Okay… every kitchen needs great knives, a variety of bowls, a Blend-Tec, a KitchenAid Professional Mixer, and All-Clad Cookware.

But there’s something else. And it’s a LOT cheaper.

It looks like this (this one is from Williams Sonoma.. a FAVORITE store of mine):

It’s about 30 bucks.. and it turns DICING ANYTHING into the easiest thing ever. Get consistent, perfect sized diced whatever… even measures it for you!

You can see it on their site – by clicking here

Check it out… and pick one up. You’ll be glad you did.

This is a variation on an award winning spaghetti sauce. I didn’t eat beef or pork for about 12 years before going full vegetarian in 2007. In that time, I used lean turkey instead of the beef the recipe originally called for. Now, I make it with Morningstar Farms vegetarian crumbles (ground meat substitute)… and it’s fantastic.

There are a lot of variations on this… but here are the basics.

Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Oregano
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
2 cans Organic Tomato Sauce
2 cans Organic Stewed Tomatoes (can used diced or whole, depending on your preference)
1 Package Vegetarian “Meat” – Morningstar Farms Meal Starter Crumbles
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Chili Powder
Salt, Pepper to taste
1 can tomato paste

Simple – and fantastic – starts here!
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then add onions, oregano, italian seasoning, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onions are soft. add Tomato Sauce and bring to a simmer. After 3-5 minutes, add canned tomatoes and Vegetarian “Meat.” Add a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste).

Stir consistently while simmering for another 5 minutes. STOP STIRRING – add sugar (don’t mix it in) and Chili Powder (add in a different area from the sugar – don’t stir). Wait 3 minutes without stirring – then stir in completely.

Continue simmering for 30 minutes, then add the tomato paste.

Simmer 15 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Use the COMMENTS feature to share YOUR favorite Vegan or Vegetarian recipes! We might use it on the show!

So… if you have decided to be vegetarian or Vegan… it can be tough to know where the animal products are hidden.

It’s easy to avoid a burger or a steak or a fish sandwich – but did you know

Jiffy Corn Meal is made with… BEEF?

McDonald’s French Fries and Hasbrowns contain BEEF?

Some Beer and Wine is aged with stomach lining from fish?

50 percent of the Cane Sugar in the US is cured using BONE char – cooked animal bones

Marshmallow, Pudding, Sour Cream – CAN contain Gelatin (and we sure don’t want to eat that)

Worcester Sauce often contains Anchovies – check the bottle.

If you’ve made the choice to not eat animals… better keep your reading glasses handy. It’s important to read the labels.

Okay… so it seems simple enough. And it’s corn, right? Why wouldn’t it be Vegan?

We haven’t made this on a show, but wanted to share. It’s great on the gill, over hot coals, or in the oven. Easy to make – and everyone loves it.

Start with 4 ears of corn… and Vegan butter, softened.
Peel the husks back from the corn, don’t detach.

Spread corn generously with Vegan butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap Husks back over corn, then wrap in generous (but not crazy) aluminum foil, twisting foil around each end. If you just can’t get behind including the husks… you can do it without (but it’s not as good!)

Place on grill (coals, or gas grill, or low broiler in the oven) for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Remove Aluminum foil, peel back the husks, and eat up! The husks serve as kind of a handle… so that’s a bonus! Be careful – can be REALLY hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Want 8? Start with 8 ears of corn!

LOL

Made on our FIRST Show!
Hearty, delicious, and VEGETARIAN! (Vegan if you use Vegan Butter)

“Chicken” and Dumplings
Ingredients
2 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ Stick Butter, (4 tbsp)
¾ cup soy milk
½ stick butter, (4 tbsp)
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup celery , chopped
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, diced
1 pound faux chicken, torn into small pieces
1 Bay Leaf
Method
1 Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a bowl.
2 Mix the margarine with the dry mixture until crumbly. Add the soy milk, stirring until moistened. Add more soy milk, as needed, if the mixture is too dry.
3 Knead the dough for 30 seconds on a well-floured surface, then roll to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch squares.
4 Place the margarine, onion, and celery for the soup in a large saucepan and sauté until the vegetables are soft.
5 Add the flour, salt, and pepper to make a thick paste. Slowly mix in the broth and bring to a boil.
6 Add the carrots, faux chicken, and bay leaf.
7 Add the dumpling squares one at a time, stirring gently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a big, fresh salad.
Source: VegCookingOnline

PopVegOnline Difficulty Rating (1-5, 5 being difficult): 2
PopVegOnline Time Rating: 25 minutes preparation, 20 minutes attended cooking.
PopVegOnline Total Time: Under an Hour

So… on Sunday we’ll be cooking the amazing VEGETARIAN MEATLOAF… it’s a family FAVORITE, easy to make, and surely to make it into your frequently repeated recipes file.  

If you want to make it along with us… make sure you have the following:

• 24 oz 2 percent cottage cheese
• 6 small or 3 large Vegetarian Bouillon cubes 
• 5 Eggs
• Salt
• Butter or Margerine
• Pecans or Walnuts (needn’t be whole)
• 1 decent sized onion
• milk (fat free or low fat or soy – all okay)
• Special K Cereal… enough to make 3 cups, crushed

Sounds odd?  Perhaps!  But it’s really quite amazing.

Also recommended… some fresh baby ASPARAGUS, and POTATOES for MASHIN’.  

Looking forward to the show – hope you’ll be there with us!

5p east on Sundays… log on to www.funvegetarian.com

And remember – shows will be viewable after the fact, too (but LIVE is MUCH more fun).

SEE YOU SUNDAY!!