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Health & Fitness

What's For Dinner? It's Meatless Monday

From cheese-free alfredo to sweet potato chili, here are some of my favorite vegan meals.

My husband and I are vegan (which means that we don't eat meat, dairy or any other animal products).  

We made this choice a few years ago for our own personal reasons but one thing is for sure: We don't judge those who eat differently than us. I won't preach my lifestyle on people, but I am more than happy to answer meaningful questions. With that being said, research has shown that even if eveyone eliminated one meat dinner a week, it would make a huge environmental impact.  "Meatless Mondays" started making the rounds over the last couple years and I have had so many friends and blog readers ask me for some of my favorite recipes.  

So here, for you my Patch readers, my hubby and I listed our top 10 favorite meatless meals.  They also don't contain dairy, so if you see a milk, butter or cheese alternative, just use your traditional dairy product.  I have linked the recipes to make it that more convenient for you.  

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Tomato Cobbler:  This is literally the most extraordinary dish, probably the best thing I have ever made or eaten.  REALLY.  Put this on your meal-plan immediately.  

Tostada Pizza:  My mom and I used to love eating the "Tostada Pizza" at California Pizza Kitchen.  I don't think my mom has forgiven me for going vegan because now I can't eat this pizza with her.  Now she's pretty happy when I make my inspired version.  I use this recipe for my crust and most of the time, I use my breadmaker.  After I have my crust ready and my oven preheated to 450 degrees, I spread some canned refried beans onto the crust.  I top it with about 1/2 cup of salsa and bake for about 7-9 minutes (the crust will crisp up).  I then top the pizza with chopped lettuce, onion, tomato and cilantro.  I mix some salsa into ranch and drizzle a bit on top and then garnish with crushed tortilla chips.  Then you can add cheese, too, if you prefer.

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Sushi Salad:  I haven't made this in awhile because I am the most terrible rice maker ever.  Really, who messes up rice?  But even with my mushy or burnt rice, this is an incredible meal.  I highly recommend making the wasabi mayonnaise.

Alfredo:  I can imagine that most of you are thinking I'm a crazy woman even considering making (much less recommending) a completely dairy-free alfredo sauce.  This is really delicious.  In fact, my littlest Picky will NEVER eat pasta (not even mac and cheese!) but he used to slurp this down with no problems.  Raw cashews give the sauce such a wonderful creamy consistency.

Miguel's Bean and Avocado Tacos:  It's so hard to find a good Mexican joint that doesn't use lard or meat products in their beans or rice.  Miguel's doesn't use either and they even have a separate fryer for tortillas.  That means that we can get a terrific meal.  Order them like me:  Two deep-fried tacos with avocado and refried beans, Mexicanos-style, no cheese.  They are delicious.  Not exactly healthy but DELICIOUS.  And I top mine with the hottest fresh salsa they can make.

Submarine Sandwiches:  I take a loaf of french bread and slice it down the middle a bit, so that it is still connected in the back.  I spread mayo on one side of the bread and mustard on the other.  While the oven is preheating at 350 degrees, I soften up some onions, garlic, tomatoes and any other veggies I have on hand.  Load them onto the sandwich, top with sliced avocado.  Wrap in foil and bake for about 10-15 minutes.  This is a great meal for entertaining because you can slice them into individual sandwiches and everybody can top their own.

Chickpea Piccata:  We made this for Thanksgiving last year and served it over mashed potatoes.  It is really warm and satisfying; perfect for a cold, rainy night!

Tortilla Soup:  This soup is incredibly easy to make.  I buy lots of peppers from the farmers market, chop them and freeze them in freezer bags.  That way I always have the base on hand.  Don't forget to add crumbled chips on top ... cheese too, if you wish.

Sweet Potato Chili:  Believe it or not, Picky #1 has loved this since she was about four years old.  It sounds really strange but the combination of veggies, beans and spices are really delicious.  Plus, you can pick up a lot of these ingredients at the farmers market.  It's a seasonal and local meal!

I hope that some of you try these recipes.  Let me know how it works for you.  Do you have a meatless meal that you want to share?  I love new recipes!

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