My boyfriend loves Sonic the Hedgehog, and if any of you know who/what Sonic is, you might also know that his favorite food is a chili cheese dog. So my boyfriend asked if I could make Sonic's favorite food for supper some night, and I said yes.
A chili cheese dog normally has beef in the chili, and is loading with a bunch of cheese and a pre-chili mix that contains way too much sodium, msg and isn't any where as tasty as a home made mix. It is also usually made with a beef hot dog.
Being a vegetarian, I needed to find a way to make this healthier and meatless. So I have gone to work in the kitchen tonight to develop a vegetarian(can be made vegan) chili cheese dog. Here's the recipe:
You will need:
-1 can of tomatoes(it doesn't matter if they are plum, whole, crushed or you can use 4-6 fresh ones. We are just going to boil it down, anyways).
-1 can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can of lentils, rinsed and drained
-1 medium onion
-1 red pepper(or green, or orange), sliced
-1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
-1 clove of garlic, or 1 tsp garlic powder
-Olive oil
-1 tsp soy sauce
-1 small can of tomato paste
-1 spicy pepper of your choice(Jalapeno, Poblano, Banana, Cayenne, Habanero are just a few of the spicy peppers available. If you don't like spicy, I would go with a 1/4 cup of sliced banana peppers. They are mind, tasty and colourful.)
-Hot dog buns or bread
-Yves Veggie dogs
-Shredded cheese(moza, marble, cheddar or you can use a vegan cheese, nutritional yeast or no cheese).
-Spices
Place your tomatoes in a large pot. If you are using fresh, dice the tomatoes so that they are in chunks and add 1/2 cup of water to your pot. If you are using canned tomatoes, add the liquid in with the tomatoes. Heat on medium until tomatoes are cooking into a sauce.
Meanwhile, chop garlic and onions. Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan and place on medium heat. Add garlic, onions and mushrooms. When the onions start to go floppy add your sliced red pepper and stir until it becomes slightly soft but still has some crunch. Add this mixture to your chili.
Chop your spicy pepper into little pieces and add to your chili along with your tomato paste and beans. Add your spices. Some of the ones I like to include in my chili are basil, oregano, chili powder, red chili flakes, mustard, celery seed, rosemary or thyme(not much of either). It all depends on what spices I have on hand. Cooking is all about experimenting, so don't be afraid to try different spices!
Cook your veggie dogs by boiling them. Place buns in a bowl, add your veggie dog and top with your chili. You can now sprinkle it with cheese, and viola! you have a veggie chili cheese dog!
* I try to sneak veggies into everything, so I put carrot and peas in the pod in my chili. You can also add corn, spinach or another vegetable that you like.
This recipe is healthier than the typical chili cheese dog, but I don't know if it is still considered overly healthy! If you have any questions or comments on how to make this dish better or healthier, please share! I always love to hear feedback!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Pomegranate Drink
Call me crazy, but I get really excited over fruits and veggies. I love the wide variety of fruits available and how each and kind is different. Today I tried a pomegranate for the very first time, and sharing a few seeds with my boyfriend, I looked up and asked if it was possible to fall in love with fruit.
If you have never tried this beautiful fruit, I urge you to do so! To eat a pomegranate, you slice it in half and eat the seeds. There are several different methods that can be used on how to get the seeds out. I put mine in a bowl of cool water and gently separated the seeds from the fruit. The pomegranate juices do stain, so be careful!
This beautiful fruit has made it to the top of my favorite food list. The seeds are like delicate rubies. They are sweet, yet slightly tart. They are juicy and crisp at the same time. The fruit is beautiful, I don't know how else to describe it...If I could name one fruit that represented the feminine side of nature, it would be this fruit for it's blood red seeds.
You can eat the seeds by themselves, toss them into salads or make juice. Below is a recipe for a delicious vegan smoothie that is sure to make you smile.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup of mixed fruit(I used the frozen mixed fruit with strawberries, peaches, melon)
A handful of ice
1/2 cup of water
Blend the seeds first then add your fruit, ice and water. You may need to add more water depending on how thick or thin you like you drinks. You can also add half of a banana if you'd like. You could probably add any fruit you want to this, or some yogurt if you are eating dairy.
I hope you enjoy your pomegranate as much as I did!
If you have never tried this beautiful fruit, I urge you to do so! To eat a pomegranate, you slice it in half and eat the seeds. There are several different methods that can be used on how to get the seeds out. I put mine in a bowl of cool water and gently separated the seeds from the fruit. The pomegranate juices do stain, so be careful!
This beautiful fruit has made it to the top of my favorite food list. The seeds are like delicate rubies. They are sweet, yet slightly tart. They are juicy and crisp at the same time. The fruit is beautiful, I don't know how else to describe it...If I could name one fruit that represented the feminine side of nature, it would be this fruit for it's blood red seeds.
