Marvelous Meatless Anydays.
I love a meatless meal. One that preferably has bold flavors and veggies front + center. We all know that eating more veggies is good for us so I’ll spare you the dramatics of imploring you to eat a more plant-based diet + instead drop my favorite meatless recipes.
Burgers Please!
I am a firm believer in veggie burgers made with actual veggies or legumes. Sorry, I’m not on the Beyond/Impossible burger bandwagon. I’ve had both of them, but they just don’t “slap” as the kids say these days. On days that I want a meaty burger, but know that my digestive system just can’t handle it I turn to bean burgers. They’re filling, cheap to make and I actually know what’s inside of them.
Lentil Sliders
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can lentil beans, drained and washed
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
½ tablespoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Mini slider rolls (Martin's Famous Potato Bread makes great slider rolls)
Olive oil
Directions
Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Process until thoroughly mixed. If the mixture is too wet to handle add a couple of tablespoons of extra breadcrumbs. Divide mixture into small burger patties no more than 3 inches wide. Drizzle olive oil on a hot skillet and cook each of the patties until thoroughly cooked and browned on each side. Serve on slider rolls with favorite condiments and toppings.
Cloudy with a Chance of Eggplant Meatballs
These eggplant meatballs literally have changed lives. They are so meaty + firm in texture that it’s kind of hard to not think there’s meat in them. They require a bit of work (you have to roast your eggplant first), but so do regular meatballs. These meatballs are delicious and will have you not missing the meat AT ALL!
Eggplant Meatballs
Ingredients
2 medium-sized eggplant, peeled + cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
2 cups of tomato sauce
Directions
Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place eggplant on a baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes or until tender. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. Add bread crumbs, beaten eggs, cheese, dried spices, garlic, and chopped basil into the eggplant mixture. Form eggplant mixture into tight balls that are no larger than a half dollar. Place evenly on the baking sheet about a ¼ inch apart. Bake until firm and browned for 25 minutes. Once cooked, gently simmer in a skillet with tomato sauce for 5 minutes.
Light on the Alfredo
Alfredo sauce is already meatless, but I figured I’d throw this easy recipe in here. This alfredo is super light on the dairy and can be made entirely without it. The magic in this sauce is the cauliflower that lends itself to be a blank canvas that will be heightened with sauteed onions and garlic.
Cauliflower “Alfredo” Sauce
Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower, cored and chopped into florets
1 large yellow onion, thinly chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
5 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup milk or plain almond milk
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Cook onions and garlic in a skillet with butter until onions caramelize and become translucent. Boil broth and cook cauliflower in broth for 10 minutes or until tender. Save 1 cup of broth and drain the rest. Place cooked cauliflower, onions, garlic, milk, and salt in a food processor or high-powered blender. While blending add ¼ cup of broth to the sauce until desired consistency and silky smooth. Store in a jar with a lid once cooled if not used immediately and store in the fridge.
Let me know what’s your favorite go-to meatless meal!
Friday's Paid Newsletter: We visit Bahrain next in our Eating A-Z in NYC series + eat some delicious cookies!
Cook. Eat. Repeat.
Natalie