Veggie Egg Bake - A Holiday Solution

It's holiday time when the house is filled with loved ones whom you want to keep happy and fed.  We don't like grouchies at the holidays, or any time for that matter.   

• The Veggie Egg Bake is super satisfying.  
• You can make it as easy or difficult as you like by what you choose to put in it.  
• Use leftover vegetables or saute up some fresh ones.   
• It's lower in fat and cholesterol by using all egg whites, tremendously satiating and bulky with the vegetables (since we do eat by volume most of the time), and leaving out the crust that you would find in a quiche.    
• Not to mention this is a great dish for leftovers.  They can help themselves whenever they are hungry.

Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"   

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

Veggie Egg Bake aka Crustless Quiche

 

1 c Onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 Mushrooms, sliced

10 Olives, chopped

1/2 Green peppers, diced

1/2 Red pepper, diced

2-3 stalks Broccoli, diced

10 Baby carrots, sliced

10 grape or cherry tomatoes sliced

Handful of spinach, chopped

Olive Oil

Parmesan cheese (opt)

16 oz carton Egg whites

1/4 t Celery salt

1/4 t Garlic powder

1/4 t Pepper

1/4 t Ground sage

1 t Tarragon

1/2 t Turmeric

1/4 t Paprika

3 T Fat free milk

5 Basil leaves, fresh chopped

2 oz Shredded cheese (opt)

1 Tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray the bottom of a pie dish with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Toss to coat.

Sautee vegetables to get any extra liquid out, otherwise the egg bake can be a little runny.  Start with onions, and then garlic then the harder veggies ending with the spinach. Place sautéed vegetables in bottom of pan.  Put shredded cheese and fresh basil on top.

Add spices and milk to egg whites and shake to mix.  Pour over veggies and cheese. Place the slice tomatoes to make a pretty design.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes then lower temp to 350F and bake for an additional 25 minutes. 

Printable Veggie Egg Bake Recipe

TVeg & Holiday Shopping!!!

Happy Holidays!!!!  Oooooooohhhhhhhhhh and Happy Shopping!!!  Now that

 Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over - time to shop That's Vegetarian.   

Pick up Sal y Pimienta Virgin Avocado Oil for your friends, family, and heck yourself too!  It's smoke point is 520F (271C) compared to Butter 350F (177C) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil 320F (160C).  Not to mention how nutritious and flavorful it is. Some of the health benefits include improved cardiovascular health, nourishes your skin and hair, aids in cancer prevention, and antioxidant properties with the omega 3's and 6's plus Vitamin E.  It has a soft nutty taste with a balanced hint of avocado.  Use it for baking, sauteing, searing and to top finished dishes and salads.   

Special holiday pricing:  250ml ~ $10, reg $12 and 500ml ~ $18, reg $20, plus shipping.  Email That's Vegetarian to place your order today!

                                                                                                    

Do you live in Southern California or need to get a gift for someone who does?  Check out these SoCal offerings for a gift certificate:

   

   

Beauty and The Ink is dedicated to making you look beautiful and our high performance products help us to make you feel good about it too!!  Vanessa Riggs, amazing Aesthetician and Cosmetologist, will provide you with organic, vegan, cruelty free products.  Vanessa has done the research so you can sit back, relax and know you are environmentally friendly!!!  

We have chosen to avoid using toxic chemicals found in many hair product lines which damage and jeopardize the structural integrity of hair.  Using Organic Salon Systems we have 100% ammonia free hair color with no harmful fumes plus there is no scalp discomfort or staining, longer lasting color and excellent grey coverage. Certified Organic ingredients naturally sooth, moisturize, prevent and repair damaged hair. All products have been certified by PETA as cruelty-free and 100% vegan.


Located:  20996 Bake Parkway #110   Lake Forest, CA 92630    949-916-4168  

  

Call Vanessa now and get 10% off services when you mention That's Vegetarian.

