Pizza Casserole

I adapted a recipe from A Taste of Home and made this vegetarian version of a pizza casserole. It had all the flavours of pizza and could include other favourite toppings in the layers. I will include directions for the meat version as well in case the above link goes dead. This makes two casseroles so one can be frozen for another time.

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta- I used cavatappi

2 -340 g packages of veggie ground round (or 2 lbs ground meat)**

16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (or 2 tins canned mushrooms)

1-2 green peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped (optional)

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce- I used a salt-free sauce

1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

(or you can use 4-1/2 cups of prepared pasta sauce)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1-120 g package veggie pizza pepperoni

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven,* cook peppers, mushrooms and onions over medium heat until softened; drain.

Stir in the tomato sauce, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings.

Add the crumbled veggie ground round.

Drain pasta; stir into the sauce.

Divide half of the mixture between two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes; sprinkle each with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top each with pepperoni and Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

* if you are using ground meat, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain, and then cook the vegetables until softened

** the second time I made this I omitted the meat/veggie ground round and we thought it tasted even better with just the peppers/mushrooms/tomato sauce.

Lentil Mushroom Burgers

I have been eating a mainly vegan diet for a while and have been trying out many new recipes. This meatless burger is from Canadian Living and is absolutely delicious! I made it exactly according to the recipe. I will copy it here in case the link goes dead. I did not grill them but browned them in a frying pan on the stove.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pecans
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
3 cups (750 mL) finely chopped mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (50 mL) salsa
6 hamburger buns

Preparation:
In large skillet, toast pecans over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to food processor. Add lentils; pulse just until smooth. Set aside.

In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry mushrooms, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Scrape into food processor. Add bread crumbs and salsa; pulse to combine. Form into six 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties.

(Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate on waxed paper–lined rimmed baking sheet for up to 4 hours.)

Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Sandwich in buns.

Tofu Mayonnaise

I was looking for a vegan option for mayonnaise and came across this recipe on several sites. I did not have high expectations and was very surprised at how tasty it is.

½ lb of medium firm tofu
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar or equal amount of sweetener
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Take all of your ingredients, and put them in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy for about five minutes. Transfer it into a jar or a plastic container. Use within a week.

Carrot and Onion Bahjis

The Becka modified this recipe from one in Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie's Food Revolution. She likes to make it on Friday nights but today I made it for the first time under her direction. She has substituted the self-rising white flour with chickpea flour which is readily available in our bulk and grocery stores. If you don't have it you can use regular flour. We serve these with hummus and limes and with a salad, they make a good vegan meal.

Grate 2 large carrots and 1 onion (I finely diced the onion)
Grate a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (can use 1 tsp dried ginger)
Finely chop 1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro


Add the following spices and seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin (seeds or ground)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Add 1 cup chickpea flour
(also known as gram flour, garbanzo flour or besan)
1/2 cup of water

Mix ingredients to form a pasty mixture. I had to add another 1/4 cup of flour to this batch as the carrots were huge.


Heat a couple of tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan until hot. Add mixture by teaspoonfuls and cook both sides on medium heat until browned and crisp. The fritters need to cook for a few minutes to cook the vegetables. (like cooking potato pancakes).

Eat when hot. Makes about 25 fritters and serves 4 to 8 people depending on your appetite.