Category Archives: Meatless Main Dishes

Meatless Main Dishes are recipes that are hearty, healthy and contain no meat. For my non vegetarian friends and relatives, many recipes can be modified to include meat, and/or dairy.

Easy Black Bean Chili

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Now that the holidays are over I’m craving something simple, light but nourishing and that won’t be too much of a strain on the budget.  After all that rich food, I’m opting for vegetarian.

Easy Black Bean Chili with Brown Basmati Rice

Black Bean Chili

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 16-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil or vegetable broth
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbs. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 14-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

In large nonstick fry pan or sauce pan, heat onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic in the oil or vegetable broth.  Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to
soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add spices, tomatoes, beans and water, and simmer 15
minutes. Stir in corn and cook 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and serve with Brown Rice and  Loaded Corn Muffins (see below).

Loaded Corn Muffins

  Vegetable Corn Muffins

This is a really delicious way to pack in some more vegetables and the kids will love them, and since I’m taking the easy way out here, I’m using up that box of corn muffin mix I had sitting around.  Prepare the mix as directed.  Stir in 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables, and spoon into a muffin pan.  This recipe makes about six giant muffins.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. It just doesn’t get much easier.

 

To Meat or Not to Meat

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Roast Chicken   Usually, I feature a recipe or food prep technique in my posts but today I wanted to share an idea that can change your approach to meal planning. Several years ago I began experimenting with going meatless once or twice a week.  It was the first tentative step on my journey to healthier eating, and I know that many families routinely do “Meatless Monday” both for health and budgetary reasons.

Recently, I was thinking about how people probably ate in the past and how it compares with our modern eating habits.  I decided to look at my meal planning from another, more historic, point of view.

A little research showed me that in the past our ancestors ate a lot more vegetables than meat.  So I decided to try planning seven days of vegetarian menus, and one meat centered “feast day” menu for Sundays.  Since most of us grew up eating Sunday dinner with our families, it seemed like a tradition worth cultivating, and pot roast is a great way to encourage everyone to be home for dinner.  It also helps the non-vegetarian members of the family feel less deprived so they have something to look forward to each week.

Here’s a sample week of dinners:

  • Monday – Black Bean Chili with Skillet Cornbread
  • Tuesday – Taco Tuesday (Vegetarian Style)
  • Wednesday – Split Pea Soup with Crusty Bread
  • Thursday – Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Salad
  • Friday – Veggie Burgers, Tomato-Cucumber Salad
  • Saturday – Curried Baked Squash with Green Beans
  • Sunday – Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots and Onions

One of the really positive effects of this menu change is a lower grocery bill.  The fresh items  are readily available this time of year, and the meals rely heavily on staple items like pasta and dried beans and peas.  Plus the calorie count is pretty low (well, except for the mac-n-cheese).  All I can say, is try it.  You just might like it.

 

Mushroom Delight

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Looks like I get to enjoy a weekend on my own.  Everyone has plans elsewhere and I’m taking the opportunity to do some “me time” in the kitchen.  No one else likes mushrooms.  I don’t understand it, but I guess it’s just who they are.  As a matter of fact, mushrooms seem to be one of those foods where you either really, really like them, or you really, really don’t.  I really, really like mushrooms so tonight I’m having one of my favorites: Mushrooms and Brown Rice.

Mushrooms and Brown Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups any kind of mushroom (I’m using cremini and regular white button mushrooms)
  • 1/2 cup uncooked brown basmati rice
  • 1 – 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsely
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce or soy sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy sauce pan combine the vegetable broth, rice, (and butter if you choose).  Bring to a boil, stir once, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for approximately 50 minutes.  You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.

Chop the onion, garlic, pepper, and mushrooms.  In a skillet, saute the onions in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth or non fat cooking spray.  Add the garlic and peppers and saute until the onion is translucent, being careful not to let the  garlic burn.  Add the mushrooms, worchestershire or soy sauce, cumin and enough vegetable broth to simmer the mixture until the mushrooms are tender. Fold in the rice and the parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.

There’s nothing fancy about this dish, it’s comfort food, pure and simple.  You can have it as a main dish, or serve it to the carnivores on the side, but this time it’s all mine.  Try it and let me know what you think.

Texas Beans and Corn Meal Dumplings

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Spicy Beans and DumplingsFall has arrived and with the crisp weather and lower temperatures, something hearty and full of flavor seems like the perfect choice.  So, I’m making Texas Beans with Corn Meal Dumplings.  I found the original recipe for this as a soup on Cooks.com.  However, being from Texas originally, I know that beans and soup are two different things. Neither of them are chili, and there are NO CARROTS.  So, of course I had to “improve” on the basic recipe.  Ordinarily, I would make corn bread in the cast iron skillet, but since I’ve never met a dumpling I didn’t love from the first mouthful, I thought I’d get the best of both worlds. 

My first consideration is always to make a healthy meal.  This dish is extremely low fat and nutritious.  An added bonus is that it’s also really economical and feeds a lot of hungry mouths, and that’s a big consideration these days. 

I recommend using a Dutch oven for this dish.  The slow cooker takes too long and when you’re using canned beans it’s kind of a waste of time and electricity.  I’m getting hungry, so let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans or chili beans rinsed & drained
  • 3 c. vegetable, beef or chicken stock (fat free, of course)
  • 1 (14 1/2 oz.) no salt added diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup mild or hot salsa
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 1 small potato, peeled and diced
  • 1  jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (if you’re really brave, use canned chipotle pepper)
  • 2 instant bouillon cubes (for depth and richness)
  • 1-2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1-2 tsp. cumin
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine onions, garlic and pepper in a Dutch oven with a couple of tablespoons of stock and sweat until onions are translucent.  Add the stock and all other ingredients.  Cover and cook over low heat for 2-4 hours.

 Half an hour before serving make and add the dumplings.

 Corn Meal Dumplings:

  • 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • Dash of salt (optional)
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1 beaten egg white or 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tbsp. cooking oil

 In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine egg white, milk and oil. Add to flour mixture; stir with a fork until just combined. 

 Turn to medium heat and drop teaspoonfuls of dumpling mixture into the beans to make mounds atop the beans. Cover, cook for 30 minutes more. (No peeking! Do not lift cover.)

If you try this recipe please let me know how you liked it.