VeggieConverter

Helping moms introduce meatless meals with ease.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites {Vegetarian}

By

Day 260.

I don't normally try too many bacon-wrapped recipes, because they're hard to do with homemade "bacon"...but this one sounded so delicious I went out and bought a box of Morningstar Farms "bacon" for the recipe.I love cream cheese and jalapenos together and I added a bit of taco seasoning to the mix to spice it up a bit. I had to construct mine a bit differently than the original since the "chicken" isn't in large flat sections. So, I made more of a roll-up than a wrapped piece of chicken by laying the bacon flat, layering on the cream cheese blend and then topping with the chicken pieces. After that, I rolled the bacon up and skewered it before grilling. I think it worked out much better than trying to stuff the chicken and wrap it with bacon.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites
Adapted from Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites.
Ingredients

  • 8 strips veggie bacon
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
  • 4 ounces seitan strips

Directions
Thaw and separate veggie bacon. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, jalapeno and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Spread cream cheese mix over bacon strips. Layer seitan on top of strips. Roll bacon into a roll-up and run two water-soaked wooden skewers through the center. Repeat with remaining bacon strips, placing four rolls on each set of skewers. Grill about 5 minutes per side or until "bacon" is crispy.

The Results
These were fantastic. If you want it as a full meal, be sure to double the batch, using a full box of "bacon" and 8 ounces of seitan. As is, this is the perfect tasty appetizer. I loved the flavored cream cheese and bacon. Delicious.

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday , Gallery of Favorites, Simply Delish and Muffin Tin Monday.

Avocado Crab Crostini {Vegan}

By

Day 243.

Yes, I'm going to try to make vegan crab. Yes, it scares me a little. No, I couldn't find anyone else's recipes to adapt or inspire me about mock crab. So let's all hope for the best here.

Avocado Crab Crostini
Adapted from Avocado Crab Crostini.
Ingredients

  • 1 box of firm tofu, frozen, thawed and water pressed out
  • 1 teaspoon kelp granules
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup vegannaise
  • 2 avocados, pitted and chopped
  • 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup "bacon" (Mushroom Bacon Bits or Black Forest Bacon Strips
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 french baguette (about 16 inches long)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a small bowl. Slice the baguette into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Brush each round with olive oil and lay on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until baguette rounds are toasty and golden in color. Set aside.

Freeze your tofu ahead of time. Thaw and press out water. Shred thawed and pressed tofu with a fork, into a large bowl. Gently mix in kelp granules, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, vegannaise and 1/2 of one avocado, mashed.

Stir in remaining ingredients (except baguette).

Stir with a large spoon until the mixture is combined.

Serve in a large bowl with multiple spoons and a plate of the baguette rounds.

The Results
This was definitely different. I'd never attempted mock crab before. Nor could I really find much out there for mock crab recipes. But, I'd heard that kelp granules can give tofu a "fishy" flavor, so that's where I started. The lemon juice and nutritional yeast also added to the crabbiness. I really liked the flavors of the avocado and bacon.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Foodie Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

Cabbage and Zucchini Dumplings {Vegan}

By

Day 211.

I'm pretty much convinced that anything edible stuffed inside a wonton dumpling is going to be delicious ever since trying Squash Wontons. So, of course, I decided to make more. I received a beautiful red cabbage in my CSA box, as well as the now somewhat regularly-appearing zucchini. I had about 1/2 a head of green cabbage leftover from my Butternut Squash Thai Noodles, so I threw that in, too. Yum.

Cabbage and Zucchini Dumplings
Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups (1 large) zucchini, shredded
  • 1 small red cabbage, chopped finely or shredded
  • 1/2 medium green cabbage, chopped finely or shredded
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup Black Forest Bacon Strips, crumbled or Mushroom Bacon Bits
  • 2 batches (about 50-60) Wonton Wrappers
  • soy sauce and sesame seeds (optional), for dipping

Directions
Put a bit of olive oil, onion and garlic in large saucepan. Brown onions and garlic. Add zucchini, cabbages and cover with water and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. I didn't add any, thinking ahead to the soy sauce dip. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to low. Simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your wonton wrappers.

Stir "bacon" into filling. Fill wontons, making triangles or rectangles, as desired. Freeze dumplings for about 15 minutes, until firm. Fill a skillet with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. When heated, add wontons. Fry for about 3 minutes, shaking pan regular to keep wontons loosened from bottom. If necessary, break wontons free after frying. Carefully add about 1/2 cup of water and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes.

Serve with soy sauce mixed with sesame seeds for dipping.

The Results
Hypothesis proven. Anything good is even better inside a dumpling. These are fantastic.

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday , Simply Delish and Muffin Tin Monday.

Bacon Bleu Sliders

By

Day 208.

It's no secret I've fallen in love with sliders lately. And, since I'm doing my pantry challenge, I needed to use up some blue cheese. So these bacon bleu burgers were a perfect choice. I also had a ridiculous amount of sweet potatoes (both orange and purple) on-hand. So I made a batch of Sweet Potato Chips to serve alongside these burgers. Those were fantastic. We had the savory version here, but the sweet was great also.

