Vegetarian Gourmet Recipes - Meatless Makeovers

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Cathy_O]Cathy O

Three years ago I decided to go "meatless." It wasn't a difficult decision as I wasn't a voracious carnivore to begin with, however there were a few dishes that I missed that contained meat and wondered how I was going to live without these favorites.
Rather than resign myself to the notion that these dishes could never be converted over to a meatless status, I decided to pull myself up by my vegetarian bootstrings (cotton, of course), and see if I could find a way to convert these meat-ies to meatless.
The first was my Grammy's recipe for American Chop Suey, actually, almost everyone's Grammy made this or some variation of it. I tried different ways but this one comes the closest:

Meatless American Chop Suey
1 vidalia onion chopped

1-2 tbsp. butter

1/2 pkg Quorn (brandname) veggie grounds frozen

2 cans Campbells Tomato Soup

1 tblsp. catsup (yes catsup, you can't really taste it, it just adds a rich color to the sauce)

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 lb of your favorite fancy pasta in its rigati form, that means with lines, or something like like gemelli or rotini

Melt butter in a medium sized skillet over low heat. Add vidalia onion and gently saute until translucent. Add frozen Quorn grounds and heat till thawed. Add 2 cans soup and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Add catsup salt and pepper and cook an additional 102 minutes.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain thoroughly and add sauce to pasta. Stir to incorporate completely. Serve. Serves 4-6 people as a side.
This next one is an adaptation of a Greek-Middle-Eastern recipe for Dolma. I loved this dish as a youngster summering on Cape Cod. A wonderful Lebanese family "turned me on" to this dish and I have finally found a way to make it meatless and spectacular!

Veggie Dolmas

1 jar of Grapeleaves in brine

Filling:2 cup basmati rice cooked

1/2 cup currants

1/2 cup of pine nuts ground

1/2 cup quorn grounds thawed

2 tbsp. dried mint (or 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped fine)

1 tbsp. dried parsely (or 1/4 cup fresh parsely chopped fine)

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1/8 cup fresh oregano chopped fine)

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp pepper

1 small can tomato paste

Juice of 2 lemons

Remove the grape leaves from the jar, rinse and unfold carefully and rinse again. Lay paper towels and pat dry. Gently remove any stems that are still on the leaves.
In a large bowl mix the filling ingredients together till they are well incorporated.
Carefully separate a few of the leaves and line the bottom of a 1-2 gallon stock pot.
To roll take a leaf, place 1 heaping tsp of filling in the center of the leaf about 1/2 inch up from the bottom edge. Fold 1/2 inch up over the filling, fold each side toward the middle, then beginning at the bottom again roll the whole package up till you have a 1-2" "log.
Continue with the rolling process till you use up all the filling.
Line the rolled leaves up in a circular pattern in the stock pot till all are in. Pour the juice of both lemons gently over the rolled leaves. Place a dinner plate on top with a stone in the middle to keep in place. Gradually add cold water till it just covers the leaves.
Bring contents to a boil then reduce and simmer for abount 1/2 hour till tender. Drain water by holding on to stone to keep plate in place and gently pour out cooking water. Leave plate on till almost cool.
Remove plate and serve with plain yogurt, yummy.
These can be frozen in 1-2 serving sizes for later. I like to do it this way then microwave them for a minute and a half for a quickie meal.

Cathy O is a successful author who provides information on [http://www.a1-gourmet.com/gift-baskets]gourmet gift baskets, [http://www.a1-gourmet.com]gourmet food, and gourmet [http://www.a1-gourmet.com/recipe-directory.htm]recipes. "In addition to being a freelance writer, I also dabble in Aromatherapy, Herbalism and painting when I am so inspired. Living in the Lake region of Western Maine has been of tremendous inspiration to me and I am proud and happy to call it home."
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_O http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegetarian-Gourmet-Recipes---Meatless-Makeovers&id=49431

For more recipes pick up your ebook copy of
Quick & Easy Vegetarian Recipes.

Vegetarian Chili

Three Recipes for Healthful Meals the Whole Family Will Love
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Chili seasonings bring out the best in vegetables and beans; your family and friends will never miss the meat. You can improvise with these recipes, using whatever type of beans you like, and adding or subtracting other ingredients to match your personal preferences. You can always freeze any leftovers.

Easy Veggie Burger Chili

4 frozen veggie burgers

1 16-ounce bag frozen pepper-onion mix

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 16-ounce can pink beans

1 16-ounce can chick peas

2 cups frozen corn

1 tablespoon mild chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

pinch cayenne, to taste

Cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice

Break the veggie burgers into 1" chunks. Combine them with all of the other ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes or more, until ready to serve. Ladle over the cooked whole grains of your choice.

6-8 servings

Chafing Dish Chili

This recipe will serve a crowd; it's perfect for a buffet, or just freeze the leftovers for future "fast food" meals.

