.

Pros:

Authentic shredded "meat" consistency
Good flavor
Nutritious (no fat, reasonable sodium for ready-to-eat food, protein)
Easy to heat in microwave

Cons:

Package claims to be 3 servings, but barely made two small sandwiches
Too much sauce (too "wet")

It's certainly worth giving a try, if you like shredded BBQ. I contacted the company and shared my views on the product. In the past, I have found that vegetarian food companies are very interested in the opinions of consumers, so, perhaps, we will see changes made to this product in the future.

Recipe - Tuna Spaghetti

2005-05-30T03:24:00.000-07:00

Warning: This is one of the promised (threatened) pescatarian fish recipes. You can substitute "tuno" to make it vegetarian, which Ryan says is a good replacement.

Serves 2 - 3

8 ounces thin spaghetti*
8 ounces of favorite spaghetti sauce**
1 can tuna, packed in water, drained
green olives (to taste - we use a lot), whole or cut in half
+ a little of the liquid from the olive jar

Cook the spaghetti per package instructions. Add tuna and olives (+liquid) to the sauce. Heat the sauce. Serve sauce on spaghetti. Sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese (or soy equivalent), if desired. This might sound strange, but it incredibly tasty!

Serve with a fresh salad.

Note: Not a low sodium recipe.

* I usually use "Healthy Harvest" brand thin spaghetti for this recipe. You can also use a whole-wheat pasta for extra nutrition.

** My grandmother's original recipe actually used condensed tomato soup instead of spaghetti sauce. If you want to be completely authentic, give it a try.

Remembering Childhood and Food

2005-05-25T03:55:00.000-07:00

This time of year, between Mother's Day and Father's Day, I find that I think a lot about my parents. The food we grow up eating has such a huge influence on our lives, so I thought I'd talk about my experiences.

My dad was drafted during WWII, but after almost dying from pneumonia during basic training, was sent to Alaska (which, oddly enough, is dry and good for your lungs) and became the base chef/cook. So, probably rare for people my age, I grew up with a father who could, and did on occasion, cook. When my dad cooked, though, you ate everything, whether you liked it or not! (And, oddly enough, unlike most dads, he never learned how to make pancakes that weren't just a little raw in the center.)

My mother, on the other hand, had been a very picky eater as a child, and was determined never to force us to eat anything. Her technique seemed to be very effective, because the 6 of us all eat a large variety of foods. Although we each had a few foods we didn't like, overall we were willing to try new things.

Most meals we had growing up included meat, bread, potatoes, salad, and 2 other vegetables. Perhaps it was the abundance of vegetables served at our house that taught me to love them so much. We also owned a farm (although we didn't live on it). There is nothing like working hard to grow your own vegetables to learn to appreciate them. One of my earlier memories is being taught how to pick radishes, and then getting chiding for eating too many of them fresh out of the earth, instead of putting them in the pail. How many preschoolers love radishes that much? Even later, when we no longer had our farm, my dad still had a garden in our yard. No supermarket can ever beat the taste of tomatoes from your own vines!

What I regret the most is not having learned more about the recipes my parents made. I know how to make some of them, but not enough. If your parents are still with you, take the time to cook with them. Write down the recipes they make (many of which are probably only stored in their heads). Just a few years ago, I would call my mom when making certain foods, to ask her questions. It's so easy to think that you can do that forever, but, now, how I wish I had written down her advice.

My next recipe will be one that we ate growing up. The story in our family is that my grandmother invented this recipe, although that's probably apocryphal. It will be the first fish recipe I post (it uses canned tuna), but I know that there is a soy substitute for tuna (tuno). If anyone has tried this product, please leave a comment about it.

Recipe - Pasta With Arugula

2005-05-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from the Student's Vegetarian Cookbook (see my review here). I've made some minor changes to the original.

Serves 2 - 3

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (I often used jarred, pre-minced garlic)
8 oz. small, fat pasta* (1/2 of most packages)
1 bag or package arugula**
1/2 cup (or to taste) sliced pitted black olives
2 medium (or one extra-large) tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces
Fresh ground pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or soy equivalent, like Veggie Grated Parmesan from Galaxy Foods)

Cook the pasta per package directions in a large pot. When it is almost done, heat the oil in a small skillet and cook the garlic for a couple of minutes. After draining pasta, return it to the pot, and add the rest of the ingredients, except cheese. Drizzle the oil on top and mix together. Mix cheese in or sprinkle on top of each serving.

