Meatless Monday...

Meatless Monday... or Tuesday or really any day of the week. You can enjoy these meat-free recipes that will still leave you satisfied.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

Since this dish is made in a pressure cooker, it isn't very hard to make!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons butter and a tablespoon oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (we like garlic, so we used 6 cloves)

1 med onion, diced

1 more tablespoon oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

2 tablespoons dried mushrooms, soaked in a cup of water (we love porcini)

2 cup arborio rice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Recipe:

Step one: Add your dried mushrooms to your cup of water. We like to put them in the microwave for a minute to get all of that flavor out quickly.

Step two: Add diced onion and garlic to the melted butter and oil in the pressure cooker at the sauté setting. At the same time use the other tablespoon of oil to sauté the mushrooms in a separate frying pan (while the onions are cooking). Or, make this a one pot meal by sauteing the mushrooms in the pressure cooker right after the onions cook – just note that it will take a few extra minutes.

Step three: Once the onions are soft, add the cooked mushrooms if separate. Then add the rice and toast for just a minute. Deglaze with the broth and add the dried mushrooms and mushroom broth (making sure to leave any grit at the bottom of the cup.)

Step four: Set the pressure to high for 6 minutes.

Step five: Instant release the pressure and stir in the parmesan and extra butter.

Step six: Serve immediately & enjoy!

Lentil Soup

If you would like, add 5 cups of baby spinach in the last step to expand the quantity and add more texture.

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots

1 medium yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

2 cups dried lentils (about 1 pound)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

6 cups vegetable broth

Recipe:

Step one: Peel and dice the carrots and the onion. Mince the garlic.

Step two: Put the dried lentils into a fine-mesh strainer. Pick through the lentils, getting rid of any broken or discolored ones. Rinse under cool water until the water runs clear, about 1 minute. Set aside to drain while you cook the vegetables.

Step three: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step four: Add the lentils, 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, and 6 cups broth, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender, 18 to 22 minutes.

Step five: Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Lasagna

In this recipe, Quorn is substituted for meat to make it vegetarian. It serves 6-8, but is easy to double if you need more!

Ingredients:

1 8 oz no boil lasagna package

1 package Quorn (or other meat substitute crumbles)

½ tsp olive oil

¼ cup chopped onion (or 1 sm/med onion)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed (or chopped)

1 6 oz can of tomato paste

½ tsp oregano

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried crushed sweet basil

1 tsp dried parsley flakes (you can also use fresh parsley or skip it if you don’t have either)

1/8 tsp pepper

1 jar of pasta sauce

2 8 oz packages mozzarella cheese

2 cup cottage cheese

1 egg, well beaten

Handful of fresh parsley or basil (chopped)

2 c. cottage cheese

1 egg, well beaten

1 ½ tsp salt, plus a pinch for the Quorn mixture

2/8 tsp pepper, plus a pinch for the Quorn mixture

Handful of fresh parsley or basil (chopped)

Recipe:

Step one: Brown the Quorn, olive oil, onion, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Step two: Add the pasta sauce, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, dried crushed sweet basil, dried parsley flakes to the Quorn mixture, along with 1/8 tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, and 1 ½ c. water. Then simmer for about 1 hour (or pressure cook for 25 minutes).

Step three: Remove the bay leaf.

Step four: Mix together the cottage cheese, egg, ½ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and a handful of fresh parsley or basil (chopped)

Step five: Arrange layers of noodles, cottage cheese mixture, Quorn mixture and mozzarella cheese in a 12x8 starting with a base of sauce and ending with cheese on top.

Step six: Bake at 350° for 30 minutes Then remove from the oven, let stand 15 minutes, and enjoy!