Meatless Monday Ideas???

Have you ever had Spaghetti squash??? It is really yummy, high in fiber, easy to cook & inexpensive. I cut mine in 1/2, place is on a broiler pan, with a little bit of water in the bottom. Poke holes in it to let it vent & steam properly. Cook at 325'F for about 25 minutes. Then, once I remove the squash from the peel, I add feta cheese, black olives, diced sauteed red pepper, fresh garlic & pepper. It is so yummy. Check out the recipe (that I adapted to be more diet friendly) below.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-i/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=spaghetti squash&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe Hub

Vegetarian so all my Mondays are meatless ;-). here's my vege chili recipe:

2 Green Peppers
2 Red Peppers
2 Jalapeño Peppers
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Two cans of black beans
Two cans of Kidney beans
Two cans of chunked tomatoes
Chili Powder (lots)
Oregano
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
1 block of Tofu
Franks Red Hot Sauce
Jalapeño Pepper Hot Sauce
Crushed Red Pepper

I usually add the spices and hot sauce to taste, so I don't have amounts.

Sweet Potato Burritos's. YUM!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3.Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.
4.Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

I got this recipe from the internet but it is amazing with salad - you feel like you're having a treat because it is cheesy but it is only 140 calories per serving!! Plus i love how flavourful it is, added to a big leafy salad it is a yummy dinner!!

LIGHT AND SPICY SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES

3 large sweet potatoes (5" long), peeled if not organic
1 large white onion
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup (6 ounces) skim milk
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice the sweet potatoes and onions as thinly as possible. Chop the garlic. (Tip: I put them all through the food processor using the slicing blade.)
Spray a 9"x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer on half of the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle on a third of the spices. Layer on the onions and garlic, followed by a third of the spices. Finally, layer on the rest of the sweet potatoes and the remaining spices. Pour on the milk, sprinkle on the hot sauce and top the casserole with the cheese.
Bake, covered, for 20 minutes, then remove the lid for another10 minutes. The vegetables should be tender, and the cheese should be starting to brown.
Make six 1-cup servings.

Number of Servings: 6

We ate vegetarian for a couple of years, my oldest son & wife are vegetarians; daughter's boyfriend is vegetarian. These are some recipes that were very popular with the family, some might not be very calories-careful so you might need to juggle with ingredients a bit? (I am Australian so these might have unfamiliar ingredients).

The variety you can get is amazing

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African Beans

This recipe is particularly quick because black-eyed beans cook faster than most other beans. The sauce, based on tomato and coconut cream, is unusual and colourful. Can use canned black eyed beans, add vegetables, garlic etc if you like.

Serves 4-5 main course

1 ½ cups of dry black-eyed beans
2 medium sized onions, chopped
2 tablespns oil
135g tomato paste (1 small can)
410 g can of coconut cream
2 teaspns paprika (smokey if you have it)
½ teaspn chilli powder to taste
½ teaspn cumin powder
2 teaspns sugar
1 teaspn salt
Black pepper to taste

Prepare & cook beans as per instructions on packet (or use canned black eyed beans).
(Soak covered in water 6-8 hrs then simmer 20-30 mins; or just boil 45 mins. Any soaking is going to be better than none).

Sauté onions in oil until soft and clear.
Add all other ingredients, simmering & stirring until they form a smooth creamy sauce.
Combine with cooked beans, heath through.
Even better if left to stand and reheated.
Serve on rice, with mixed green salad.

From Meals without Meat by Alison & Simon Holst

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PUMPKIN SPINACH & FETA PIE

Serves 6-8; Prep 10 mins; Cook 55 mins

800g pumpkin (butternut or jap)
½ x 250g packet frozen spinach or two-three handfuls of fresh baby spinach
2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
1 tablspn olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup / 1 sachet tomato paste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Salt & pepper to taste
100g Danish feta, crumbled
Fresh basil leaves, sun dried tomatoes, olives – to garnish

Peel pumpkin and chop into roughly 2cm cubes. Microwave (boil or steam) until almost tender. Drain well.
Meanwhile, grease 24cm loose based flan tin. Place on an oven tray. Preheat oven to 190oC.
Lift thawed pastry into tin, covering base and sides and allowing excess to drape over edges.
Heat oil, gently cook onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in tomato paste, mixed herbs. Stir in baby spinach, cook until wilted.
Stir in pumpkin cubes, add salt and ground black pepper, stir gently until all mixed and coated.
Spoon warm mixture into prepared pastry. Fold excess edged back over filling.
Cook in a moderately hot oven 190oC for 25 mins.
Crumble feta over top, distributing evenly, tucking some under pastry folds.
Cook for a further 25-30 mins until pastry is golden brown.
Serve garnished with basil etc.

Serves more like 4-6 as a main meal.

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VEGETABLE CASSEROLE WITH CHEESE & CHIVE DUMPLINGS
25 g butter & 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, peeled & sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 carrots peeled and sliced
Chunk of pumpkin, peeled and cubed
4 stalks celery, scrubbed and sliced
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons paprika, ground black pepper
100g cooked red kidney beans or chick peas (or 1 can, drained)
300ml stock
500 ml milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons cornflour

Dumplings
150 g plain flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder OR
150g SR flour
1 teaspoon of mustard powder
2 tablespoons chopped chives
30g butter
¾ cup, 75 g grated cheese
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tablespoons milk

OR
SEE ALTERNATIVE DUMPLINGS RECIPE

Melt butter & oil, fry onions, garlic until soft.
Add carrots, celery, pumpkin, potato, stir in.
Add paprika, fry all 5 mins on moderate heat.
Add beans, stock, tomato paste, ground black pepper, and almost all of the milk (reserve some to mix with cornflour).
Stir well, bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer 30 mins.
Blend cornflour with remaining milk, stir into vegetables.
Stir until thickened.
Pour into ovenproof dish, top with dumplings, sprinkle over remaining cheese. Bake 20 mins at 200oC until dumplings cooked through.

Dumplings:
Rub butter into flour, stir thru ½ cup cheese, chives. Add egg and milk to make soft consistency.
Roll into golf ball size – made 12.
(Original recipe was for a pastry, to roll out & cut rounds, but I added all the milk and it went more like dumplings?)

ALTERNATIVE DUMPLING RECIPE
Dumplings

1 and a half cups SR flour
2 tbs fresh chopped herbs
2 tbs butter
300 mls milk
2 tbs grated cheese

Rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, add cheese, herbs and mix to soft dough with milk.

Drop spoonfuls onto casserole and bake in oven 180 degrees until dumplings are cooked through.

This is my favorite vegan blog.
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/

On Friday night I made quinoa stuffed bell peppers for my family of meat eaters and they were a huge hit. I'll definitely be making them again. I used fresh kale instead of frozen spinach and topped them with nutritional yeast. So yummy and worth the effort.

Here is the recipe: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/quinoa-stuffed-peppers-2/