You can eat the seeds by themselves, toss them into salads or make juice. Below is a recipe for a delicious vegan smoothie that is sure to make you smile.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup of mixed fruit(I used the frozen mixed fruit with strawberries, peaches, melon)
A handful of ice
1/2 cup of water
Blend the seeds first then add your fruit, ice and water. You may need to add more water depending on how thick or thin you like you drinks. You can also add half of a banana if you'd like. You could probably add any fruit you want to this, or some yogurt if you are eating dairy.
I hope you enjoy your pomegranate as much as I did!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Delicious Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes have always been a favorite of mine, but they are not necessarily the healthiest food out there. So when I decide to cook up some of this delicious comfort food, I try to make it a bit healthier by adding some more veggies.
Delicious Mashed Potatoes
-6 medium potatoes
-2 large carrots
-1 medium sweet potato
-1 tbsp butter or margarine(olive oil also works well if you're vegan)
-3 tbsp plain yogurt(can be omitted)
-salt and pepper to taste
Wash all veggies. I like to leave the skin on my carrots and potatoes, but feel free to peel them. I always peel my sweet potato, because the skin is so much tougher. Cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into chunks, and slice the carrots into medium sized slices.
Place all veggies in a pot and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt to help the veggies cook and turn down to medium heat once they start boiling.
When veggies are cooked(potatoes and carrots are done when you insert a fork and it goes in easily) drain the water off them and give a quick rinse to wash away excess starch.
Place the veggies in a large dish and mash them together. I like my carrots to say fairly chunky in the potatoes and just focus on getting a smooth texture with the potatoes.
Add butter(or margarine or oil) and your yogurt(if using), also season with your salt and pepper. I stir this together with a wooden spoon, but if you want you could also use a mixer to get a "whipped" potato.
This really is a tasty treat! It is great served with "meat" loaf and onion gravy, or just on its own. You can also add other veggies to it, or some nutritional yeast for a cheesy-like flavor. Some of the other veggies you can add are:
-Broccoli
-Onion
-Different types of potato
-Turnip
-Squash
The possibilities are endless! I hope you enjoy!
Delicious Mashed Potatoes
-6 medium potatoes
-2 large carrots
-1 medium sweet potato
-1 tbsp butter or margarine(olive oil also works well if you're vegan)
-3 tbsp plain yogurt(can be omitted)
-salt and pepper to taste
Wash all veggies. I like to leave the skin on my carrots and potatoes, but feel free to peel them. I always peel my sweet potato, because the skin is so much tougher. Cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into chunks, and slice the carrots into medium sized slices.
Place all veggies in a pot and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt to help the veggies cook and turn down to medium heat once they start boiling.
When veggies are cooked(potatoes and carrots are done when you insert a fork and it goes in easily) drain the water off them and give a quick rinse to wash away excess starch.
Place the veggies in a large dish and mash them together. I like my carrots to say fairly chunky in the potatoes and just focus on getting a smooth texture with the potatoes.
Add butter(or margarine or oil) and your yogurt(if using), also season with your salt and pepper. I stir this together with a wooden spoon, but if you want you could also use a mixer to get a "whipped" potato.
This really is a tasty treat! It is great served with "meat" loaf and onion gravy, or just on its own. You can also add other veggies to it, or some nutritional yeast for a cheesy-like flavor. Some of the other veggies you can add are:
-Broccoli
-Onion
-Different types of potato
-Turnip
-Squash
The possibilities are endless! I hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
"Meat" Loaf
I've been experimenting with the bean mixture I made the other night and have found a nice way to make some "meat" loaf. Just follow the recipe here for the veggie burger mix and then do the following to make a tasty, tender loaf. Depending on the size of the loaf you plan on making, you can freeze any leftover mixture or make them into burgers for the next night.
"Meat"Loaf
-Veggie burger mixture
-1/2 can tomato sauce
-Spices(parsley, Italian seasoning, black pepper)
Place your burger mixture into a baking dish and flatten it out so that it covers the entire pan. Smooth the tomato sauce over the top of the mixture and top with your spices. Bake in the over at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve.
This recipe is great with my onion gravy. Here's what you will need:
-1 onion
-1 tsp olive oil
-2 tbsp butter or margerine
-2 tbsp flour
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-2 cups water or veggie broth
Fry your onions in a frying pan with a little olive oil until the onions are transparent. Set aside. In a medium sized pot over medium high heat, add butter and flour. Stir ingredients together and continue to stir until it becomes a golden coloured paste and it no longer smells of flour. Add the onions, water/broth and soy sauce. Stir together and reduce heat to medium. The mixture will thicken as it continues to heat. It is also really good with some added salt, pepper, and savory. Add whatever spices you like to create a unique gravy flavor.
