Make Mine Meatless
Monday, February 15, 2016 at 4:00AM 
By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork
Whether you are observing Lent, practicing meatless Mondays or are a pescatarian, eliminating meat when cooking can be a challenge. Meat does add a savory quality that’s hard to replicate and ground meat is the go-to choice for many a quick meal.
Here are some recipe options from the Special Fork recipe database that are so flavorful, you’ll never miss the meat. Most can be prepped and cooked in about a half hour.
Canned Fish Recipes
Canned fish is great for those times when you’ve forgotten to defrost something for dinner.
- Tuna Noodle Casserole, everyone’s favorite comfort food, is dressed up with mushrooms and spinach in this version. It’s one of my favorite recipes from Lori Powell.
- Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Anchovies can be made with pantry staples—it’s great in a pinch when there’s nothing to cook.
- Tuna Tofu Patties is an easy dinner choice that can be prepped and cooked in under a half hour.
Vegetables and Cheese
If you’re a vegetarian, and not vegan, here are some options:
- Individual Vegetarian Lasagna is a quick meal for one using sliced polenta instead of lasagna noodles. Recipe by Lori Powell.
- Quinoa Riboletta is a hearty and healthy vegetarian soup developed by Katie Barreira, with quinoa, kale and the leftover rind from a Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Spicy Black Bean Burgers get plenty of flavor and pleasing texture by incorporating a variety of spices and seeds.
Eggs
Eggs, a refrigerator staple, are versatile and cook up quickly.
- Simple Salsa Baked Eggs with Mashed Avocado, another recipe by Lori Powell, is served with corn tortillas, mashed avocado and sour cream on the side for dinner in 20 minutes.
- Potato and Leek Frittata is a one-skillet dinner made in a half hour. Recipe by Zoe McLaughlin.
- Tracy’s Scrambled Omelet features an easy technique for making an omelet, as shared by Katie Barreira.
Fresh or Frozen Fish
While fresh fish from the fishmonger tastes the best, it’s convenient to be able to buy IQF (individually quick-frozen) fish to store in your freezer. Just be sure you know where your fish comes from because some sources are environmentally unsustainable or employ questionable practices.
- Baja Fish Tacos features red snapper fillets coated in masa harina and served on soft tacos. Recipe by Andrew Hunter.
- Citrus Raisin Salmon is an almost-foolproof way to cook fish by baking in citrus juices; the marinade reduction makes a delightful, fruity sauce.
- Tilapia with Cucumber Radish Relish is made simply by sautéing tilapia in butter; the quick relish topping adds freshness and crunch.
No matter what the challenges, you can always count on good cooking and good eating at Special Fork!
Pictured above: Salsa Baked Eggs with Mashed Avocados; photo by Lori Powell
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