Bacon Bleu Sliders

Ingredients

Method

Mix milk and breadcrumbs. Allow to site for 5 minutes, until milk is absorbed. In a large bowl, mix together "beef," breadcrumb mixture, onions, about half of the bacon and half of bleu cheese. Divide into 8 patties. Cook on hot grill for 3-5 minutes. Top with remaining bacon and cheese. We served ours on small sourdough rolls.

The Results

Super tasty. I love the bacon-bleu cheese combination. The sliders are great, as always, and the bacon-bleu cheese flavor really enhances the patty.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Foodie Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

German Hot Slaw {Vegan Option}

By

Day 201.

I come from a long line of German family cooks...who never measured anything. So, when I first started trying to emulate my grandmother's and great aunt's German Hot Slaw, I had to guess. The original recipes uses, of course, actual bacon (no oil needed), white vinegar, sugar, water and cabbage. I originally made my hot slaw that way and honestly never believed I would be able to make it well without real bacon. Over the years I adapted the recipe, which we make for family on most holidays, to use balsamic vinegar and even added a bit of hot pepper oil on occasion. So today, I finally take the plunge. I'm going to attempt to make it with vegan bacon. Let's hope the ancestors don't roll over in their graves at this one. I'd like to think they'd appreciate the homage.

German Hot Slaw
Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 slices "bacon" or uncured bacon
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 head cabbage, quartered and sliced in 1-inch strips
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water

Directions
Fry bacon in olive oil until crispy in a large stockpot. Remove, dice and set aside. Add red pepper flakes, cabbage, balsamic vinegar, sugar and water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add additional water if needed to allow for steaming of cabbage. When cabbage reaches desired tenderness, remove from heat, mix in bacon and serve.

The Results
Holy moly. I wish I'd done this sooner. This is just as delicious as the real thing. I absolutely love it.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Foodie Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

Grilled Avocado BLT Salad {Vegetarian}

By

Day 198.
Veggie Converter 365I have a yummy salad again today with Grilled Avocado BLT Salad.
I made this delicious salad with the Grilled Avocado, vegan bacon and some homemade Avocado-Ranch dressing.

Grilled Avocado BLT Salad

Ingredients

2 avocados, halved and pitted

Lime Juice

Kosher Salt

16 ounces Baby Greens Salad blend

2 Fresh Tomatoes, diced (or 15 ounces diced tomatoes, drained)

8 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped (I used vegan bacon)

1 cup Croutons

Avocado Ranch Dressing

1 Avocado, halved and pitted

1/4 cup Milk

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

2 tablespoons Lime Juice

1 tablespoon Buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons Vinegar

1/8 teaspoon Salt

1/8 teaspoon Parsley

1/8 teaspoon Dill Weed

1/8 teaspoon Onion Powder

Directions:
Sprinkle lime juice and kosher salt on cut-side of the 3 avocados. Grill the avocados for topping and salad face-down for 3-5 minutes. Set one avocado aside for dressing. Slice the other two and set aside for topping. Mash 1 avocado for dressing. Mix all other dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Top salad greens with sliced avocado, tomatoes, bacon, croutons and dressing.

Servings: 4

The Results
Yum. This was fantastic. Bug loved this also. She ate hers kind of oddly, preferring to dip her lettuce into the dressing instead of eating it all together. But hey, she ate it. Win. Goose enjoyed her diced avocado.

What are you having for Sunday Brunch, Breakfast or Lunch?

This post is shared at Penny Worthy Project, Cookbook Sundays, Savory Sunday·and·Potluck Sunday.

Bacon-Pecan Peaches {Vegan}

By

Day 195.

Somehow we ended up with very little in terms of leftover meals this week. However, I had a ton of peaches still (in spite of readying enough for tomorrow's Peach-Rhubarb Crisp). I also had some leftover "bacon" from another dish. I thought it could be interesting to join the bacon and fruit bandwagon with this one. I didn't do a lot of sugar, so it kept it leaning a bit toward the savory side, while still being sweet.

Bacon-Pecan Peaches
Ingredients

  • 2 cups peaches, diced
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • olive oil
  • 8 slices "Bacon," chopped
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 cup yogurt, vegan if desired (optional)
  • basil leaf (optional)

Directions
Masticate diced peaches with sugar in a bowl or plastic bag until juices are released. Meanwhile, fry bacon with a bit of olive oil and brown sugar about 5 minutes, or until crispy. Set aside.

When peaches are ready, warm over medium heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, onion powder and pecan halves. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until peaches reach desired tenderness. Stir in bacon. Served topped with yogurt and basil leaf, if desired.

The Results
Oh wow. This tasted like the peach version of an apple dumpling. The yogurt melted into the fruit and tasted shockingly like whipped cream. I absolutely love this dish. I actually made it twice. The first time I cooked the bacon in with the peaches. But it worked out much better to keep them separate until the end. The bacon stayed much crispier that way. Yum.