  

BalanceWork Yoga and Massage's mission is to provide safe, therapeutic yoga classes, workshops and massage designed to improve mental and physical health, productivity, and well being.  BalanceWork Yoga and Massage was founded by Mark DeWhitt under the strong conviction that preventative wellness programs can effectively address the problems that cause work related injuries. This leads to happier, healthier employees and employers.  The list of accolades from students and clients speaks for itself.  Contact Mark to schedule your appointment or to get a gift certificate for someone you care about today.  Mention That's Vegetarian for a 10% discount.    

                                                                                                                      

My favorite cutlery is CUTCO by far.  It is made in the USA and guaranteed

 

for life!!!  How awesome is that?  Plus free sharpening forever.  The list of benefits goes on and on. 

Check out the products on the CUTCO website.  The Trimmer is one knife a kitchen cannot be without.    

Email That's Vegetarian to get your personal and gift order ready for the holidays. 
                                                                                                                           

  

 

I have recently discovered Muddy Paw Coffee and it is DELICIOUS!!!!  I am normally not a fan of flavored coffee but they have the BEST Hazelnut ever.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every roast of theirs that I have had.  Another great quality, they support rescue animal organizations with every bag ordered.  Not to mention it is sent withing 48 hours of roasting right to your door.   Get your holiday gift at Muddy Paw Coffee.   

I am looking for an animal rescue organization that will partner with That's Vegetarian.  I will provide a venue on my website, show and blog and you provide basic information about your organization and a link at your website.  In turn, you receive money for each pound sold.  Sounds like a win win for me!!  

                                                                                                                

Just added:

Visited Spice Station today in Silverlake and it was like walking into spice heaven!!!!! I met Bronwen Tawse, one of the owners, and she was full of knowledge of the spices and suggestions on how to use them.  They sell about 140 spices, herbs, salts, peppercorns and chilies, which are available by the ounce, quarter-pound or pound in store or order online.  Colorful index cards list the price, country of origin, uses and medicinal purposes, where applicable. The spices are ground free of charge, or you can take the whole pods, berries and seeds to go.  "Every neighborhood should have access to purchasing the highest quality product at affordable prices. Our goal now is to facilitate this process."

Pop into the store in Silverlake, the Santa Monica location is under renovations, or order online and mention That's Vegetarian for a 10% discount.  

Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!" 

Cheese Stuffed Fakin' Wrapped Dates

First and foremost, thank you for your support.  It's time to be thankful and show our appreciation.  What better way than to one, say it, and two, make some yummy food.  Here is a creative appetizer for the holiday season. I had this at a restaurant, came home and figured out how to make my version of Fakin' Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates. It was a simple appetizer to create an ohhhhh sooooo tasty!!!!!!!!!!!!

The easy part is which fakin’ to use. Morningstar Breakfast Strips are my favorite meat substitute. I do try to limit the amount of processed food but I just can’t forgo this one. The strips do contain dairy byproducts and most “veggie” cheeses also contain dairy byproducts. That makes it difficult to make this a vegan dish. You can check out other “fakin’” products but can’t say I like the way they taste.

Then it gets increasingly challenging. Which cheese? I did a taste test with sharp and medium cheddar, Brie, Gorgonzola, pepper jack, and Parmesan. The sharper the better for my taste, but use whichever you prefer. (See note above about “veggie” cheeses.)

Lastly, the dates. An old Arabic legend tells of the Date palm's creation: "After God had finished molding Man from Earth; He took the remaining material and shaped it into a date palm which he placed in the Garden of Paradise". * Dates are full of vitamins and minerals including manganese, potassium and copper. They are a heart healthy food. It is the only naturally dried fruit. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of dates. The most common are Medjool, deglet noor, and honey dates. I have had them all, ahem those three, and they are yummy!!!

