Great Gourd All Mighty (Meatless Monday)

"Sideline Meat" during Monday night football with these meatless game day dishes.  Chickpeas Curry in Squash Boats, Cauliflower Stuffed Mushrooms and Mini Cornbread Muffins with Apricots comprised our pregame meal.  

Chickpea Curry

(Serves 4)

3 Plum Tomatoes
1 small Shallot, diced
1 inch piece Ginger, peeled
 Squash removed from the interior of an acorn squash
1 tsp Curry Powder
Chop ingredients.  Heat 1 tsp. Olive Oil in non-stick pot and add tomato mixture.  Cook, stirring often, until darkened, 10 to 12 minutes.  

Add
1 1/2 cups Water
Bring to simmer.  Add
2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Cook 5 minutes.  Add
1 1/2 cup Garbanzo Beans (I cooked dry garbanzo beans in the slow cooker)
Heat 10 minutes.  Fill squash boat to serve.

Cauliflower Stuffed Mushrooms

(Serves 3)

2 cloves Garlic
2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, peeled, diced
Pulse in mini food processor.  Add
1 tsp. Coriander
1/8 tsp. Turmeric  
2 Tbsp. water
This is a "Masala" spice mix.

1 tsp. Olive Oil

Heat in non-stick pan, then add
1/3 tsp. Cumin Seeds
Cook until they're done spluttering.

Add wet masala.  Cook until it thickens and deepens in color, about 2 minutes.

Add
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets   
Stir to coat cauliflower, then add
1/3 cup water

Cover and simmer 15 minutes, adding more water if needed.

Add
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
Stir to wilt.
Set cauliflower mixture aside.

In a separate pan, melt buttery spread.
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Stir in flour.
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Add milk.
1/2 cup soy milk
Stir in tofu.
3 tablespoons tofu

Stir sauce into cauliflower mixture.
Stuff mushrooms.
12 ounce baby bells, stems removed

Sprinkle with walnuts.
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Bake at 375 F. for 15 minutes.

My favorite part of the meal were these mini cornbread muffins.  I used my go-to recipe for cornbread (1 cupcake size muffin makes 2 mini muffins).  I pushed 1 dried apricot into the batter after filling the tins and sprinkled with turbinado sugar.  These were delicious.

Cornbread

(Makes 12 Mini Muffins)

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup & 1 tablespoon cornmeal, whole grain
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon soymilk
3/4 teaspoon lemon Juice
1 egg
1 cup fat free yogurt

Mix together flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda.
Mix milk with yogurt and lemon juice.
In miming bowl, beat egg and sugar.  alternately add dry ingredients and yogurt/milk mixture, beating after each addition.

Pour into muffin pan greased with olive oil spray.

Bake at 350 F. for approximately 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.