Eat Your Vegetables ... And Then Some

It's interesting being a vegetarian. Some people think that means I eat chicken and turkey, but not beef or pork. They think I might eat red meat if it's organic. Others think I'm vegan, meaning I don't eat dairy or eggs. And still others believe I subsist on pasta and broccoli every day. 

Once my husband I went to a banquet where we had requested vegetarian. While others were eating big steaks with baked potatoes and asparagus, we were served steamed broccoli and a big chunk of Jello. I needn't tell you what happened to the Jello after being alongside the hot broccoli for a few minutes. We never knew whether we were being punished for being so bold as to ask for a non-meat dinner or the cook simply had a ridiculous idea of what vegetarians eat. You know the most interesting part of what we were served? Jello is made from the bones, skins and hides of cows and pigs. 

In a future post, I'll write more about my decision to become a vegetarian 11 years ago. But for now, I'm going to share my favorite dish to take to a luncheon or potluck, for vegetarians and meat eaters, as well. I adapted the recipe from Casa de los Ninos restaurant in Sacramento, one of my top 10 favorite restaurants.

This casserole, which I call a bake because the word casserole has taken on a bad reputation (I can't imagine why), is an easy dish to make and I guarantee there won't be any left at the end of the meal. There is one ingredient that you must be careful about -- the marinated artichoke hearts. Stay away from Cara Mia brand and other cheapies. Select any of the Italian brands (or even Reese) because they don't slip in those obnoxious, tough leaves that are impossible to chew. 

It's a foolproof recipe and one vegetarians will appreciate because it shows you put some thought and work into making something other than another pasta or rice combo. 

My Artichoke-Spinach Bake

3 jars (about 7 ounces each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained (be sure any leaves are soft)

2 packages (about 16 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, then drained by squeezing out liquid

2 packages (8 ounces each) real cream cheese, softened (don't use whipped)

5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Butter or Pam-spray a 9x13-inch baking pan (I use glass). Spread drained artichoke hearts on bottom of pan, then place drained spinach over artichoke hearts.

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and milk until creamy and smooth. Spread the mixture over spinach. Sprinkle Parmesan over cream cheese mixture, then top with sliced almonds. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. 

Next day, remove the foil or plastic wrap covering the casserole. Bake it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Remove dish from oven and serve. Makes 12 good-sized servings.

Easy Cooking: Meatless Meatloaf

This is a recipe for you hard-core vegetarians, the type, who like myself, want to eat something that tastes like meat every now and then. I say hard-core also because those who like to dabble in vegetarianism or who are just starting to eliminate meat from their diet might not think this sort-of-meatloaf satisfies their meat-craving desires.

While the texture is different from what you call meatloaf, remember that each one of the real thing differs from the next. The meatloaf I made for many years, until I eliminated all meats, used ground chuck (when ground beef came from real cuts of meat and not a combination of who knows what). My mother used ground pork along with regular ground beef and my grandmother added sausage to hers. To season my meatloaf and bind it together, I used eggs, oats, chili sauce, onion, and other good stuff from my pantry and refrigerator. One time it was chopped bell pepper, another time capers, maybe leftover spaghetti sauce instead of chili sauce, and so forth.

This recipe, much different from my familiar, conventional meatloaf, is one I adapted from a Kellogg's version created for and by Seventh-Day Adventists. (John Harvey Kellogg was Adventist.) Amazingly, Special K cereal, chopped nuts, cottage cheese, eggs, and seasonings mix together to make a respectable facsimile of the old-fashioned favorite. There is one special product you should have for this and that is the chicken seasoning powder. I purchase it at ABC (Adventist Book Center). You don't have to be an Adventist to shop there. I'm not. If you don't have such a store near you, look for the seasoning in a natural food store or co-op. If you can't find any, onion soup mix will work.

By the way, the ABC stores stock some great ersatz meat products. My favorite is their dinner roast. And I'll be serving their smoked turkey roll next week for Thanksgiving along with gravy made from a mix they sell. Beyond that, I'll make stuffing as I always have (using water for the chicken broth), cook up fresh cranberries for sauce, mash potatoes, and bake pumpkin pies. It will be vegetarian -- not vegan -- and delicious, I assure you.

But for now, here's my meatless meatloaf recipe.

1 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 eggs

5 cups Special K cereal

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 pint lowfat cottage cheese

3 tablespoons powdered fake chicken seasoning (I use McKay brand)

1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce

Salt and pepper

Few drops Tabasco sauce

Saute onion in oil. Beat eggs lightly in large mixing bowl. Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the cereal, walnuts, cottage cheese, chicken seasoning, onion, ketchup, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Mix well.

Spoon out mixture into 9x5-inch loaf pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Press mixture into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place pan on cookie rack to cool for about 20 minutes. Turn meatloaf out to slice or slice it in pan. Makes about a dozen slices.

Note: If you don't have Special K, corn flakes make a good substitute.