"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.

A Brother Like No Other!

I finally got the opportunity to tie Rakhi on someone for Raksha Bandhan... thanks Sunil (my brother-in-law), you're the best.  

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the bond and duty between brother and sister.  The sister ties the sacred thread around her's brother's wrist and makes his favorite. Then the brother gives his sister something she likes. 

Knowing that my brother-in-law is a foodie like me, I knew he would love something sweet but not too sweet. I did some research and found this recipe that was perfect for him. Feast your eyes on this Strawberry Pizza.

A Strawberry Pizza by A Spicy Perspective (click on name for link to recipe)

It is a sugar cookie base with soft goat cheese and honey cheese spread, topped with freshly sliced strawberries. I also added a few mint leaves for pop in color.

It was a hit with everyone, especially Sunil. Yay for all.

Mirchi Restaurant - Spicing It Up with South Indian Dishes

It has been a while since we went out as a family including my grandmother. This past weekend was surely a delight in that respect. My sister and my brother-in-law came to visit us and spent some quality time with the parents and of course me. All of us went out to dinner together to this newly opened South Indian restaurant called Mirchi (chilies in English) located in Parsippany NJ. This restaurant replaced another Indian restaurant  located in the same complex called Amiya.

When you enter the restaurant, on your right you will see a party room with a bar and as you walk further into the lobby, you will see the concierge desk. To the left of the desk is the entrance to the dining area (click here to see pictures). The dining area is very spacious and comfortable. In the back, there's a glass door leading to the wine cellar, which I thought was really cool.

We started off our dinner with a couple of vegetarian appetizers: Gobi 65 and Baby Corn Pepper Fry. 

Gobi 65*

Gobi 65 is a dish where well marinated cauliflower florets are brown to perfection (description from menu). These florets were definitely cooked, marinated and seasoned very well. Additionally, the portion size was adequate for 4 or more people. We were a party of 6 so we got about 3 pieces each and were very satisfied.

The Baby Corn Pepper Fry failed to meet the same flavor expectations as the Gobi 65. I felt the corn was more doughy than crispy and the taste was not as satisfying. 

We had never dined here before so we had no idea about entree portions. We ended up ordering 5 separate dishes to make sure everyone was happy.

My parents and grandmother are vegetarian so they ordered mixed vegetable Uttappam, Rava Masala Dosa, and Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani.

According to my dad, the Mixed Vegetable Uttapam was a good size and tasty. The Rava Masal Dosa and Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani didn't make the cut. Both my mother and grandmother were disappointed in their dishes. 

ENTREES CHOICES

Top Left -  Garlic Naan
Bottom Left - Vegetable Biryani
Right - Malabar Fish Curry

My sister, brother-in-law and I (the non-vegetarians) shared the Shangri-la Biryani and Malabar Fish Curry with Garlic Naan. All 3 of us really enjoyed the Malabar Fish Curry served with plain white rice. The fish curry was made with selected fish pieces simmered in tamarind pulp and coconut milk. It was quite tasty and flavorful. You can't go wrong with coconut milk; it makes everything taste better and rich-er. 

Third disappoint of the evening was the Shangri-la Biryani,  combination of Chicken 65 and biryani. Before we placed our order, we specified that we all wanted our dishes to be Medium spicy, which in my book means, add some chilies to our dish. However, our biryani and the chicken lacked flavor. It was not until I added the spicy raita that I actually tasted something in my biryani. It was like eating saffron rice with crispy chicken. The combination was did not suit us at all.



Takeaways from our experience - 3 STARS 

- The portions for appetizers and entrees are big enough for two people.
- When placing your order, specify your spice level: Mild, Medium and Spicy. If you order biryani, it should be spicy, not bland.
- The best part of our dining experience was the service. The waitstaff were helpful and friendly.


Although half of our dishes were disappointing, I would definitely dine here again as it was my first time. I would never dismiss going to a particular restaurant again if it rated 3 or more stars in the first experience. Next time, I will stick to regular Hyderabadi Dum Biryani instead something totally exotic. Also, I will steer clear of anything on the menu with dish titles ending with 65, not my cup of tea.



***Until next time, happy eating. If you know of a good Indian restaurant for us to try, let us know.  Looking to dine out, check out our Restaurant Reviews page for suggestions. ***