Note: I believe that, by leaving out the olives, and checking on the sodium content of the cheese (and perhaps dropping the amount to just a tablespoon per serving), this would be ok for a low sodium diet.

* I usually use "Healthy Harvest" brand rotini/springs for this recipe. You can also use a whole-wheat pasta for extra nutrition.

** aka rocket, rucola, and roquette - I buy arugula in either a 5 oz. bag or plastic container from Earthbound Farm Organic. It seems to show up occasionally at my local grocery store. This is exactly the correct amount for this recipe (plus a little extra for my guinea pigs). Of course, if you don't have guinea pigs, you can either use it all or save a bit to add to a salad the next day.

Ads Added

2005-05-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have added Google Adsense to the left sidebar of this blog. If I did it correctly, it should even show appropriate (food-related) ads when you have gotten to my page through Blogexplosion (or other traffic generators that I use occasionally). If not, please leave a comment.

Oh, and you know how they work! Thanks for your support.

What I Made Last Night #1

2005-05-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

For dinner yesterday, I made a quick meal, this time trying out a new product (new to me, at least), so I thought I could combine both into one post.

The new product was: TofuTown Grilled Tamari Tofu Tenders from WhiteWave.

The meal consisted of rice* and Green Giant Create-a-Meal Teriyaki mixed with the tofu tenders (which I first cooked in a little canola oil). I also made some Health is Wealth Spring Rolls ** (very yummy, highly recommended, and vegan).

I still think I like this meal better when made with seitan strips, but this was fairly tasty. Since one of my local grocery stores is carrying the tofu tenders, I will probably try some of the other flavors. Hubby didn't say "yea" or "nay", so I'm not sure about his opinion. (If you read this, sweetie, leave a comment.)

* Made in a rice cooker. If you don't own one already, get out to buy one as soon as possible. You will not regret it. Ours was only $15 (it's a small one), and worth every penny.

** I forgot that I had these, and didn't put them in the toaster oven to cook in time. Instead, I ended up microwaving them and then toasted them to add crunch. I'm sure they would have been even better cooked the entire time in the oven.

Cookbook Review #2

2005-05-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

previous:
Cookbook Review #1

Note: I don't have a huge collection of cookbooks, because I get rid of the ones that I don't use. I thought it would be useful to talk about why I like the ones that I keep.

Student's Vegetarian Cookbook by Carole Raymond
This is often one of the most highly recommended vegetarian cookbooks. I have to say that, so far, I have not been that impressed with it. But I haven't owned it very long, so I'm hanging on to it to see if it will grow on me. Mostly, I have trouble with the ingredients they use, because they seem to especially like the few foods that one of us is allergic to! But, they are quick and easy (and cheap) vegetarian recipes, so I would expect that most vegetarians would like this cookbook.

Although I have post-it-notes on several recipes in this cookbook, I've only prepared one so far:

Whole Wheat Pasta with Arugula (page 173) - I have made this a bunch of times, including last night. (In fact, I make it anytime I can buy a big container/bag of arugula, which seems to come and go randomly from the grocery shelf.) It is absolutely delicious. I like it so much, that I'm going to post it as my next recipe on here. (Just in case my not-so-glowing review makes you hesitant to buy the cookbook; you should still have this recipe.)

Recipe - Vegetarian Bratwurst Stew

2005-05-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

A "not-quite-so-lazy" recipe. Takes about 30 minutes prep time. Recipe adapted from one I found on-line.

--crockpot--
1 package Boca Bratwurst*
1.5 pounds potatoes, any type, diced**
1 med onion, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup (healthy version)
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp canola oil
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 box frozen green beans, place in refrigerator when starting recipe

Cook onions in 1 Tbsp oil, until tender. Cook bratwursts in microwave for about 2 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Using same skillet from the onions and the second Tbsp of oil, brown the bratwurst pieces. Layer ingredients in crockpot: potatoes, onions, bratwursts. Mix together soup and wine and pour on top. Add pepper. Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours. Stir in green beans. Cook 1/2 - 1 hour more.

Serve with fresh bakery bread and a green salad. Serves 3 - 5.

I thought this was delicious. My hubby said he liked it, but that doesn't mean that he'll want to eat it again. One can never tell with him. Note: He also said later that he would have put the green beans in to cook sooner. I prefer them crisy, but he wanted them softer.

