2008 Reader Recipe Contest

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2008 Reader Recipe Contest

Meatless Makeovers: Your Favorite Recipes Made Vegetarian

Who doesn¹t love a good makeover? For our 2008 Reader Recipe Contest, we challenged VT readers to create vegetarian versions of classic nonveg favorites—and do it using at least one sponsored ingredient.

You responded with close to 400 recipes. A daunting task for some, but at VT we loved whittling them down to find the ones you'll want to make again and again. From the moment the cooking started, attendance at our regular office tastings spiked. (Even the accounting department got into the act!) Meat eaters and vegetarians alike eagerly lined up to taste and retaste, sometimes going back for seconds and thirds.

After all the plates had been cleaned, these six top-rated recipes managed to keep the praise flowing. Not much of a surprise considering they're the ultimate in comfort food. Whether you're trying to satisfy a family with varying dietary preferences or looking for a way to enjoy an old favorite, these winning dishes are sure to please.

1st PLACE (Prize $500)
Laura Hite, Dallas

“When I was little, I would raid my fridge and create stuff for my friends,” admits Laura Hite. A big fan of Italian food, and a vegetarian for nine years, Hite replaced the traditional veal in this dish with soy-based Veat. Osso buco is usually paired with risotto, but Hite used orzo pasta to create an Asparagus-Mushroom Orzotto that VT testers unanimously declared good enough to be served on its own. For a simpler variation, skip the orzotto and serve the osso buco over plain pasta or brown rice.

Vegetarian Osso Buco with Asparagus-Mushroom Orzotto
Serves 6

To veganize the recipe, simply replace the butter with olive oil, and omit the Parmesan from the orzotto.

Osso Buco
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
3 Simply Organic Bay Leaves*
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Thyme*
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Oregano*
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Parsley*
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 13-oz. pkg. chicken-style soy meat substitute, such as Veat
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup white or red wine
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Asparagus-Mushroom Orzotto
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
½ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
10 asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced on bias into thirds
6 oz. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup orzo
3–4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, warmed
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. Simply Organic Thyme*
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. To make Osso Buco: Heat olive oil and butter in large pot over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and parsley, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook 5 minutes. Add meat substitute, broth, wine, and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, or until sauce thickens and meat substitute is heated through.
2. To make Asparagus-Mushroom Orzotto: Heat olive oil and butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 10 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add asparagus and mushrooms, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until mushrooms start to release their juices. Add 1/2 cup orzo and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add remaining orzo, and cook 3 minutes more, or until all pasta bits are browned. Stir in 1/2 cup vegetable broth, parsley, and thyme, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid, stirring often. Continue adding broth to orzo 1/2 cup at a time until all liquid is absorbed and orzo is al dente. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan, if desired. Serve with Osso Buco.

PER SERVING: 453 CAL; 22 G PROT; 19.5 G TOTAL FAT (6.5 G SAT FAT); 49 G CARB; 15 MG CHOL; 825 MG SOD; 7 G FIBER; 14 G SUGARS

2nd PLACE (Prize $300)
Janet DeGras, Harper Woods, Mich.

Straying from meat replacements, Janet DeGras re-created this typically lamb-filled classic with eggplant as the featured ingredient. “The density of eggplant makes it a good substitute for meat, and its creaminess goes really well with mashed potatoes,” DeGras notes.

Unemployed Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 8

The inside-out technique of putting the green vegetables on top of the casserole instead of inside adds color to the dish and pick up crunchiness as they bake.

6 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
¼ cup low-fat milk
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
¼ cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 15-oz. cans diced organic tomatoes with liquid
2 large eggplants, peeled and chopped (1½ lb.)
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Parsley*
1 tsp. Simply Organic Basil*
1 tsp. Simply Organic Garlic Flakes*
1 tsp. sea salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1 green bell pepper, sliced very thin
1 small zucchini, sliced very thin
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper, optional

1. Place potatoes in large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and mash with milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in tomatoes, eggplants, parsley, basil, garlic flakes, and sea salt; season with pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Spread potato mixture over top, banking up sides a bit.
3. Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add green bell pepper and zucchini, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until just tender.
4. Fill center of mashed potatoes with sautéed bell pepper and zucchini, and sprinkle with black pepper, if desired. Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through. (Baking will take less time if mashed potatoes are hot at time of assembly.)

PER SERVING: 342 CAL; 9 G PROT; 16.5 G TOTAL FAT (4.5 G SAT FAT); 41 G CARB; 65 MG CHOL; 409 MG SOD; 6 G FIBER; 9 G SUGARS

3rd PLACE (Prize $200)
Nicole Filizetti, Grand Marais, Mich.

When Nicole Filizetti isn’t teaching, she spends time cooking up meals from scratch for her husband and two children. “We’re big on having breakfast for dinner,” she explains. “Making this veg version of biscuits and gravy seemed like a good way to add some lentils into my family’s diet.”

Biscuits & Gravy
Serves 8 - 30 minutes or fewer

For an unusually light take on a decadent breakfast favorite, serve this gravy over whole-grain English muffins rather than biscuits. You’ll shave an extra 100 calories off your meal, and the crispy texture goes great with gravy.

