Leaky Cauldron Guinness Beef Stew

February 9, 2018 By Kristi

We took an amazing family trip to Universal and Disney during the fall and something unexpected happened in Diagon Alley. I fell in love with a bowl of beef stew, Guinness Beef Stew. The Leaky Cauldron was my favorite restaurant that we visited on that trip. And we visited some great ones!

At the other Universal restaurant---The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade---the food and ambiance was awesome, but with two kids and sore feet, I didn't like how they won't let you sit down until you have your food. So, the girls and I just had to stand and wait for Mr. Meaty to come through the line instead of getting a few extra minutes to relax.

At Disney, I loved the look and the princesses at Akershus, but the food was not great. Lunch at the Beast's Castle, Be Our Guest, was amazing and the food was good so that was a definite winner.

The best Disney restaurants we experienced were at Animal Kingdom. Tusker House was our character experience and it was super fun and the food was great. It was a great mix of African-inspired foods and the buffet presentation made it easy for everyone to get something they liked. We got to try a ton of new-to-us dishes. And we met Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy. Win!

Our other character experience buffet was also fun. We got to see Alice in Wonderland characters, including an amazing Mad Hatter as well as Winnie the Pooh. And the breakfast buffet was pretty darn good at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian.

Satu'li Canteen was one of the few places that we just stumbled into. We went to Disney in September, when they do the free Disney Dining Plan. So we had most of our meals planned six months in advance. Crazy, right? But, after going through the super awesome Avatar rides, we were hungry for brunch and saw the Satu'li Canteen had some great vegetarian options for me. So, we popped in and split two meals among the five of us (my mom joined us on this trip). We got a tofu bowl and a beef bowl and both were tasty.

The one restaurant we were disappointed in was Ohana. We stayed at the Polynesian and were excited about the Hawaiian dinner at the hotel's restaurant, but the Brazilian-steakhouse style food (they bring various meats around and ask if you're ready for refills, but it's just beef, chicken and shrimp) was dull. And the service wasn't particularly friendly or exciting. The veggies and the much-lauded bread pudding were the only items I enjoyed and those weren't spectacular. I'd skip this one unless you're heading to the morning character experience with Lilo and Stitch.

Another pop in restaurant we went to was the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen. We shared a few things among the five of us here, too. For some reason this restaurant wasn't busy at all. But the atmosphere was fun and the food was great!

But, back to the point. We had a great trip and, overall, loved the restaurants that we experienced. Of those, The Leaky Cauldron was the best, in my opinion. Sure, it didn't have Daisy Duck. But it had that great Harry Potter English pub feel, amazing food and great service. I had the Guinness Beef Stew, the girls and Mom and loved their fish and chips. Mr. Meaty got the Cottage Pie.

And, we went for breakfast another day and had full English breakfasts, which were amazing, too. But the Guinness Beef Stew was so tasty that I've been dreaming of making it myself ever since. And, as luck would have it, Mom got us a great Harry Potter Cookbook for Christmas and there's a Guinness Beef Stew recipe inside! So, finally, here it is. And my, oh my, does it live up to my memory.

Both kids went in for seconds or even thirds. I declared it the best beef stew we'd ever made. Tall Fry declared it the best STEW we'd ever made, no beef qualifier required. The broth is rich and somehow creamy and the vegetables come out perfectly cooked: tender, but not mushy. This is the best beef stew ever. Enjoy.

Guinness Beef Stew

Adapted from Harry Potter Cookbook

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as necessary
1 pound chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or portabella mushroom strips)
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
14 ounces broth (plus more to adjust consistency, if desired)
1/2 cup Guinness (or substitute Mexican Coke, if desired)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped prunes
1 teaspoon ground sage
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup chopped parsley (or 1 tablespoon dry)

Dutch Oven Method

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the meat in batch and sear on both sides over high heat for 4-5 minutes until crusty brown. Transfer each batch of meat to a plate.

Once the meat is done, add more oil to the pot if necessary.

Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened. Scrape up the browned bits, fond, from the bottom of the pot as you cook.

Add flour and stir until combined.

Pour in broth and Guinness (or Coke) and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbling.

Add the meat and any juices back to the pot.

Add tomato paste, chopped prunes, sage, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and parsley.

Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Add more chicken broth or water as necessary to keep the Guinness beef stew from drying or burning. (We added about another cup of broth.)

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Method

Turn the saute function on medium in your instant pot. When the screen reads HOT, add the oil. Sear the meat on all sides.

