Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. And, since it's time for another Meatless Monday, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, time to get the week started with another Meatless Monday. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to get your weekend started, including Vegan Quinoa-Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash and Cannellini-Bean Pasta with Beurre Blanc. (I'm also adding a link to the Staple Singers' Respect Yourself; nothing like some music to get going.) Enjoy!

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

COMFORTING CHILI [VEGAN]

This is from Jeunesse Pouchet on One Green Planet. She wrote, "Sometimes we just need a warm, comforting and hearty bowl of Chili, especially for those cozy rainy days. And this Chili is all of the above! Better yet, it's quick and simple to make. Accompanied with pickled cabbage, grilled plantain, and a dollop of vegan sour cream. This bowl of goodness is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients."

This dairy free recipe serves 2, and can be found online at https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/comforting-chili-vegan/.

Ingredients

For the Chili:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 cans black beans, drained

1/2 cup whole corn kernels

2/3 cup pumpkin (medium), diced

2 Tomatoes medium, diced

1/4 Cup Onion (small), diced

2 tablespoons garlic, finely diced or minced

2 tablespoons chive or cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon roasted Geera or cumin

1 1/2 - 2 Cups water

For The Pickled Cabbage

2 cups purple cabbage, diced or shredded

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (adjust quantity to taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For The Grilled Plantain:

1 Plantain medium ripe, sliced

2 tablespoons coconut oil

For The Sour Cream:

1/4 cup vegan mayo

1 tablespoon fresh chive, chopped

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preparation

For the Chili:

Add the coconut oil to a pot and place on medium heat.

Then add the diced onion, garlic, chive, apple cider, paprika, chili, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and geera. Stir and saute for a minute until fragrant.

Toss in the tomatoes and pumpkin, then stir and saute for another minute.

Add the black bans and corn kernels and stir to combine. Then pour in the water and partially cover. Cook for approximately 20-22 minutes until the chili has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat.

For The Pickled Cabbage

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate until ready to serve.

For The Grilled Plantain:

Using a pan, place on medium heat and coat with the coconut oil.

Place the plantain slices on the heated pan and grill each side until golden brown. You can reduce or turn up the heat to suit.

For The Sour Cream:

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

VEGAN QUINOA-CRANBERRY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This yummy recipe, from the Food Network, begins, "This stuffed squash isn't trying to trick you into thinking it's stuffed with meat. And it doesn't have tothe quinoa filling is satisfying enough on its own, full of spiced warmth (thanks to the curry powder) and salty sweetness (from the pistachios and cranberries)."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash (2 to 2-1/4 pounds each)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well

1 teaspoon mild curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup roasted, salted and shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Arrange the halves in a large baking dish, flesh-side up.

Whisk together the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the oil and the maple syrup in a cup. Brush the flesh side of the squash halves with some of the maple mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Put the squash flesh-side down in the baking dish, then brush the skin side with maple mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast until the squash is fork-tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Poke the inside of the squash halves with a fork and brush generously with more of the maple mixture.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the quinoa, curry powder, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cranberries, remaining maple mixture, half of the parsley and half of the pistachios.

Stuff the squash halves with the quinoa and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook’s Note

The squash may be baked and stuffed the day before and refrigerated. To reheat, cover the baking dish loosely with foil and reheat in a 350-degree F oven, checking the squash every 5 minutes until it is hot.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. And, since it's time for another Meatless Monday, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. Since it's Monday, it's time for another Meatless Monday. Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. And, since it's time for another Meatless Monday, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. It's time for a Meatless Monday, which means six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New Yorkk Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).

Meatless Monday

Is it really Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Well, there's always next weekend to look forward to.

In the meantime, we still need to eat. Since it's time for another Meatless Monday, here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Winter Vegetable Medley with Paella-Style Orzo, Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH POLENTA

This is from Eden Foods, and is a wonderful way to deal with acorn squash.

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 Tbsp Eden Safflower Oil, for oiling the squash skin and baking pan

1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

1 cup Edensoy Unsweetened

2 cups water

1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Eden Black Pepper

1 cup organic yellow corn grits (polenta), coarsely ground variety

1/4 tsp dried sage, or dried poultry seasoning

1 pinch dried thyme

1 pinch dried rosemary

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, dry pan roasted

2 or 3 drop Eden Tamari or Shoyu Soy Sauce, for season sunflower seeds

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil the squash skin and the inside and top of the cut acorn squash with safflower oil. Lightly oil a baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork or knife.

While squash bakes, make the polenta. Heat up the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes. Add the Edensoy, water, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the sunflower seeds and dry roast about 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat until slightly brown. Add soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat.

Stir the sage, thyme and rosemary into the polenta. Add extra pepper or sea salt if desired.

Remove the squash from the oven. Fill each squash half with polenta. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the polenta. Garnish with parsley. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping begins to brown slightly. Remove and place on a serving platter.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

This is from Jack Monroe and adapted by Tejal Rao in The New Yorkk Times cooking enewsletter. Tejal wrote, "This recipe, like so many great straightforward, inexpensive go-tos, starts with little more than a can of beans — then transforms it into a luxurious meal. Jack Monroe, the British food writer, uses a classic beurre blanc to do that work, simmering a splash of wine, vinegar and butter together, then tipping it into a pot of boiling beans and pasta, letting the liquid reduce to a starchy, nearly creamy consistency. If you think of beurre blanc as fancy and fussy, this simple, unexpected use for it may change your mind. You can also build on the basic recipe, adding a bunch of chopped chard or mustard greens in with the sauce, or covering the top with torn herbs."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 35 minutes

This was featured in "How Do You Make Canned Beans Taste Luxurious? Beurre Blanc", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020546-cannellini-bean-pasta-with-beurre-blanc.

Note: This recipe originally called for 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Since I’m posting this on a vegetarian blog, I dropped the chicken part of that.

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 shallot or small white onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup small pasta, like shells

Kosher salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or other strong hard cheese, to finish

Preparation

Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.

Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

WINTER VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH PAELLA-STYLE ORZO

This recipe, from Vegetarian Times, begins, "Good-quality saffron is the key to this dish." Makes 4 servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/winter-vegetable-medley-with-paella-style-orzo/.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved, and tomatoes halved

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup frozen peas

2 cups large cauliflower florets

8 green onions, each cut into thirds

1 cup large broccoli florets

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, saffron, and tomato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and keep hot.

Coat large skillet or 8-qt. Dutch oven with cooking spray, add oil, and heat over high heat. Add tomatoes, sear 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and dry, and transfer to plate. Add bell pepper, sear 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to same plate.

Sprinkle orzo into skillet, and stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and peas, and reduce heat to medium. Arrange cauliflower florets on top of orzo in pot. Arrange green onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper pieces around cauliflower; cover, and simmer without stirring, 11 minutes. Scatter broccoli over vegetables, remove pot from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed all liquid and broccoli is crisp-tender.

BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS

This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups water, divided

1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.

Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).