My DH and I decided to give up eating meat for our first Lent as a married couple. This is a huge stretch for us since we almost always have meals that include some kind of chicken, beef, or pork entree. We are going to allow ourselves seafood, since it’s not considered to be a meat. So I’m asking for all your best meatless recipes (cheap would be good too!), that have a good amount of protein in them.
Also, I was wondering if anyone out there had some tips about cooking with tofu. I’ve never used it before, and don’t even know where to buy it. Can I just get it at the grocery store, or at a specialty shop?
Thanks in advance for all your replies, and God bless you all!
1/2 bag of Boca brand meatless Crumbles or Morningstar Farms Crumbles (found in the freezer section of the grocery store)
2 cups of low sodium canned diced tomatoes
1/2 to 1 Cup of low- or moderate-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/8 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic
1 bag of shirataki noodles (soy noodles, found in the vegetable case at the grocery store)
Makes 2 servings.
Puree the tomatoes and the seasonings.
In a skillet, brown the Crumbles (add a little salt and pepper to taste, if you like).
Once the crumbles are cooked through, add crumbles to the puree and marinate for a few hours. The crumbles (which are soy) will absorb the puree.
When you are ready to eat, take the shirataki noodles out of the bag and rinse very well (4-5 minutes) in hot water. This will heat the noodles and will also take away the funky flavor of the liquid they were packaged in. Put half the noodles on a plate, add half the crumbles and half the cheese. To heat it all up and melt the cheese, I microwaved the whole thing for about a minute.
Add a green salad, and you have a very light but delicious meal. It is also high in protein. Everything in it can be adjusted for serving size and taste. If you want more sauce, use more tomatoes.
I wanted spaghetti last week, but my diet does not allow for pasta just yet, so I made up this recipe as a faux spaghetti. It was surprisingly tasty!