Fakin' Aspragus Recipe

Mock comfort food + something healthy = Fakin' Asparagus!!!

It is the fantastic combination of smoky, salty, crunchy with crisp, clean, caramelized heaven.  Fakin' Asparagus is a great appetizer especially in the spring and early summer when asparagus is in season.  I wanted to get the recipe out before they were out of season.  Remember to check out That's Vegetarian Eating What's in Season for valuable resources on seasonal foods by locale.  

I use Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips because they are the closest to the bacon essence. They are very similar to the salad topping Bacos, which are vegetarian as well.  They are also lower in fat, cholesterol and calories.

Baked Pork Bacon

Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips

Bacon - Almost 2xs the calories & fat;  50% more sodium; less fiber, iron & calcium. However, bacon does have 3x's as much protein.  
The serving size of bacon is half of the fakin on the right. Double amounts on left when comparing.



Let me now redeem my recipe with the facts about asparagus.  It is low in sodium to balance out the sodium of the fakin'.  It contains many minerals and vitamins including potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamins A, C, E, K, and an entire slew of the B family.  

Fakin' Asparagus is a fun appetizer that has a comfy feel to it.  Try it now while the asparagus is still in season.

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

FAKIN' ASPARAGUS RECIPE

1 Box Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips

36-72 Asparagus spears

1/4 c Fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved (opt)

Defrost the Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips for at least 1 hour to increase ease of handling.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Break the ends of the asparagus stalks by holding at the blunt end and a 1/4 of the way down from the tip. This will allow the asparagus to break at the best point to eliminate any excessive fibrous ends. Spray baking dish with olive oil, place rinsed trimmed asparagus in pan, sprinkle with pepper and toss in pan. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes, 4 if the stalks are thin.

Remove the asparagus and let cool for about 5 minutes, until they are at a comfortable temperature for handling.

Fakin' Asparagus Video

Grab 2-4 stalks of asparagus all facing the same direction and one MF bacon strip. Wrap the asparagus with the fakin from the tip down on an angle slightly overlapping. Place in the same baking dish with the edge of the fakin closest to the bottom of the spear face down on the pan to prevent it from unraveling.

Bake at 400F for about 4 minutes, until the strips have browned. Watch closely as they brown quickly since they are defrosted. Remove from oven once lightly browned.

Cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 5 minutes for asparagus, 4-5 minutes for wrapped asparagus

Serving size: 3 pieces

Serves 6

Level of difficulty - easy.

3pp with or without the cheese because there is so little.

Fakin' Asparagus Printable Recipe

http://www.morningstarfarms.com/morningstar-farms-veggie-bacon-strips.renderImageText.html?BID=29192&MD5=714d8244ef514ee6b9b94c873e6a1ade&FT=MorningStarFarmsVeggieBaconStrips_352&productORrecipe=product&freeTextPresent=no

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/10602/2

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/pork-products/7354/2

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

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