2 large onions, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons mild chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

5 cups bouillon (or bouillon + beer)

1 pound green lentils

1 cup uncooked bulgur

2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, undrained, broken up

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Turn off the heat and let it sit until ready to serve (or make ahead and refrigerate.)

Reheat and transfer to a chafing dish or other buffet serving dish. Surround with mugs or small bowls with handles, and your choice of:

Optional serving accompaniments

Salsa

Chopped cilantro

Red, green and yellow bell pepper slivers

Guacamole

Cooked whole grains

Bottled hot pepper sauce

10-12 servings

Squash Chili

1 winter squash, about 2 pounds

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered or cut in 1/2" pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon mild chili powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

pinch cayenne, to taste

2 cups bouillon

1 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces

1 can small red or pink beans, drained

2 cups frozen baby lima beans

2 cups frozen corn

2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice

Pierce the squash with a knife in 2 or 3 places. Set in a microwave dish and microwave on high for 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Return to the microwave and cook about 8 minutes more, or until you can easily remove the flesh from the skin.

Meanwhile, bring the onion, mushrooms, garlic, spices and bouillon to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the squash flesh, cut in chunks, along with the red pepper, pink beans and lima beans. Return to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes more, or until the lima beans are cooked. Stir in the corn and vinegar and adjust the seasonings. Serve over cooked whole grains.

6-8 servings

Read my Good Food Book FREE, with 100 healthful recipes.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.drmirkin.com/

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gabe_Mirkin,_M.D.
http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegetarian-Chili---Three-Recipes-for-Healthful-Meals-the-Whole-Family-Will-Love&id=160658

For more recipes pick up your ebook copy of Quick & Easy Vegetarian Recipes.

Health Benefits of Juicing

The health benefits of juicing have just recently started becoming mainstream knowledge.

Lots of us have at one time or another drank freshly squeezed orange juice (and loved it!), but if you haven’t tried a papaya-mango-carrot blend, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Aside from the delicious and unique tastes that can be accomplished through juicing, the ease with which you can get the proper amount of fruits and veggies into your system makes a using a juicer a healthy lifestyle option.

The invention of the home juicer made it possible for everyone and of every budget range to enjoy the convenience and benefits of juicing right from their kitchen counter top.

With juicers starting in price at around $200.00, they’re a feasible gift to give and certainly a justifiable purchase.

Diet is so vastly important in the prevention of disease. There are diseases that are prevalent in modernized areas, like America and Europe, which have NEVER shown up in a single native resident of places where the diet consists of mostly fruit and vegetables – like Africa.

British researchers stationed in Africa have, for a period of 30 years, not seen a single case of prostate cancer, colon cancer, hernia or diverticulitis.

The only explanation researchers have for this lack of disease is the fact that their diet is mostly composed of fruits and vegetables and ours is not.

How Juicing Diet Helps Our Digestion

Often, by cooking and processing foods, the sensitive micro-nutrients found in fresh foods are destroyed.

By eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables and getting the essential micro-nutrients needed in your diet, you can live a healthier, happier, more productive life and reduce the chances of getting many diseases.

Ideally, the body requires one pound of vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight. The problem is that eating raw fruit and vegetables in such large doses can be very difficult.

By eating a lot of the same fruits or vegetables, you are not getting enough of a mixture of the fruits and vegetables needed. Having too much of the same food too often can also increase the chance of becoming allergic to it.

Another benefit of juicing is that it makes foods easier for us to digest, so nutrients can be used by the body quicker than if they were just eaten.

The best way to begin is to purchase a cheaper brand juicer. That way you won’t lose a lot of money if you decide that this is not for you. Remember; a cheap model will produce low quality juice and tend to be louder.

The health benefits of juicing are far too numerous to list because of all the nutrients you’re liable to ingest that you never would have before.

By getting and staying healthy now through juicing, you’re potential for developing serious ailments is monumentally decreased. If you invest in a juicer and use it daily, you’ll start feeling healthier and more energized that you thought was possible.


Additional Benefits of Juicing Info

Juicing is a great way to give your body the essential micro-nutrients and minerals needed to keep healthy.

The best way to begin a regular juicing routine is to do it the same time each day and only begin with the vegetables and fruits that you enjoy eating whole.

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed right away. When they are stored, they can lose their nutritional value very quickly. However, if you really want to store them, do it properly.

Juice is sensitive to air, so it should be kept in an airtight glass container and filled right up to the top to make sure that there is the least amount of air inside the container as possible. Keep the container away from light by wrapping it in aluminum foil and storing it in the refrigerator.

Fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed at room temperature. If they have been stored in the refrigerator, remove them at least half an hour before consuming. Never drink juice that is over 24 hours old, as all of the nutritional value and main benefits of juicing will have been lost.

Alien writes for dandruff . He also writes for home remedies and get rid of dark circles

Source: ArticleTrader.com

For more information, please go to

www.canavacafe.com

For more recipes pick up your ebook copy of Quick & Easy Vegetarian Recipes.