Meatless Recipes For Memorial Day

This week I thought I'd share two recipes that are perfect for warm-weather holidays.

As a vegetarian, I find that one of the best strategies for surviving an omnivorous social gathering like a picnic, potluck or party is to bring a delicious vegetarian dish to pass!

Sharing a favorite vegetarian meal not only ensures that you will have something meatless to eat at the party, but it also introduces vegetarian cuisine to meat eaters in a non-threatening way. As long as it tastes good, they’ll never miss the meat!

These recipes for vegetarian baked beans and Asian salad are easy to prepare and omni-approved. In other words, they've been taste-tested by my husband and other meat-eating family members during our own family gatherings. Both make a great side dish to a veggie dog or veggie burger. If you'll be attending a big party, you may want to considering doubling the recipe to make sure there's enough vegetarian goodness to go around.

 Vegetarian Baked Beans

1 package faux ground “beef” (like Boca or Morningstar Farms brand)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 16 oz. can beans, your choice, drained
2 16 oz. can vegetarian baked beans, undrained

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir, mixing well. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Or, heat it in a slow cooker for an hour or so until heated through. Serve.

Asian Salad

1 package of slaw (shredded raw cabbage)
1 (3 ounce) container of rice noodles
2 packages of Ramen noodles, cooked (ditch the flavor packet)
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup slivered almonds

Sauce:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Mix the sauce ingredients in one bowl, and combine the other ingredients in another bowl. Then join the contents of both bowls together, stirring well. Chill until ready to serve.