First of all, I swear I'm not turning vegetarian. Even though it seems like it. Maybe I am a little sensitive to poor baby animals getting farmed industrially and I'm making an effort, but I can't give up a few things--namely bacon and chicken. But I'm buying cage-free and local eggs and chicken, which I tried to do after I read the Omnivore's Dilemma but then I got lazy. My conscience has been battered in one of my classes though, so I'm taking another stab at it. I baked a free-range chicken yesterday! It turned out pretty dang good. I also discovered these recipes, which use little or no meat. And still are delicious (shocking, I know).
LOADED POTATO SOUP
Inspired by this recipe.
2 cups baked potato, roughly chopped**
chopped onion
2 tsp paprika
other spices to taste (I used Mrs. Dash Garlic&Herb and just a dash of cayenne)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2-3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sour cream
2-4 bacon slices, fried and chopped
1-2 tsp salt
1. Sautee onions and spices with oil until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add broth.
3.Beat flour in with milk (make sure they are veryyy well-combined!!) and add to soup. Let cook for a couple of minutes, then take it off the heat and add sour cream.
4. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
5. Pour the soup mixture over the chopped potatoes, and top with bacon (and whatever else you like: cheese, onions, brocolli, etc).
**To bake the potatoes quickly, stab them a few times with a fork and bake in the microwave for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Peel and chop.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Adapted from this recipe. I can't wait to experiment with this more. I'm thinking of adding whole grain rice and cooked corn.
1/2 a large onion
1/2 a bell pepper (not vital, but adds taste--green tasted fine, and I hate green peppers :D)
1-2 cloves garlic
2 cups beans (use canned, or cook them from dry)
salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, Mrs. Dash--tons of spices!!
1 egg
1/4 cup+ breadcrumbs and/or flour
jalapeno to taste
19 May update: I experimented with adding a bunch of other stuff and it tasted even better! Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, quinoa, corn...The options are LITERALLY endless. Just be careful with the ratio of liquids to dry stuff so the burgers don't get to an unusuable consistency.
1. Chop the first three indgredients finely (food processor does the trick!).
2. Add the beans and blend into a paste. Add the spices (you will need to spice the SHIT out of these things, trust me--that's the only way they taste good). Perfect the taste now!
3. Add the egg and mash it all together.
4. Add enough flour and/or breadcrumbs so that the mixture makes decent patties that don't fall apart. 5. Fry in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown.
6. Top with Big Mac sauce and whatever else you like; I used cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese. I served (read: ate) it open-face on a corn tortilla.
Big Mac sauce
This was also included with the recipe, and I loveee it.
4 parts ketchup
2 parta mayo
1 part deli mustard
1 part vinegar
1 part lemon juice
Mix and become obsessed. Trust me.
MOROCCAN CHICK PEA STEW
Another gem found on GoJee, my recent obsession. Here's the original.
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped thinly
2 cups cabbage, chopped finely
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups pinto beans
spices--1 tsp each of: fresh ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
2 cups veggie or chicken broth
craisins
1. Cook first four ingredients in oil over medium-low heat. Don't burn them, but the sweet potatoes need tiiiime so keep an eye on them.
2. Add the rest of the indgredients except for the broth and craisins. Cook for five more minutes.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil; cook for 20 more minutes.
4. Serve over rice or couscous; top with craisins.
Anyways, there you go. My dance on the edge of vegetarianism.
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