*you may have to ask your local supermarket to get this one in, for some reason they tend to carry the Italian and Smoked Sausage varieties only

**being lazy, I leave the peels on - and, hey, that's more nutritious too

Recipe - Vegetarian Ruebens

2005-05-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

If you bought rye bread to make my vegetarian patty melts, you may be wondering what else to do with it (except toast, which is yummy), so here is a vegetarian version of a Rueben sandwich. (Recipe is mainly for those who don't know what a Rueben is.)

makes 1

2 slices rye bread
Soft butter substitute, safe for cooking, used to grill sandwich
Sauerkraut*, about 1/2 cup (or to taste)
Thousand Island salad dressing
Swiss cheese, or Swiss-style soy cheese, 1 slice

Butter outsides of bread. Spread one slice with dressing. Place cheese and sauerkraut on top. Grill on griddle. Flip carefully - sauerkraut will try to escape.

If you thought a Rueben required fatty, unhealthy meat to be tasty, try it this way and be pleasantly surprised! We've also ordered Ruebens without meat at restaurants (diners, usually) that didn't have any vegetarian items on the menu.

Delicious with sweet potato oven fries, to get that diner experience, but healthier.

* I use Claussen brand sauerkraut, which is crispy and refrigerated - heat for 30 seconds in microwave before putting on sandwich.

And Now for Something Completely Different ...

2005-04-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sure, it's from a few years ago, and you have to buy it used (sometimes for not much more than the shipping cost), but have you read this book?

Sunshine Rider: The First Vegetarian Western
I would recommend this coming-of-age fiction western for older teens and adults. Perhaps a mature 13-year-old, but no one younger. It would be a fantastic gift for your newly-decided high school vegetarian. But, don't think it's just for kids, even though it's listed under "young adult," it's a great read for adults too. (And you don't have to be vegetarian to enjoy it, although you may decide to try it afterwards.) Each chapter begins with a recipe, none of which I've ever tried, so I can't tell you if they are good. (Note: some are meat recipes intended to disgust the reader.)

So, give this book a try. And, no, the sequel mentioned at the back was never published, so don't bother looking for it.

Any Regular Readers?

2005-04-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you exist, I'm gonna ask a favor. Would you consider linking here? For some reason, this blog is invisible to sites like blogshares, and I'm trying to get them to *notice* it. Thanks so much! And please let me know so I can add you to my "20 Better Blogs - the Complete List" on my Rambles blog (or on here if your blog is vegetarian/food/diet related).

Update: With help from a friend, I did find and claim it on blogshares. But, hey, I still wouldn't mind some more links!

Recipe - Vegetarian Patty Melts

2005-04-24T03:18:00.000-07:00

makes two

4 slices rye bread
3 vegetarian burgers (hamburger style, see previous post)
2 slices Cheddar or soy cheese
One small-medium* onion, sliced thin
One Tbsp canola oil
Soft butter-substitute/margarine for spreading on bread (safe to cook with)

In a small skillet, cook onions in oil until soft. Cook burgers in microwave per package directions. Spread margarine on the rye bread, add 1.5 burgers per sandwich, cheese, and cooked onions. Put second slice of bread on top. Grill sandwich until cheese melts and bread is browned. Enjoy!

*When I make this, I usually cook a large onion instead. Then I pan-fry some pierogies with the extra onions as a side dish. (The easiest way to do this, when starting with frozen pierogies, is to follow the microwave cooking instructions first, and then add the pierogies to the cooked onions to brown.)

Add a salad or a green vegetable and you have a complete meal.

Vegetarian Burger - Review

2005-04-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

In the world of vegetarian burgers, there are 2 types: the ones that try to taste like "hamburgers" and the types that don't, but are simply shaped to fit on a burger bun.

Today I'm going to talk about my favorites of the hamburger-style vegetarian burgers. None will fool a real meat-eater, but are a convenient meal choice for the vegetarian or health-conscious individual. Here are the frozen ones I consider the best:

Top choice: Gardenburger Flame-Grilled (vegan) - This is harder to find in stores than some of my other selections. However, the flavor is wonderful and worth shopping around for. These can be pricey, but often have sales and coupons. In the past, warehouse stores carried a "restaurant pack" of these. I don't know if they still do (I no longer have any memberships). They are delicious out of the microwave, but also work on the grill (start from frozen).

2nd choice: Boca All-American Flame Grilled - This product is easier to find in stores and usually a better value. It is almost as good as the previous one, but tastes much better from a grill (including indoor grills) than out of a microwave.

Other decent choices: Gardenburger Homestyle Classic, Boca Vegan, and Smart Menu Burgers (come in 2 sizes). The Smart Menu burgers are sold at Target SuperStores, and are very reasonably priced.

In my next post, I will share my favorite recipe using burgers!