Set meat aside. Add onions, adding more oil if needed. Saute onions until softened.

Return meat to instant pot.

Add remaining ingredients.

Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes and let pressure naturally release.

Guinness Beef Stew: Our Universal and Disney Dining Experience

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as necessary
1 pound chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
14 ounces chicken broth (plus more to adjust consistency, if desired)
1/2 cup Guinness (or substitute Mexican Coke, if desired)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped prunes
1 teaspoon ground sage
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup chopped parsley (or 1 tablespoon dry)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the meat in batch and sear on both sides over high heat for 4-5 minutes until crusty brown. Transfer each batch of meat to a plate.
Once meat is done, add more oil to the pot if necessary.
Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened. Scrape up the browned bits, fond, from the bottom of the pot as you cook.
Add flour and stir until combined.
Pour in broth and Guinness (or Coke) and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbling.
Add the meat and any juices back to the pot.
Add tomato paste, chopped prunes, sage, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and parsley.
Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Add more chicken broth or water as necessary to keep the stew from drying or burning. (We added about another cup of broth.)

Leaky Cauldron Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

Beef and Chinese Green Beans

June 6, 2017 By Kristi

Holy cow this dish was one of my better ideas. Beef and Chinese Green Beans popped into my head one recent weeknight when the kids and I were pondering what to make for dinner. We were kind of tired of our usual weeknight meals (Broccoli Beef, Curry Chicken, Fried Rice, some-kinda-noodles). I'd picked up some fresh green beans and decided to try something with that and that's when my favorite green beans dish popped into my head: Chinese Green Beans.

And then I thought, hey man, sometimes when I order that at our favorite local Chinese restaurant, I have them add braised bean curd and it's delicious (which, if you're vegetarian or vegan or just like tofu, you should totally do at home, it really is delicious!).

Since I've been trying to eat a little more meat and stir fried beef is one of the few meats I actually think tastes pretty good, I opted to add in beef to the recipe and double the sauce.

Holy moly I am not sorry I tried this little experiment. Not sorry one bit.

The kids and Mr. Meaty and I all LOVED it. So much so that we've already had it again since then. AND tried the same thing with broccoli instead of beans and that was yummy, too!

Part of the yumminess may just be locked into that gorgeous iron skillet you see in the photograph. It was my grandmother's skillet so it has decades of seasoning locked into it and a lot of love-through-cooking, too. It makes me smile every time I use it.

If you've been considering switching to cast iron cookware, I highly recommend it. A properly seasoned one is a nontoxic nonstick dream.

Beef and Chinese Green Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients

SAUCE

1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Mirin or sherry
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger (ground)
1 teaspoon nut butter (I used almond-cashew)
dash of hot sauce
dash of molasses

OTHER

1/4 cup bacon grease or coconut oil for frying, divided
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion (or 1 tablespoon dry minced onion)
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound stir fry beef or portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces

Method

Mix sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons grease or oil over medium heat in a wok or iron skillet. Add beef, sear on one side and add about half of the sauce. Stir fry until done (about 10 minutes). Remove beef. Add 1 tablespoon oil and stir fry green beans for about 7 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove green beans. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and stir fry red onion for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, hot sauce and chili flakes and heat an additional minute. Add green beans, beef, and remaining sauce and toss. Serve hot over rice or cauliflower rice.

Yield: 4

Beef and Chinese Green Beans

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients
sauce:
1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Mirin or sherry
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger (ground)
1 teaspoon nut butter (I used almond-cashew)
dash of hot sauce
dash of molasses
other:
1/4 cup bacon grease or coconut oil for frying, divided
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion (or 1 tablespoon dry minced onion)
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound stir fry beef, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions

Mix sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons grease or oil over medium heat in a wok or iron skillet.
Add beef, sear on one side and add about half of the sauce. Stir fry until done (about 10 minutes).
Remove beef.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and stir fry green beans for about 7 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove green beans.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and stir fry red onion for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, hot sauce and chili flakes and heat an additional minute.
Add green beans, beef and remaining sauce and toss. Serve hot over rice or cauliflower rice.

Paleo Mongolian Beef

August 16, 2016 By Kristi

One of the few meaty Chinese dishes I've tried at restaurants and really liked is Mongolian Beef. But I always add veggies to it because it's so boring otherwise. Making at home means I can add whatever veggies I want so I tracked down a recipe and tinkered with it to make it in my clay pot cooker.

