vegan mince recipes

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Vegan Mince, Mushrooms & Mustard Greens

Posted on April. 2022April. 2022 by writinstuff

These are some strange times that we are all living in…right? It’s April but there’s still an abundance of squash at the grocery store as well as the farmer’s market. It’s weird. Uncanny, even.

More so when I think about all the time I put in to learning when vegetables were in season so that I could adjust for local ingredients in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. But now we’re living in the Upside-Down where birds don’t leave Romania in the winter, squash is available year round and now, suddenly, you can purchase turnip and mustard greens wherever you go.

Okay, rant over. Was that technically a rant?

I don’t think so, let’s just call it an energetic questioning of events, shall we?

Anyway since butternut squash is still available and I LOVE it, you know I grabbed one and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

Stuff it.

Looking for other butternut squash recipes?

Squash & Lentil Stew
Butternut Squash & Spinach Queso
Chocolate & Squash Blondies

That’s right. Even though it’s April and the weather is–finally–warming up, I decided that I would make a hearty vegan autumn meal and it’s my house and my blog and I can do what I want.

Vegan mince & veggie stuffed butternut squash

Keep in mind that this is a vegan recipe for two, so if your household is bigger you’ll need more ingredients.

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Bowls, Grains, Plant Based, Vegan

Beyond Burger Stuffed Bellas w/Brussels Sprouts

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

For many years I have had a love-hate relationship with stuffed mushrooms because they either come out too soft & mushy, like my Carrot Greens Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms or too underdone like the Mince & Couscous Stuffed Mushrooms. For a couple of years I just gave up on those elusive stuffed mushrooms that I’d enjoyed at restaurants in Chicago and Boston and Wurzburg.

I thought I’d have to resign myself to only eating them when made my a professional chef. Or my husband’s New Year’s Eve mushrooms

And then one day I was browsing the aisles of Lidl here in Romania and you know what I found? Portobella mushrooms. Not those flat wide one with more gills that mushroom flesh, but the gorgeous ones that were already practically a bowl just begging to be filled.

I tested them out a few times over the past few months and I am happy–ecstatic, actually–to report that I have finally achieved the perfect stuffed mushroom.

And you know what the perfect stuffed mushroom requires? The perfect vegan mince and I’m talking about Beyond Burger. Okay, maybe it’s not the most perfect vegan mince but of ALL the ones I’ve tasted, it’s the best damn one around.

So, let’s talk about these Beyond Burger stuffed mushrooms with bulgur and Brussels sprouts.

I know this looks like a lot for a pretty simple recipe, but it’s really not. I promise.

And if you don’t like Brussels Sprouts, switch it up to something else like broccoli, asparagus or kale.

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International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Potatoes, Sides, Vegan

Vegan Meatloaf Dinner: Take ONE

Posted on April. 2021April. 2021 by writinstuff

Trying out new things is kind of my jam and even if they don’t turn out photo-worthy, they are almost always tasty and I will always consider that a success. Always.

There are some vegan meat brands, like Beyond, which work very well as a direct meat substitute if you want to make vegan meatballs or Bolognese, but that’s not always available and that’s when you have to get creative and experiment a little bit.

Recently I wanted to make meatloaf, like old school, 1980’s style meatloaf with the retro feel but updated for, you know, the 21st Century vegan.

It tasted delicious but it wasn’t all that pretty. #Notsorry

My problem when creating this vegan meatloaf dinner was that I tried to make it too healthy, or rather too calorie-friendly and that impacted the structure of the vegan meatloaf. Oh, and maybe it had something to do with the vegan mince I used from Verdino, it isn’t an exact substitute so it needed more magic than I gave it.

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Grains, Herbs, Plant Based, Soup, Vegan

Couscous & Vegan Mince Stuffed Mushrooms

Posted on November. 2020November. 2020 by writinstuff

I love mushrooms. They are just…delicious.

You can use them as the ‘meat’ replacement if you’re just starting to transition to a vegan diet or lifestyle because they are sturdy and heavy and did I mention, delicious? You can grill them, fry’em, roast them in the oven or pop them in the air fryer. These suckers are very versatile, use them in your favorite mushroom vegan Buddha bowl.

I will put mushrooms in any vegan recipe I can from vegan risotto, to shredded barbecue oyster mushrooms on a bun and even vegan burgers.

I recently came across some of those giant mushrooms that are just perfect for a night of stuffed mushrooms, and then I found out that the new Romanian vegan food brand, Verdino, made a mince and I knew I had to try it out!

The hard part of any stuffed mushroom recipe is figuring out what to stuff it with. Do you load it up with veggies or look for a protein source? Since I already knew the Verdino mince was on the menu, it was time to fill up the giant brown and white mushroom caps.

I decided to keep this vegan dinner recipe simple with easy ingredients for both components of this dish. Inside the mushrooms are: couscous, shallots, sundried tomatoes, garlic, green bell pepper and vegan mince not meat.

Just saute the shallots, bell pepper and garlic, add in the mince last unless it’s really greasy, then add it first so you won’t need to add any additional oil, a perfect option if you want an oil-free diet option. Season and cook until brown and warmed through, set aside.

I recommend that you give it some time to cool down before you handle the mixture because you will end up using your hands.

Now, while this is all going on, you’ll have to make the couscous. Bring salted/seasoned water to a boil and add the couscous. Stir and remove from heat and, voila, couscous.

Annnnd, while you’re doing all that, you should get the mushrooms going in the oven unless you want them to get super water logged while stuffed. Bake them for about 15 to 20 minutes until they are still firm but starting to crisp around the edges.

Stuff the mushrooms with your vegan mince mixture and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Oh and as my Hubs suggested, add cheese on top if you want, but you don’t need them.

If you mis-measured the way I did, put the rest of the mix on the plate to make a ‘bed’ of stuffed mushroom goodness.

Since we know this isn’t a proper vegan dinner for any grownup vegan, what will you add with these stuffed mushrooms? You can go with fries because they DO go with just about everything. But I opted for carrot, garlic & ginger soup instead. Please be kind because the photo, well, it isn’t pretty.

It was a very satisfying vegan dinner recipe and it was pretty quick to put together. It was the perfect bistro night dinner, at least in my opinion.

As for the Verdino mince, it was delicious and not too oily. I added a few basic seasoning like salt, black pepper, garlic granules and smoky paprika and that was all it needed. If you find it, give it a shot, and tell me in the comments what’s your favorite brand of vegan mince not-meat?