Putting all of these ingredients together creates a savory, sweet, salty, creamy, smokey taste of heaven. Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"  

Fakin’ Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates

10 Dates

10 Strips of Morningstar Breakfast Strips (aka Fakin’)

A few ounces of Cheese of choice (I prefer Gorgonzola or Parmesan)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut dates in half lengthwise.  Remove pit if there is one. Stuff with sliver of cheese.  Wrap with 1/2 Morningstar Breakfast Strip.  Stick with toothpick to keep strips in place.  Place on parchment paper or silicon-coated pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Enjoy hot or room temperature.

Prep time: 15 min 
Cook time:  15 min
Serves 5, 2 each
Difficulty level: Easy
(5pp)
Fakin' Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates Printable Recipe

Pear Crisp

Fall fruits make great pies, cobblers, and crisps. I chose the CRISP option to keep it lower in fat and calories although I do have an awesome crust recipe.  (To be shared at a later date :).)  This is another fun texture recipe.  Big or small pear slices.  The crumbly top.  The sweet and tart of the fruit and lemon juice.

I used pears but you can use apples, berries, or a combination of fruits.  The fall is perfect for pears, apples, cranberries, persimmons, and almonds.  This recipe is not very sweet.  You may want to add more maple syrup or sugar if you want it sweeter.  Maple syrup is an excellent source of zinc and manganese. 

The "crisp" part is nice and light.  You can make as much or as little as you like and use dairy free spread or butter.  Your choice!!  Oats provide a great source for fiber, selenium and manganese.  This is an easy recipe to add a little bit of flax to for those added benefits.    Flax is rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins ~ Magnesium (nerve transmission)*, Phosphorus (formation of cells)*, Copper (iron absorption)*, Thiamin (energy)* and Manganese (cell regeneration)* to mention a few.  (Funky Flax Facts) 

Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

*Read on...Harvard Help Guide and Healthy Check Systems

Pear Crisp ~ Vegan 

Topping

1c      Quick Rolled Oats

1/3c  Brown sugar

1/2c  Whole wheat flour

1T      Flax seed meal

1t       Cinnamon

1/2t    Nutmeg (Or 1-1/2t Pumpkin pie spice)

1/4c   Butter or margarine (VEGAN)

Filling

8c      Pears (approx 11 pears), quartered lengthwise and sliced*

Juice from one lemon

1T      White flour

1t       Cinnamon

1/4c   Maple syrup

Spray 8” pie dish with vegetable oil. Set aside. (Or use ramekins or lined cupcake tins for individual servings) Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine sliced pears, lemon juice, white flour, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour into prepared pie dish.

In same bowl, mix dry ingredients of topping - oats, brown sugar, flour, flax meal, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add cold butter (or margarine) and mush together with hands until crumbly. Spread evenly over filling.

Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is soft when pierced with a fork. If topping gets too dark, cover with foil.

* Substitute apples, plums, peaches, rhubarb, berries, etc or a combination of a few.

 Pear Crisp Printable Recipe 

BevMo 5cent Sale Wine Pairing Challenge

Getting in at the last minute to provide you with wine Pairings for the BevMo's 5 Cent Sale with the recipes from That's Vegetarian from July on, the last time we did the pairing.  The sale is great, buy a bottle at regular price and the second one is just 5 cents!!  Bummer BevMo is in California and Arizona but you can order online!  Please send me the the name of the wine store in your area when they have a sale like this and we'll be happy to do the pairing for you!

To watch the video, click on Video.  To print the recipe, click on Print. 