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced carrot (1 carrot)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
¼ cup plus 1 Tbs. unbleached flour
1½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. ground yellow mustard seed
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. rubbed (crumbled) sage
2½ cups low-fat milk
½ cup Annie’s Naturals Cowgirl Ranch Dressing*
8 whole-grain biscuits or 4 English muffins

1. Bring lentils and 3 cups water to a boil in 2-qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 to 8 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Stir in flour, black pepper, paprika, mustard, red pepper flakes, and sage; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring after each addition. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until gravy comes to a gentle boil. Remove from heat, and stir in ranch dressing and drained lentils.
3. Split biscuits or English muffins. Lightly toast English muffins, if using. Place biscuits on plates, and top with gravy.

PER SERVING: 461 CAL; 16 G PROT; 21 G TOTAL FAT (3.5 G SAT FAT); 55 G CARB; 11 MG CHOL; 379 MG SOD; 11 G FIBER; 9 G SUGARS

Honorable Mention: Jennifer Lang
Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 6 - Vegan

A longtime vegetarian (and soup lover), Jennifer Lang of Oakland Park, Fla., was inspired to make a veg version of Italian wedding soup, she says, “because I’d see it on restaurant menus, and I could never order it because it always had meat.”

4 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.), plus 1 whole clove, peeled, divided
¾ cup diced carrot
¾ cup diced celery
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Oregano*
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Basil*
1 Tbs. Simply Organic Parsley*
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¾ cup ditalini pasta
1 pkg. vegan meatballs, defrosted (18 small meatballs)
1 5-oz. pkg. fresh spinach
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1. Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and minced garlic; sauté 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in carrot and celery, and cook 5 minutes more, or until onion is soft and just beginning to brown. Add oregano, basil, and parsley, and cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add ditalini, and cook at low boil 5 minutes, or half of cooking time stated in ditalini package directions. Add meatballs, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic clove, and crush with wooden spoon in oil while heating. Add spinach; cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning constantly so spinach becomes evenly coated and wilted, but still bright green. After meatballs have simmered, add spinach and lemon juice to soup, and season with salt and pepper.

PER SERVING: 234 CAL; 9 G PROT; 11.5 G TOTAL FAT (2 G SAT FAT); 25 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 499 MG SOD; 6 G FIBER; 5 G SUGARS

Honorable Mention: Selange Giannetto
The Devil’s Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Mousse
Serves 16 - Vegan

After 12 or so attempts at making a vegan cake with no funky aftertaste, Selange Giannetto, a trained culinary chef, but self-taught pastry chef, hit the jackpot. Just to make sure, the St. Charles, Ill., resident asked all sorts of people to try it. Most of them didn’t believe it was vegan.

Chocolate Cake
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups beet sugar or cane sugar
6 Tbs. Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa*
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs. white vinegar
2 tsp. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract*

Fudge Icing
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
½ cup Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa*
½ cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 tsp. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract*

Peanut Butter Mousse
4 oz. smooth peanut butter
4 oz. firm silken tofu
2.5 oz. confectioners’ sugar
1½ tsp. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract*

1. To make Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Whisk together vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and 2 cups water in separate bowl. Fold oil mixture into flour mixture, but don’t overmix. Pour into prepared pans, and bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan, then unmold.
2. To make Fudge Icing: Sift confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into mixing bowl. Add shortening; beat 1 minute with electric mixer on low speed, or until well combined. Add 2/3 cup boiling water and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Cool 20 minutes.
3. To make Peanut Butter Mousse: Purée peanut butter and tofu in blender until smooth. Blend in confectioners’ sugar 1 Tbs. at a time, then blend in vanilla. Chill mousse until firm enough to spread.
4. To assemble: Place one cake layer on plate; top with Peanut Butter Mousse, then second cake layer. Frost with Fudge Icing.

PER SERVING: 526 CAL; 6 G PROT; 22 G TOTAL FAT (4.5 G SAT FAT); 78 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 354 MG SOD; 3 G FIBER; 55 G SUGARS

Honorable Mention: Erin Patton
Spaghetti and Neat Balls
Serves 6 - Vegan - 30 minutes or fewer

Erin Patton and her boyfriend, Mike Rabourn, turned their Northampton, Mass., abode into a test-kitchen while perfecting the “Neat Ball” for this recipe. An avid home cook, Erin enjoys creating meatless meals that appeal to all her guests.

1 cup chickpeas
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for frying
½ cup vital wheat gluten
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. San-J Reduced Sodium Tamari Soy Sauce*
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
½ tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. Simply Organic Thyme*
½ tsp. Simply Organic Basil*
½ tsp. Simply Organic Oregano*
¼ tsp. Simply Organic Sage*
1 12-oz. pkg. Eden Organic Kamut Spirals*
1 small jar pasta sauce, such as Amy’s Light in Sodium Organic Tomato Basil

1. Mash chickpeas and 2 Tbs. olive oil in large bowl, leaving some lumps. Stir in vital wheat gluten, breadcrumbs, tamari, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and 1/4 cup water. Knead by hand 3 to 4 minutes, or until vital wheat gluten begins to form strands and all ingredients are well incorporated. Shape to Ping-Pong ball size.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; warm pasta sauce in saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté Neat Balls 7 minutes, or until browned. Drain on paper-towel-lined plate; serve over pasta and sauce.

PER SERVING: 493 CAL; 23 G PROT; 15.5 G TOTAL FAT (2 G SAT FAT); 66 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 669 MG SOD; 11 G FIBER; 11 G SUGARS

Brainy Breakfasts

When it comes to boosting brainpower, what you eat in the morning can make a huge difference in how well your mind works throughout the day.