So, in addition to swapping a crockpot for a clay pot, I used arrowroot instead of corn starch, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce (and half the amount), coconut sugar instead of brown sugar (also halved), nixed the carrots and added water chestnuts and mushrooms. Now that I've got the recipe down, I'll experiment with extra veggies like snow peas next go-around.

Clay Pot Mongolian Beef

Adapted from Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds steak, cut into strips
1/4 cups arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 teaspoons mince garlic
1/3 cup coconut aminos
3/4 cups water
3/4 cups coconut sugar
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces water chestnuts
1 cup grated carrots
green onions, for garnish

Method
Cut steak into thin strips. In a ziploc bag add steak pieces and arrowroot powder. Shake to coat.
Add avocado oil, minced garlic, coconut aminos water, coconut sugar, carrots, mushrooms and water chestnuts to clay pot or slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.

Set the clay pot on stew and cook for 2 hours.
In slow cooker, cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours. Garnish with green onions. Serve over rice if desired.

Results

Wowza. This dish is so easy and absolutely delicious. Everyone, (myself, Mr. Meaty and the kiddos) loved it and had at least seconds. This is a definite repeat. We'll add snow peas for sure next time (because we love them), but it's great as is, too. Broccoli would also be yummy. This would be really easy to make quickly on the stovetop, too. Just follow the directions up until the clay pot and stir fry in a pan or wok for about 10-15 minutes.

Paleo Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds steak, cut into strips
¼ cups arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons avocado oil
½ teaspoons mince garlic
1/3 cup coconut aminos
¾ cups water
¾ cups coconut sugar
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces water chestnuts
1 cup grated carrots
green onions, for garnish

Instructions

Cut steak into thin strips. In a ziploc bag add steak pieces and arrowroot powder. Shake to coat.
Add avocado oil, minced garlic, coconut aminos water, coconut sugar, carrots, mushrooms and water chestnuts to clay pot or slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
Set the clay pot on stew and cook for 2 hours.
In slow cooker, cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours. Garnish with green onions. Serve over rice if desired.

Paleo Fajitas

March 31, 2016 By Kristi

We love Mexican food. The whole family can eat together really easily with something like fajitas. We make a big base of fajita veggies and then, if anyone wants meat, we add that in. It makes eating with vegetarians, meat-eaters and kids really simple. This paleo fajitas recipe is our new favorite and it's super simple.

Paleo Fajitas

Serves 4

Ingredients

MARINADE

2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Fresh cilantro

MEAT (optional)

1 pound steak or chicken, cut into strips

VEGETABLES

2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced
2 small onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Salt to taste

Method

Mix up ingredients of marinade in a refrigerator dish and add meat if desired, let sit for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare vegetables and add to an iron skillet. Bake at 425 for 30-45 minutes. If desired, cook meat and marinade in another skillet over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet (add marinade if you're not using meat). Serve separately or stir in meat if desired (we don't do this in our family since everyone wants something a little different).

I use avocado oil in the part that goes in the oven because it's tastier with Mexican flavors than coconut oil (in my opinion) and it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Win.

We absolutely love this recipe. It's super simple and we can all pick and choose what we want to put in our fajitas or fajita bowls. I eat my paleo fajitas with just the veggies or veggies and meat. You can also serve over rice or cauliflower rice. Those who can have them can add corn tortillas and whatever other fixings they choose. The veggies are great on their own or with the marinated meat.

Paleo Fajitas

Ingredients

MARINADE
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper
Fresh cilantro
MEAT (optional)
1 pound steak or chicken, cut into strips
VEGETABLES
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced
2 small onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Salt to taste

Instructions

Mix up ingredients of marinade in a refrigerator dish and add meat if desired, let sit for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare vegetables and add to an iron skillet. Bake at 425 for 30-45 minutes. If desired, cook meat and marinade in another skillet over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet (add marinade if you're not using meat). Serve separately or stir in meat if desired (we don't do this in our family since everyone wants something a little different).

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Paleo Broccoli Beef

February 18, 2016 By Kristi

Chinese food is my gateway drug. As you may know, I spent 25+ years as a strict vegetarian. Health issues and food intolerances led me to start eating a little meat as I'm unable to eat grains and dairy. Chinese food brings me a perfect solution. Lots of veggies with a smaller amount of meat are not only possible, but also super tasty. So it was that I made a list of foods to try this month and about a third are Chinese dishes. Yum. Broccoli beef is now a family favorite.