Recipe	White	Red	Pink	Splurge
Mango Lime Coleslaw Print	Loredona Riesling '10	Crucillon Garnacha
Baked Falafel Video  Print	Guenoc Sauvignon Blanc Lake County '10	Buscado Garnacha '10		Gruet Pinot Noir '08
Watermelon Mint Print	Canals & Nubiola Cava Brut	Crucillon Garnacha		Luisi Moscato d'Asti '10
Gazpacho Video  Print	Terre dei Sicani Fiano '08	Trumpeter Malbec '09
Caprese Skewers Print	Chateau de Brandey Bordeaux Blanc '10	Trecipressi Chianti '09		Da Vinci Chianti Riserva '06
Vegan Ceviche Video  Print	Chateau de Brandey Bordeaux Blanc '10	Buscado Garnacha '10		Keenan Chardonnay '08
Stuffed Peppers with Peaches and Mango Print	Les Pierres Blanche Macon-Villages '10	Fog Head Pinot Noir '09	Bonterra Rose '09	Dahlia Pinot Noir Reserve '09
Mediterranean Summer Grain Salad Video  Print	Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio '09	Trumpeter Malbec '09		Buena Vista Pinot Noir '07
Baked Stuffed Zucchini Video  Print	Les Pierres Blanche Macon-Villages '10	Baroncini Chianti '08		Enrico Serafino Roero Nebbiolo
Banana Bread Vegan Video   Print	Gen 5 Chardonnay '10	Unruly Red '09

Enjoy making the dishes and pairing the wine.  Check Facebook and Twitter for wine pairing updates to previous recipes through the end of the week for the 5cent sale.  Please share your feedback on  , , and and subscribe for exciting updates and information! 

Go to That's Vegetarian and watch one (or all) of the recipe videos, print the recipe(s), and prepare any one of the dishes.  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

Udder Choices Besides "Milk"

That’s Vegetarian – Udder Choices Besides “Milk”

The hot topic these days seems to be what “milk” alternative is best.  The selections include cow’s milk, soy milk, almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, and rice milk, to name a few. People seem to have different reasons for which they choose.  Some stick with cow’s milk because that’s what they know.  Some find the other alternatives are better because of lactose intolerance, possible hormone additives, and/or being vegan, to name a few.  

According to Kristen Rindress, R.D., cow’s milk is beneficial because of the numerous nutrients it provides ~ calcium, protein and Vitamins A, B12 & D.  Soy milk is the closest to cow’s milk in the amount of protein and the added nutrients usually provide the additional vitamins and minerals.

With all the alternative milk beverages, it is really important to read the labels.  They are all different with flavors, sugars, vitamins, minerals, fat and additives.  A brief summary is provided but READ THE LABELS, every brand is different and within the brand there are different products with different compositional make up.  Here is a side-by-side comparison to hopefully help put the data in perspective for you.

Printable Milk Alternative Table

“What do they taste like?  What can I use then instead of dairy?”  Well, I’m glad you asked. Here you go:

• Soy Milk~Plain unsweetened is rather bland.  You can buy flavored and sweetened soy milk, but that will increase the calories and sugars.  Good in savory dishes.  Many use in coffee and cereal too.
•  Almond Milk~Creamy, rich and slightly nutty.  Good in smoothies, coffee and cereal.
• Coconut Milk~Thick, creamy, coconut flavor.  Good in coffee, tea, pudding, smoothies, and oatmeal.
• Hemp Milk~Nutty, earthy.  Good in potatoes and baked goods.
• Rice Milk~Light, watery, sweet.  Good in desserts, baked goods, pancakes and French toast.

I provide the information; it is up to you to choose which alternative works best for you!!!

Browse our previous blogs for information, recipes and video links.  Prepare any one of the recipes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

Label Resources:

Nutrition Data Self - Non Fat Milk 

Nutrition Data Self - Goat Milk 

Almond Breeze 

Silk Pure Coconut 

Nutrition Data Self - Coconut Milk 

Living Harvest Hemp Milk 

Rice Dream Rice Milk 

Other Resources:

http://www.nakedfoodcooking.com/nutrition-milk-milk-substitutes/ 

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/MilkSubstitutes.htm 

http://factoidz.com/soy-almond-coconut-and-rice-a-comparison-of-dairy-milk-alternatives/ 

http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/which-non-dairy-milk-is-best.aspx 

http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-baking-articles/product-reviews/five-types-of-non-dairy-milk-reviewed.html 

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-milk-substitutes.htm 

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/milk-cow-goat-rice-almond-soy-nutrition-comparison-1668/ 

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/847876/top_10alternatives_to_cows_milk.html 

Women's Health, September 2011

Banana Bread ~ Vegan

A dark, rich, moist and robust yet subtle vegan banana bread that pairs nicely with a steamy cup of coffee.  Adding a little coffee to the recipe helps bring out the flavor of the bananas.  Instead of egg we are using flax seed meal, we did the same for our Pumpkin Bread.  I use oil in the video, but subsituting 1/2 cup of non-fat plain or vanilla yogurt in makes it more moist and lower in fat but no longer vegan.  I had suggestions of chocolate chips, carob chips, and peanut butter too!!  


