I’ll Take the Tofurky Please!
November 26, 2008
It’s funny that after 17 years as a vegetarian, new friends will still ask, “What do you eat on Thanksgiving?” They say it as though the only thing on the table at Thanksgiving is turkey!
Let’s face it, there’s a lot more on my family’s table. In fact, I’d say that everybody fills up more on the yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and whatever else your family serves up.
Regardless of that, my mother has always done a wonderful job feeding the vegetarians in the house. I became a vegetarian at 15. My younger sister was a vegan by the time she was 15.
So what do we eat on Thanksgiving? First, my mother buys two turkeys — a real one and a Tofurky. Second, she puts together beautiful vegetable trays and dips (including a vegan dip for my sister), stuffing, bread, potatoes, and pie! Yes, she even makes a vegan pie for my sister.
Being a vegetarian or a vegan doesn’t mean we can’t take part in Thanksgiving or that we go hungry! We simply eat a tofurky instead of a turkey.
“Spice Up” Your cheesecake
November 26, 2008
Wal-mart sells premade cheesecakes for only $4 something. Take it home and “spice it up” yourself. Drizzle caramel over it, crush some pecans and sprinkle them on top. Or buy the cherry filling or fresh strawberries and top the cake. Or use chocolate chips or M and M’s. The possibilities are endless.
Take an ordinary and inexpensive cake and make it your own.
Italian Chicken
November 26, 2008
This is SOOOO easy to make! Buy some chicken breasts from the store, buy the ones in the butcher part, not in the freezer section. Buy a $1 bottle of Italian salad dressing. Marinate the chicken breasts in the Italian dressing overnight. The next day, pull it out and grill, that’s it! Drizzle with the dressing and pair with some grilled asparagus.
Use your slowcooker
November 26, 2008
This is a great way to cook food while you’re not at home. Basically, find a meat for your stew. Do you want chicken or beef? Throw it in. Add a bag of frozen vegetables or fresh ones from the fridge. Add some spices and canned tomatoes and that’s all you really need. The food will be nice and cooked when you get home.
If you’re New Mexican, throw green chile in there too.
Pecan Sandies
November 26, 2008
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
1/4 cup sugar
Coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired
Cornbread Chili Stacks
November 26, 2008
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 egg
1 can (15 oz) spicy chili
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
4 slices (3/4 oz each) process American cheese, cut diagonally in half, if desired
Tofu Salad Sandwich Recipe
November 25, 2008
I did not create this recipe but I LOVE this recipe as I think tofu tastes really great, and combing it with currry? YUM
http://www.cookingcache.com/vegetar/tofusaladsandwich.shtml?rdid=rc1
3 tablespoons lowfat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
8 ounces firm tofu — lowfat, well drained
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon onion — finely minced
salt and pepper — to taste
2 large whole-wheat pita breads — cut in half
In a bowl, combine mayo, mustard, turmeric and curry powder. Gently stir in tofu, carrots and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Chill.
Spoon into pita pockets and serve.
Crockpot Lazy Day Beef And Vegetable Soup Recipe
November 24, 2008
http://www.cookingcache.com/crockpot/crockpotlazydaybeefandvegetablesoup.shtml?rdid=rc1
(This is not my recipe, but one I like from the link above)
2 1/2 pounds beef for stew, cut into 3/4″ pieces
2 cans (14 to 14 1/2 ounces each) ready-to-serve beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic and onions, undrained
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
Shredded Romano cheese (optional)
1. Combine beef, broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, water, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper in 4 1/2 to 5 1/2-quart slow cooker; mix well. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or on LOW 8 hours. (No stirring is necessary during cooking)
2. Stir in mixed vegetables and pasta. Continue cooking, covered, 1 hour or until beef and pasta are tender. Stir well before serving. Serve with cheese, if desired.
My changes: I always use whatever meat I’ve found on sale (I keep a stockpile of cheap steaks in the freezer and use it for soups, stirfry, etc.). I try to use low fat and/or low sodium broth, and I never add extra salt. I used plain diced tomatoes and added fresh onion and garlic. The pasta was bow ties.
In my cookbok, I will call this BUSY day, instead of LAZY day soup… we had soccer practice at 5, so I put the vegetables and pasta in before we left and turned it down to keep warm. By the time we ate at 7 it was perfect, and gave me an hour for practice, plus time to get the kids in the shower, and make some breadsticks for the side.
Raspberry Mint Lemonade
November 24, 2008
This is so simple to do, you’ll always keep this recipe in mind for entertaining.
Pour 2 parts lemon juice to 2 parts water. Add Splenda to your liking of sweetness. Drop in some mint leaves and frozen raspberries and that’s it.
You’ve got yourself Raspberry Mint Lemonade.
And believe me, its sooo good! For an added extra touch, add crushed ice, its so delicious.
Bagel Pizzas
November 24, 2008
Take a whole wheat bagel (or an English muffin, if you prefer) and spread on a generous helping of no sugar added, organic marinara sauce. Top with SLICES (not shredded) mozerella cheese. Top with thin tomatoes sliced in quarters, as well as pepperonni, also sliced in quarters. Top with fresh basil or fresh spinich. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with garlic and oregano.
Heat in the toaster oven at 350 degrees for five minutes and its ready to eat. Well, let it cool down first.
Pour some root beer to pair it off.