Paleo Broccoli Beef

Adapted from Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound boneless chuck roast, sliced into thin strips (VEGAN substitute: 4 portabella mushrooms, sliced into thin strips)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 head)
½ cup bone broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1 inch ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
salt to taste

Method

Warm the coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet over a medium heat, and stir-fry the beef until well cooked, about 6 minutes. Remove the beef from the skillet.

In the same skillet, cook the onions, broccoli until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Return the beef to the skillet.

In a small bowl, combine the bone broth, the coconut aminos, the ginger, the minced garlic and the sherry and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add this mixture to the pan. Cook everything for 2 to 3 minutes, and then remove from the heat.

Wow. This is seriously incredible. It's so simple and so delicious. I'm planning to add a schoch more crunch next time around (probably water chestnuts), but the flavor is absolutely amazing.

Paleo Broccoli Beef

Ingredients

1 pound boneless chuck roast, sliced into thin strips (VEGAN SUBSTITUTE: 4 portabella mushrooms, sliced into thin strips)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 head)
½ cup bone broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1 inch ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
salt to taste

Instructions

Warm the coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet over a medium heat, and stir-fry the beef until well cooked, about 6 minutes. Remove the beef from the skillet.
In the same skillet, cook the onions, broccoli until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Return the beef to the skillet.
In a small bowl, combine the bone broth, the coconut aminos, the ginger, the minced garlic and the sherry and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add this mixture to the pan. Cook everything for 2 to 3 minutes, and then remove from the heat.

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Vegetarian Cheeseburger Cauliflower

August 13, 2012 By Kristi

Today's This Week's Cravings theme is SUMMER VEGETABLE RECIPES AND SUMMER GRILLING and I'm sharing my Vegetarian Cheeseburger Cauliflower.

Vegetarian Cheeseburger Cauliflower

Ingredients

6 cups Meat Substitute Crumbles
5 ¾ cups cook Cauliflower Florets, Frozen
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
⅛ teaspoons Salt
⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

The Results

Incredible! I love how simple and delicious this dish is. It really highlights the fresh, seasonal cauliflower.

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My This Week's Cravings co-hostesses are: Tina at Moms Crazy Cooking and Nicole at The Daily Dish. As hostesses, we will try our hardest to visit as many of the links we can. We all enjoy your links and look forward to gathering recipes each week.The party has a few SIMPLE RULES and all of the themes for the entire year are list here on the THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS tabat Moms Crazy Cooking. Plan ahead, check out the weeks you want to make sure to link up or just browse them to see what's going on.

If you are a regular link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. If you are new please read and follow the simple rules, so that everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to follow the theme, your post will be deleted. Please don't feel hurt, just come back and link up a recipe that follows the theme. Thanks a million, we look forward to blogging with you!

The LINKY PARTY is open ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: SUMMER VEGETABLES/GRILLING

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This week's theme is: SUMMER VEGETABLES/GRILLING

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This post is shared at My Meatless Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Cravings, ·Homemaker Monday.·Mingle Monday, Mangia Monday, Made By You Mondays and Monday Mania.

Vegan 'Meat and Potatoes' {vegan, whole food}: This Week's Cravings {Manly Meals}

June 11, 2012 By Kristi

Today's This Week's Cravings theme is MANLY MEALS FOR FATHER'S DAY and I'm sharing one of our new favorites: Vegan "Meat and Potatoes"--a portabello mushroom "steak" with sides of protein-packed quinoa and oniony spinach. I'm a huge fan of this method of cooking portabello mushrooms. I've never really been a fan of the stuffed mushroom cap meals, though I've tried to like them. This "steak" is an excellent remedy. And, cutting out the ribby membrane of the mushroom seems to be a huge key in making the texture and taste of the mushroom more palatable and "steaky."

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This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"
Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!
6/18/2012: INTERNATIONAL FOODS
6/25/2012: Summer Berry Recipes (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)
7/2/2012: July 4th (Red, White & Blue)
7/9/2012: FRIED FOODS

The LINKY PARTY is open ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: MANLY MEALS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This week's theme is: MANLY MEALS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This post is shared at·Mouthwatering Mondays, My Meatless Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Cravings, Just Another Meatless Monday,·Homemaker Monday.·Meatless Mondays,·Mingle Monday, Mangia Monday, Made By You Mondays and Monday Mania.

