Cooking on the Go
By Janet Groene, F47166
February 2004
Whether you’re a vegetarian or are looking for economical meals, here is a collection of recipes that do not call for meat. Imitation sausage- and ground beef-flavored crumbles are meat substitutes that are made from soy and seasonings. These faux meats can be found in the produce, dairy, or meat aisles at your supermarket. Products made with textured vegetable protein (TVP) also are available in many health food stores, but their taste may not be acceptable to rookie vegetarians.
Meat Lovers’ Meatless Pasta Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
16-ounce package imitation ground beef-flavored crumbles
1 medium onion, diced
1 small red sweet pepper, diced
6 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained (optional)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2-teaspoon dried oregano
32-ounce can tomato puree
Salt, pepper
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet and stir-fry the crumbles and vegetables until the onions are tender. Stir in the seasonings and tomato puree; cover; and simmer over low heat to blend the flavors and heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over hot, cooked pasta. This recipe makes approximately five cups of sauce and can be frozen in smaller batches to suit your family’s needs
Red Flannel Hash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
16-ounce package hash brown potatoes
14- or 16-ounce package imitation sausage- or ground beef-flavored crumbles
12- or 16-ounce can julienne beets, well drained
In a nonstick skillet heat the oil and stir-fry all of the ingredients, mixing and chopping with a spatula to break up the beets. Cover and cook over low heat until a crust forms on the bottom. This recipe makes four servings. Complete the meal with a citrus salad, rye rolls, and cherry tarts for dessert. Buy individual graham cracker shells, fill them with cherry pie filling just before serving, and top with whipped cream.
Microwave Stuffed Shells
12 jumbo shells
19-ounce can white kidney beans
12- to 16-ounce package imitation sausage-flavored crumbles
1/2-teaspoon dried basil
1/2-teaspoon dried oregano
1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
14-1/2-ounce can vegetable broth
26-ounce jar roasted red pepper pasta sauce
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Set out the uncooked shells and butter a lidded microwavable casserole that’s large enough to hold them all. Drain the kidney beans into a large bowl and mash them coarsely. Stir in the imitation sausage crumbles, spices, olives, and onion. Carefully stuff the uncooked shells with the bean mixture. Arrange the shells in the casserole and pour the broth and pasta sauce on top. Cover with a lid or vented wrap and microwave on high for five minutes. Turn the casserole and microwave another five minutes. Turn one more time and microwave for 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese; and microwave for three more minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, then spoon onto plates and cover with sauce. This recipe makes 12 shells. Serve with a green salad and herb bread sticks, and finish the meal with caramel-sauced baked apples for dessert.
South-Of-France Salad
We can’t call it nicoise, because the recipe calls for cheese instead of tuna, but this hearty salad is still a wonderful blend. It is called a composed salad, because you arrange it on the plate, then drizzle it with dressing. Save this dish for a warm day when you don’t feel like cooking.
16-ounce can whole potatoes, drained and rinsed
15- or 16-ounce can whole green beans, drained
8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese, cut into strips
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/2-cup sliced ripe olives, drained
4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
3/4-cup Italian dressing
Cut the potatoes in quarters and arrange on four plates. On each plate, make one pile of green beans and another pile of cheese. Sprinkle each with diced onion and ripe olives. Arrange the eggs and the tomatoes on the plate, then drizzle with dressing. Pass the pepper grinder. Complete the meal with sesame bread sticks and a dessert of fresh melon halves filled with a scoop of rainbow sherbet.
Pizza Fondue
This easy recipe has only three ingredients plus a loaf of bread, so it’s one of the most carefree meatless meals. It’s also one of the friendliest, because family and friends gather around the pot and dip in. The recipe is from The Best Family Slow Cooker Recipes ($18.95, Robert Rose Inc.) by Donna-Marie Pye. If you enjoy the carefree ease of a slow cooker when you’re on the go, you’ll love this new book. The author doesn’t give the mozzarella measurement in ounces, and it’s hard to judge grated cheese by the cupful, so I used an 8-ounce package of grated mozzarella.
I also used a little extra Italian seasoning, to taste, because brands differ when it comes to Italian-style stewed tomatoes. Some are more highly spiced than others. Fondue forks are best for dipping, but regular forks will do in a pinch.
1 pound processed cheese loaf (e.g. Velveeta), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
19-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, with juice
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Put the cheeses and tomatoes in a lightly greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 45 to 60 minutes or until the cheeses melt. Stir, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, and reduce heat to low to keep the fondue warm for up to four hours. Serve with bread cubes for dipping. Complete the meal with a green salad.
The fondue also can be used with a variety of dippers, including bread sticks or broccoli or cauliflower florets. If you don’t have access to a slow cooker, this recipe can be prepared in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheeses melt.