Share your suggestions of favorite things inside or on top of your banana bread by commenting below.


Bananas are rich in Potassium (cell integrity)*, Manganese (healthy bones)*, Vitamin C (iron absorbtion)* and Vitamin B6 (red blood cell production). (Bountiful Banana Benefits)  Flax is rich is fiber, minerals and vitamins ~ Magnesium (nerve transmission)*, Phosphorus (formation of cells)*, Copper (iron absorption)*, Thiamin (enrergy)* and Manganese (cell regeneration)* to mention a few.  (Funky Flax Facts)  



Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"


*Read on...Harvard Help Guide and Healthy Check Systems

Banana Bread ~ Vegan

2 T ground flax seed
3 T water

3 T coffee  

4 large bananas, mashed
2 T olive oil or 1/2c yogurt or 1/2c apple sauce

1/4 c molasses
1 c whole-wheat flour

1 c unbleached white

1 T pumpkin pie spice

1 t cinnamon

1/3 c sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda

3/4 c walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk or blend the flax water and coffee until frothy.  Mix the mashed bananas, olive oil (yogurt/apple sauce), flax and molasses.

Mix the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, spices, salt, and baking soda.

Combine wet and dry and mix until well blended.  Add walnuts

Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 55-60 minutes.  After 50 minutes check with knife or toothpick by sticking it in the bread.  If it comes out clean ~ its done.  If it has some batter on it, cook a little longer.  If it still needs to cook longer but is already quite browned, place foil over the top to stop it from browning.

Remove and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
Vegan Banana Bread Printable Recipe
Prep time:  15 min ~ Cook time:  60 min ~ Serves 10  ~ 7pp

Eating What's In Season...

Eating what's in season is a way to help the environment and ensure you are getting fresher and riper produce.

Eating what's in season in your local area helps reduce the environmental impact of the shipping costs, pesticides, and large amounts of water used.  

Eating what's in season will fill your belly and satisfy your taste buds with fresher less processed food.

Eating what's in season means visiting your local farmers, farmers' markets, or having fresh, local produce delivered to your home or office.

Eating what's in season helps support your local economy and local farmers.

Eating what's in season gives you the opportunity to branch out try new food and recipes.

Eating what's in season means reading the labels and signs at your market to find out where the food comes from. The closer, the better, the fresher and more nutrients.

Eating what's in season means searching for local produce options. The Internet is a great resource and websites like Local Harvest can help as well as the rest listed at the end of this blog.

Eating what's in season differs from region to region but here is a sampling:(see links below)

Spring

Fresh growth, leafy veggies such as spinach, chard, parsley and basil plus asparagus and rhubarb.

Summer

Cooling fruits and veggies such as strawberries, plums, corn, summer squash, peppermint and cilantro

Fall

Warming foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, peppers, persimmons, eggplant, pears, tomatoes, onions and garlic, ginger, and peppercorn.

Winter

Keep the warming foods coming. Keep eating what's above for fall plus winter squash, turnips, cabbage, mushrooms, kale, cranberries, and pumpkin.

We at That's Vegetarian want our recipes to be more flavorful by using fresher, riper, more nutritious ingredients because we are eating what's in season!

These websites offer interactive maps for you to find out what is in season in your region and resources to help you find them.

Epicurious.com

FieldToPlate.com

SustaibableTable.org

EatwellGuide.org

The World's Healthies Foods

USDA.gov