I love this gravy over mashed potatoes, and it can be altered any way you wish. Mushrooms would also taste lovely in it! Enjoy, and as always, I would love to hear your feedback!
"Meat"Loaf
-Veggie burger mixture
-1/2 can tomato sauce
-Spices(parsley, Italian seasoning, black pepper)
Place your burger mixture into a baking dish and flatten it out so that it covers the entire pan. Smooth the tomato sauce over the top of the mixture and top with your spices. Bake in the over at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve.
This recipe is great with my onion gravy. Here's what you will need:
-1 onion
-1 tsp olive oil
-2 tbsp butter or margerine
-2 tbsp flour
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-2 cups water or veggie broth
Fry your onions in a frying pan with a little olive oil until the onions are transparent. Set aside. In a medium sized pot over medium high heat, add butter and flour. Stir ingredients together and continue to stir until it becomes a golden coloured paste and it no longer smells of flour. Add the onions, water/broth and soy sauce. Stir together and reduce heat to medium. The mixture will thicken as it continues to heat. It is also really good with some added salt, pepper, and savory. Add whatever spices you like to create a unique gravy flavor.
I love this gravy over mashed potatoes, and it can be altered any way you wish. Mushrooms would also taste lovely in it! Enjoy, and as always, I would love to hear your feedback!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Veggie Burger!
I have to admit that hamburgers are one of my all time favorite foods, so when I decided to go vegetarian I had to find a healthy replacement. Don't get me wrong, the store bought veggie burgers are delicious, but contain a lot of salt. So I've been tweaking a few recipes over the last few months and have finally figured out one!
Ingredients:
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 can white kidney beans
- 1 can whole mushrooms(or a handful of fresh ones)
- 1 Large carrot, grated.
- 1 onion
- 1.5 cup cooked brown rice*
- 1/3 cup cooked couscous
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 spicy pepper
- olive oil
- 1/2 pack of non-salted crackers, crushed
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of both katchup and mustard
- Spices
1. Drain and rinse beans. Place grated carrot and kidney beans in a large bowl, mash with a potato masher until the beans are mushed and mixed well with the carrots.
2. In a blender or food processor, add soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, spicy pepper, katchup, mustard, 1 cup brown rice and couscous. You will need to add a bit of water to help the mixture blend together. It should end up looking like a thick paste. When this is mixed, add it to the bowl with the bean mixture.
3. Chop mushrooms and onion into small pieces. Put in a frying pan with a tsp of olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are near transparent. Add to the bowl with bean mixture.
4. Add the remaining ingredients in the bowl, including the rest of the rice. Mix together and add any spices you want. I like to add turmeric, dried mustard, pepper, a little salt. You don't need much in the way of spices, these burgers are very tasty all on their own!
5. Form the mixture into patties and bake at 350 degrees for 10-25 minutes. They are done when browned. You can also fry with a little olive oil.
This recipe makes about 20 medium sized patties. You can also use it as a meat replacement. Some of the things I have made with this recipe are:
Burgers
Meatloaf(add some tomato paste or sauce when cooking)
Tacos
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Ingredients:
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 can white kidney beans
- 1 can whole mushrooms(or a handful of fresh ones)
- 1 Large carrot, grated.
- 1 onion
- 1.5 cup cooked brown rice*
- 1/3 cup cooked couscous
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 spicy pepper
- olive oil
- 1/2 pack of non-salted crackers, crushed
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of both katchup and mustard
- Spices
1. Drain and rinse beans. Place grated carrot and kidney beans in a large bowl, mash with a potato masher until the beans are mushed and mixed well with the carrots.
2. In a blender or food processor, add soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, spicy pepper, katchup, mustard, 1 cup brown rice and couscous. You will need to add a bit of water to help the mixture blend together. It should end up looking like a thick paste. When this is mixed, add it to the bowl with the bean mixture.
3. Chop mushrooms and onion into small pieces. Put in a frying pan with a tsp of olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are near transparent. Add to the bowl with bean mixture.
4. Add the remaining ingredients in the bowl, including the rest of the rice. Mix together and add any spices you want. I like to add turmeric, dried mustard, pepper, a little salt. You don't need much in the way of spices, these burgers are very tasty all on their own!
5. Form the mixture into patties and bake at 350 degrees for 10-25 minutes. They are done when browned. You can also fry with a little olive oil.
This recipe makes about 20 medium sized patties. You can also use it as a meat replacement. Some of the things I have made with this recipe are:
Burgers
Meatloaf(add some tomato paste or sauce when cooking)
Tacos
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
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