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Grocery Cart Challenge and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Perogies Bacon Alfredo {Vegetarian}

By

Day 183.

I adore perogies. I only rarely have the patience and bravery to make my own. I was in my local European Deli last week and found some super yummy-looking imported perogies, cheese and onion flavor (my favorite). It was a big splurge for me ($12 for 2 pounds of pasta is not my usual buy), but I just had to try "real" perogies. It's probably blasphemy of some sort to make pergoies with alfredo sauce, but it sounded really good to me. I usually just boil my perogies and add a touch of soy sauce. So I suppose this is a little better since Italy is somewhat nearer to Perogi Homeland than China. I think it's going to be yummy, in spite of breaking some sort of cultural/culinary rule.

Perogies Bacon Alfredo

Ingredients

32 ounces perogies (I splurged on some imported Grandma's Perogies, cheese & onion flavor)

pinch salt

Garlic Alfredo Sauce

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter

2 ounces cream cheese

2 ounces ricotta

1/4 cup caramelized onions

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

House seasoning, to taste

1/2 cup mushroom "bacon" bits

Method

Boil perogies according to recipe or package directions.

Brown garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter, cream cheese and ricotta, allow to melt partially. Add Italian seasoning and House seasoning. Add onions and heat through.

When perogies are cooked and drained, add perogies and sauce to large pan and stir to coat. Top with "bacon."

The Results

OK, imported perogies, totally worth it. They are so good. I really need to learn to make these. Yum. And the sauce is fantastic. Just the right amount of garlicky flavor and creaminess. Add the saltiness of the "bacon" and it's just perfect.

This post is shared with What's for Lunch Wednesday and Muffin Tin Monday.

Bacon Blueberry-Balsamic Penne

By

Day 181.

I absolutely fell in love with the Blueberry-Balsamic marinade I made for the Eggplant Steaks this week. So I knew I just had to make something with the leftover marinade for my Leftover Creation this week. It was a tough call between mushroom empanadas (with the mushrooms marinated and a dipping sauce made from the marinade) and pasta. I went with the pasta, but I think I'll eventually make those empanadas, too. I might be a little obsessed. But hey, obsession with something delicious? Score.

Bacon Blueberry-Balsamic Penne

Ingredients

1 pound penne

2 cups Blueberry-Balsamic marinade

1 cup Mushroom Bacon Bits

10 pieces Blueberry-Balsamic Eggplant Steaks

1/2 cup Parmesan substitute

6 basil leaves, julienned

Method

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, warm eggplant steaks in oven and bake mushroom bacon bits.

Strain pasta and return to pot. Pour in marinade and "bacon." Stir to combine. Top each serving with eggplant steaks, Parmesan and basil.

The Results

Yum. The pasta is delicious. I adore the flavor. The steaks are great on top, too. I think the pasta would be delicious even without the eggplant. Yum.

Project Food Budget:

I so busted my budget. Like, beyond all busting. Right at the end of the month, too. We spent $203 at Kroger this week. The good news is, I was purchasing groceries for about two months worth of meals. We need more outside time this summer, so I'm freezing ahead. So, while I blew my budget wide open, we shouldn't need much more than odds and ends once I get these meals done. If you don't count what I bought for July and August meals, I'd be at about $297, but that's OK. 🙂

Goal: $75/$300
Actual: $203/$474

Participating Blogs:

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Grocery Cart Challenge, Cooking Thursday and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Summer Squash Gratin {Vegan}

By

Day 180.

My husband loves summer squash. I like it, too, and we are both huge fans of potatoes au gratin. So, when we picked up a couple yellow summer squash in our most recent CSA box, I knew this would have to make an appearance on our menu. I veganized it and added a bit of "bacon."

Summer Squash Gratin
Adapted from Summer Squash Gratin.
Ingredients

  • 2 small summer squash, sliced in 1/8-inch rounds (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon House seasoning
  • 1/2 cup caramelized onions
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 4 ounces green chiles, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped Black Forest Bacon Strips or Mushroom Bacon Bits
  • 1 cup vegan cheese, shredded (I used Mock Gruyere)
  •  3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used homemade sourdough crumbs)
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 400.

Place squash in colander with the house seasoning. Toss and let sit for 10 minutes to remove a bit of the squash's moisture.

Mix squash and next five ingredients and place in a 9 inch diameter deep baking dish. Top with cheese, breadcrumbs and olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until squash is tender and topping is crisp.

The Results
Drool. The crispiness and the tenderness of the squash is a delicious combination and the cheesy flavor is awesome. I almost would add a bit more bacon if I make this again, but I wouldn't want to overpower the squash. Delicious.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, What's Cooking Wednesday, What's' on Your Plate?, What's on the Menu Wednesday, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Gold Star Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Foodie Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday and No Whine Wednesday.

On Instagram