Cookbook Review #1

2005-04-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

Note: I don't have a huge collection of cookbooks, because I get rid of the ones that I don't use. I thought it would be useful to talk about why I like the ones that I keep.

The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas

A wonderful cookbook for the lazy cook. Every recipe is 5 ingredients or less, how much easier could that be? But, they are also delicious! They span the normal range of recipes, including soups, salads, main dishes (with pasta, grains, beans, tofu, pizzas, sandwiches, and some fake-meat), vegetables, sauces, and fruits for dessert. The ingredients used vary from the common to the supermarket-exotic. There is a short introduction on pantry staples for the new cook/ vegetarian.

Some of my favorite recipes from this cookbook are:

Pasta with Asparagus (page 67) - uses crumbled cheese
Asian Sesame-Soy Noodles (page 85) - with soba noodles and peanut oil, just the smell of this is divine
Broccoli with Tofu in Thai Peanut Sauce (page 143) - I vary this a bit and serve with the above recipe
"Sausage" and Potatoes (page 150) - a classic Eastern European dish, re-done as vegetarian (I recommend Boca Bratwurst with this recipe).

Recipe - Pasta and Veggies

2005-04-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

I know that's a lousy name for this recipe. Come up with a better one and I will change it!

This will make 2 - 4 servings depending on how much pasta you make, and how veggie-rich you want it to be.

1 package broccoli and carrot mix, in ready to microwave bag
2 oz of short pasta per serving (I prefer rotini/springs for this recipe)*
2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil (per taste and # of servings)
1 clove garlic, minced - because I am very lazy, I use garlic from a jar
1/8 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or grated soy cheese
toasted pine nuts, optional (about 2 T per serving)**

Cook pasta per package instructions. After pasta is in the pot cooking, microwave the veggies in the bag. When pasta is done, drain and return to same pot. Add cooked veggies, mix. Heat up olive oil in a small skillet and add garlic and pine nuts. Cook for about a minute, then pour over pasta and veggies. Mix in Parmesan or soy cheese and serve.

A delicious and quick one-dish meal.

* I usually use "Healthy Harvest" brand pasta, which is a blend of whole-wheat and white flours, and a good compromise when everyone in the house won't eat whole-wheat pasta

**Pine nuts are purchased in a jar. You can toast them by putting them single-layer on a tray (or aluminum foil) in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes on 300 degrees F. Just watch them so they don't burn!

Baseball and Hotdogs

2005-04-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

As a vegetarian, I never find it difficult to find food, no matter where I am. I find that when I am with non-vegetarians, they worry about it much more than I ever do!

One thing I do miss are the classic foods associated with a particular activity - like hotdogs at a baseball game. However, there are 11 MLB stadiums that serve soy hotdogs:

San Diego Padres: PETCO Park
Milwaukee Brewers: Miller Park
San Francisco Giants: SBC Park
Cincinnati Reds: Great American Ballpark
Houston Astros: Minute Maid Park
Toronto Blue Jays: Sky Dome
Seattle Mariners: Safeco Field
Chicago White Sox: U.S. Cellular Field
Los Angeles Dodgers: Dodger Stadium
Florida Marlins: Dolphins Stadium
Oakland Athletics: Network Associates Coliseum

If you get a chance to visit any of these stadiums, be sure to get a soy hotdog (and have one for me, too).

Recipe - Buffalo Wings Po'boys

2005-03-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here's another *recipe* using convenience vegetarian foods.

Buffalo Wings Po'boys (subs, hoagies, heros, grinders) - serves 2

One package Gardenburger Buffalo Chik'n Wings (found at some grocery stores and health food stores)
*warning* do not try to substitute a different brand - these are the best
Two 6" Rolls (can use packaged, but bakery are much better)
Lettuce leaves (romaine or iceberg)
Tomatoes, sliced thin
Onion slices, preferably purple/red onions

Cook wings in microwave as directed. Toast rolls (or not, if you prefer). Assemble sandwiches per taste. I recommend generous amounts of lettuce and tomatoes because these wings are hot!

This goes great with a quick fruit salad or just some melon slices.

**Note: We made these a few days ago and put some ranch dressing on them - very tasty - blue cheese dressing would probably be great, too.

Welcome

2005-03-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm a lazy cook; I like to make meals that are fast and easy. Over the 8 years that I've been a vegetarian, I've managed to find lots of different ways to use the convenience vegetarian foods available. I also have strong opinions on which ones are the best.

Please bookmark me (or blogroll me)!

Sponsor Information

2005-01-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

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