Sweet and Spicy Vidalia Chipotle Burgers {Vegetarian, Whole Food}: This Week's Cravings {Cheeseburgers}

May 28, 2012 By Kristi

Today's This Week's Cravings theme is CHEESEBURGERS and I'm sharing Sweet and Spicy Vidalia Chipotle Burgers. These tasty veggie burgers are filled with quinoa and grilled Vidalia onions and then topped with a yogurt cheese-Chipotle pepper blend. Yum.

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This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"
Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!
June 4: Breakfast Breads (Doughnuts, Muffins, Biscuits & Coffee Cakes)
June 11: MAN-ly Meals (for Father's Day)
June 18: INTERNATIONAL FOODS
June 25: Summer Berry Recipes (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)

The LINKY PARTY is open ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: CHEESEBURGERS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This week's theme is: CHEESEBURGERS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

Simple 'Meaty' Spaghetti Sauce {Vegan}: This Week's Cravings {Healthy Meals and Snacks}

January 2, 2012 By Kristi

Happy New Year! Today's This Week's Cravings theme is HEALTHY MEALS and SNACKS and I'm sharing my

Simple 'Meaty' Vegan Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups Marinara Sauce
1 cup Meat Substitute Crumbles
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

The Results
This recipe is one of our all-time favorite quick meals for our family. I love the simplicity and the healthiness of this sauce. It's great to whip up in a jiffy or pull out of the freezer for a quick, healthy meal.

Please Grab Our Button

My This Week's Cravings co-hostesses are: Tina at Moms Crazy Cooking, Angie at Big Bear's Wife and Nicole at The Daily Dish. As hostesses, we will try our hardest to visit as many of the links we can. We all enjoy your links and look forward to gathering recipes each week.The party has a few SIMPLE RULES and all of the themes for the entire year are list here on the THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS tab at Moms Crazy Cooking. Plan ahead, check out the weeks you want to make sure to link up or just browse them to see what's going on.

This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"

Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!

January 9: COMFORT FOOD: Soups & Casseroles
January 16: CHEESE LOVER DAY... YUMMY Cheese recipes
January 23: Homemade Pies
January 30: Recipe from Your Favorite COOKBOOK

The LINKY PARTY is open ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

This week's theme is: HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

Italian Sausage Crumbles

December 28, 2011 By Kristi

Day 362.

In preparation for following along with Kelly's Get Real series in 2012, I decided I really need to pin down a homemade Italian sausage crumbles recipe made with whole food that I'll like.

Italian sausage is one of those things that I never really ate, but I hear such good things about it I had to create my own. I came up with this recipe basically through trial and error and a lot of taste-testing.

I think they turned out really well and could actually make a great party appetizer on their own.

Italian Sausage Crumbles

Ingredients for about 2 cups crumbles or 4 dozen tiny sausage balls

1 cup Lentil and Rice Ground Beef Substitute

1/4 cup pumpkin puree (or other egg substitute)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

House seasoning or salt and pepper to taste

Method

Mash all ingredients together in a zippered bag or medium bowl until combined.

Crumble "raw" over pizza or into soup.

OR preheat oven to 350. Roll sausage into 1/2-inch balls (about the size of a chickpea) and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes until golden and slightly crisped on the outside. Serve with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.

The Results

I really like the flavor and the texture of these. They don't have any of that funky processed flavor of the pre-packaged sausage and I can adjust the seasonings however I like. A definite winner. The kids both loved these (Bug a bit more than Goose) and my meat-eating husband thought they were pretty good, too.

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, These Chicks Cooked, Recipe Link Party, Foodie Wednesday and Bake with Bizzy.

Yield: 4

Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles

This recipe for Vegan Italian sausage crumbles is a whole food and super easy to make. They taste great and don't taste "processed."

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Lentil and Rice Ground Beef Substitute
1/4 cup pumpkin puree (or other egg substitute)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
House seasoning or salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mash all ingredients together in a zippered bag or medium bowl until combined.
Crumble "raw" over pizza or into soup.
OR preheat oven to 350.
Roll sausage into 1/2-inch balls (about the size of a chickpea) and place on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake 7-10 minutes until golden and slightly crisped on the outside.
Serve with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.

Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

Dutch Oven Method

Instant Pot Method

Ingredients

Instructions

Beef and Chinese Green Beans

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

Instructions

Clay Pot Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

Instructions

Paleo Fajitas

Ingredients

Instructions

Paleo Broccoli Beef

Ingredients

Instructions

Vegetarian Cheeseburger Cauliflower

Ingredients

The Results

Simple 'Meaty' Vegan Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

Italian Sausage Crumbles

Method

The Results

Ingredients

Instructions

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