"Wholly" Vegetarian Meatloaf

Traditionally, meatloaf is made with ground meat such as beef or pork and other ingredients and then rolled into a loaf and baked. Since, I don't eat either of those meats, I never really looked into it further. 

I found this recipe on a blog I follow called A Pinch of This. The blog is run by Payal, a Certified Holistic Health Counselor who wants to bring the inner chef out in each of us and help us be creative in our cooking. 

Vegetarian "Meat" loaf

When I saw this recipe for a Vegetarian "Mealoaf" on her Facebook blog, I had to give it a try. The meat protein is substituted with other types of protein that any vegetarian can appreciate, such as tofu, oatmeal and lentils. 

I adapted the recipe from A Pinch of This with ingredients we had at home. I cooked whole masoor dal instead of using precooked lentils from Trader Joe's (listed on her blog). I also added toasted walnuts to add more hearty flavor to the loaf. 

Overall, the taste and texture were great. Each time I made this dish, I've added and/or substituted ingredients and it's turned out great. I would definitely recommend it for vegetarians and protein lovers alike. I've made this dish a few times already and love taking it to work everyday. Keeps the hunger away and leaves me feeling full and good about myself. Below is the recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole masoor, cooked and well drained (which equals to about 9oz cooked masoor dal)
8 ounces extra firm tofu (drained, pressed and crumbled)
1 cup quick cook oats (or old fashioned oats)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and ground
5 Tbsp ketchup
3 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp sage

Saute garlic, onions and celery on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until mixture is cooled and then remove from heat. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and add the cooked garlic, onions and celery. Spoon mixture into a loaf pan and top with a generous layer of extra ketchup. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Quick Tips
- I didn't have all the fresh herbs so I used Italian seasoning mixture for the rosemary and sage and fresh thyme from my plant.
 

Cornbread Stuffing with a Cornucopia of Vegetables

Carrots, Celery, Red Onion and Cornbread Oh Yum!

Another holiday has come and gone, but the leftovers are still being enjoyed; the best part of Thanksgiving.

This year we spent the holiday at my uncle's place and took our favorite vegetarian dishes over including Vegetarian Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Blueberry pie, and Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

The following recipe is for the most moist and flavorful vegetarian stuffing I've ever eaten. I don't have to feel guilty eating so much of it, especially with a cornucopia of vegetables.

Ingredients

- 7 oz Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 4 Celery stalks, stringed and chopped finely
- 1 medium Red onion
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped finely
- 1 cup French cut beans
- Vegetable oil
- 1 Red or Yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1" cubes
- 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 2 to 3 green Chilies, chopped finely
- 1/4 cup Craisins (dried cranberries), optional
- 1/2 tsp Salt

Procedure
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet and stir fry onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Sprinkle salt and cook the vegetable mixture under tight lid. When the vegetables are soft, remove lid and add vegetable broth, and cover the skillet to allow the mixture to boil. When it boils, remove the lid and lower the heat to low and add in the cornbread stuffing and mix well. Remove from heat and garnish with Craisins (dried cranberries) and serve.

(Please Note: add additional broth or water if the mixture looks dry. Cover with a lid and allow the water to be absorbed well for 2 to 3 minutes.) 

How was your Thanksgiving holiday? What was your favorite dish? Looking forward to hearing about your foodie stories. 

~Best Wishes this Diwali~

Let the positive light triumph over any negativity in your life. Best Wishes for you and your family from our family!

Dusshera Wishes for Everyone

From Top Right: Chutney Powder Rice, Mustard Rice, Tamarind Rice, Coconut Rice, and Lemon Rice

In honor of Dusshera and Batkamma (a floral festival of Telangana celebrated by Hindu women), we prepared five kinds of rice dishes.

 My personal favorite is tamarind rice because I love the combination of the tang flavors from the tamarind and the crunchiness of the peanuts. 

Which rice dish is your favorite? How did you and your family celebrate Dusshera today? We would love to hear your stories. 

May this Dusshera light up for you, the hopes of happy times and dreams for a year full of smiles!  

Healthy Start with Super Foods

We are continuing our tradition for Dusshera with dishes made with Super Food ingredients such as brown rice, lentils, tofu, quinoa, and leafy greens for eating healthier and better.  These dishes will bring balance to all the foods you may be making for the holiday season.  

We're starting off the dishes with TOFU!! It's healthy, protein enriched and easy to cook. 

Tofu Butter Masala Curry

We're always trying new spice mixes to help us in the kitchen. At one of our most recent grocery shopping trips to Patel Brothers Cash and Carry (in Parsippany), we found Suhana branded Paneer Butter Masala Mix -  great for gravy style curries. 

You can use this spice mix with any protein (paneer, tofu, or meat). We had tofu at home so we used that instead of paneer. Below is our recipe:

Ingredients
- 1 cup tofu (firm or extra firm), cut into 1" cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes, crushed (or you can use 150 grams of tomato puree)
- 1/4 cup frozen peas and carrots (optional)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 50 grams of Suhana Paneer Butter Masala Mix
-  3 tbsp unsalted butter 
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 cup water


Procedure
1) Make a paste of Suhana Paneer Butter Masala Mix and milk and set aside. 
2) Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onion and cook until the onion mixture looks translucent. Then add crushed tomatoes and cool till the oil oozes out. 
3) Add the paste and cook for two to three minutes. 
4) Add water, tofu, and butter. Cook till gravy thickens. Then add frozen peas and carrots and cook for a couple minutes. Turn off stove and garnish with fresh coriander. 

***Enjoy with your favorite flatbread, rice and/or quinoa.***

Spice Mix Review
The spice mix is easy to work with and doesn't require a lot of steps. A lot of times, we find that spice mixes tend to be on the spicy side but this spice mix was just right. Everyone enjoyed the curry and it was easy to eat with chappati or roti as well as rice. We would definitely recommend all to try.