Noodles Alfredo
The Alfredo sauce provides stick-to-the-ribs substance and the peas supply sweetness in this simple dish. You’ll need texture contrast, so serve crusty French bread or toasted pita triangles and a dessert you can get your teeth into.
12 ounces medium-wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 small onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
10- to 16-ounce jar Alfredo sauce
While the noodles cook, sizzle the onion and garlic in the hot oil until they are tender. Reduce heat and stir in the lemon zest, peas, and Alfredo sauce just until everything is well heated. Do not allow the sauce to boil. Toss the sauce with the hot noodles and dish out in four portions. Complete the menu with a spinach salad, crusty bread with olive oil for dipping, and a dessert of butter pecan ice cream topped with a sprinkling of broken-up peanut brittle.
Meat-Takes-A-Holiday Chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped vegetables (zucchini, carrot, onion, celery, cabbage)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 15-ounce cans Mexican-style diced tomatoes
2 14-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt, pepper
Grated cheddar cheese
Regular or nonfat sour cream
1/4-cup sweet onion or scallions, finely chopped
Hot sauce
Heat the oil in a saucepan or skillet and stir-fry the vegetables until they are crisp-tender. Stir in the cocoa, brown sugar, and chili powder, then add the tomatoes and kidney beans. Cover; reduce heat; and simmer over low until the vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the chili into soup bowls and top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, a tuft of grated cheese, and a sprinkling of onion. Pass the hot sauce. This recipe serves four to six people. Complete the menu with a tossed salad and hot cornbread. For dessert, bring out a grab bag of individually wrapped ice cream treats.
Microwave-convection recipe of the month
This quick and simple casserole recipe is tasty and filling.
Biscuits “˜N Beans Bravissimo
14- or 16-ounce package imitation beef- or sausage-flavored crumbles
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
28-ounce can vegetarian baked beans
1 small can green chilies, drained
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tube (8 or 10 count) flaky biscuits
Mix everything but the biscuits in a microwavable container. Cover and cook in the microwave mode on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until everything is hot and bubbly and the vegetables are crisp-tender. Heat the convection oven to 375 degrees while you separate the biscuits into layers. Overlap them in an even layer atop the bean mixture in the casserole. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden. This recipe serves four to six people. Serve creamy coleslaw on the side and walnut brownies for dessert.
More Vegetarian Meal Ideas
* Buy an inexpensive cheese pizza and scatter the top with sliced mushrooms, ripe olives, blanched asparagus tips, artichoke hearts, tufts of steamed spinach, or any vegetables you like. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese, bake until it melts, and pass it off as homemade.
* Make sloppy joes with imitation ground beef-flavored crumbles and plenty of grated cabbage, plus the usual amount of diced onion, sweet pepper, tomato sauce, and spices.
* To add extra vitamins to chili and other stewed vegetable combinations such as creamed potatoes, stir in canned pumpkin puree to taste. It blends in, adding only a golden glow to the mix. An entire 16-ounce can of pumpkin puree is not too much for a batch of chili that is six cups or larger.
* To make Caribbean pumpkin soup, stir water into two tablespoons of instant-blend flour to make a paste. Stir in a can of vegetable broth, a teaspoon (or to taste) of curry powder, and a can of pumpkin puree. Bring to a boil until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in a can of evaporated milk. Adjust seasonings and serve.
* Stir together a can of condensed cream of potato soup, a can of cream-style corn, and two soup cans of light cream. Heat gently (do not boil); adjust seasonings; and serve sprinkled with imitation bacon-flavored bits.
* Make French onion soup with plenty of onions and vegetable broth instead of beef broth. Darken to taste with a liquid flavor concentrate such as Bovril or Gravy Master. Top with a slice of French bread sprinkled with grated cheese.
* Baked beans are a traditional campground staple, and it’s easy to make them meatless. Start with dried or canned beans and doctor them with molasses, tomatoes or tomato sauce, chopped onion, and vegetarian bacon bits.
* Use smoked cheese in sandwiches in place of smoked meats or lunch meats. A drop or two of smoke flavoring also makes meatless dishes taste more meaty.
Books for cooks
The Renaissance Guide to Wine & Food Pairing ($18.95, Alpha Books) by Tony Didio and Amy Zavatto is of special interest to motorhome travelers who enjoy visiting vineyards and designing meals around fine wines. It’s not a recipe book, but it is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants a better understanding of wines and their place in elegant dining. It’s available from bookstores or online booksellers.
If you have a recipe that you enjoy making in your coach, share it with Janet at janetgroene@yahoo.com or write to Janet Groene, Family Motor Coaching, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati , OH 45244 .