Meatless Monday: A Twist on Cha Cha | A Southern Tradition

Southern Cuisine aka Soul Food, by way of my Granny, gave me my first lessons in the kitchen. One of the dishes I learned to make was a condiment called “Cha Cha” or known as “Chow Chow” in some areas on the U.S. I know what you’re thinking, what is this “Cha Cha” this lady speaks of? Hold tight. I’ve got a story. 

Cha Cha is magic. It’s hybrid of a relish/condiment/slaw. It’s a combination of hearty vegetables like cabbage, tomatoes, onions, spices and vinegar, and are blended together to make a tangy topping for your chicken, greens, cornbread, etc. In my eyes, its a slaw, relish, salad, side dish, all of the above. This little slaw type mixture can go really far. Growing up, my Granny made Cha Cha by the ton, it’s truly a standing tradition in my family. My uncle has taken over where my Granny left off, and I know she would be proud. Cha Cha is such a unique flavor. Spicy, Tangy, Sweet.  I just love the components of Cha Cha, and one day I thought, “Why not pull this together somehow and create this in a side dish form.?” Insert my twist on Cha Cha.  This is a dish that pairs perfect with rice, pasta, pork or chicken. It versatile. For my twist on this classic, recipe I used a red purple cabbage, and turned this into a dish that screams “comfort meal.” Thanks Granny, for inspiring this one.  Oh, it Vegan Friendly. 
Grab the recipe below.

Granny's Cha Cha-revamped

Comfort defined. A popular condiment under goes a revamp. Sweet, savory cabbage side dish.

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Prep Time

15 min

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1. 1 Large Red Cabbage, halved, and chopped slaw style
2. 2 carrots, diced
3. 1 medium onion, diced
4. 1 celery stalk, diced
5. 1 small green bell pepper, diced
6. 1 Tablespoon Grapeseed Oil
7. 1/2-3/4 cup Water
8. 3/4 cup Apple Cider Balsamic Vinegar
9. 1/4 cup White Sugar
10. 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
11. 1/2 teaspoon salt
12. Heavy pinch of Black Pepper

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat grapeseed oil.
2. To the pot on medium heat, add cabbage, vegetables, and fennel seeds, stir to combine.
3. Add Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Water and stir until well combined and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, and cover with lid and cook for 1 hour until tender.
5. In the last 20 minutes of cooking add Apple Cider Vinegar and stir well to combine.
6. Serve and Enjoy!

By FoodLoveTog

Meatless Monday: Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna has always been a comfort meal, and I wanted to do a quick change up and try a meatless version. Well this recipe turned out so well, my husband requests it more than my meat filled version. 

Grab the recipe below. 

Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Yields 12

Meatless, Hearty, & Chunky. A great meatless dish for someone looking to add more meat-free dishes to their recipe box.

Ingredients

1.      12 Lasagna noodles

2.      16 oz container of Ricotta Cheese (I use whole milk Ricotta)

3.      1 Large Egg

4.      1 & 1/2 cups Fresh Parmesan Cheese

5.      2 cups of Fresh Spinach

6.      1 Container of Baby Bella Mushrooms diced

7.      1 Large Shallot Diced

8.      Marinara Sauce- (grab recipe on the site) allow to simmer on low while you're making the rolls

9.      2 Tablespoon Butter

10.    Salt

11.    Pepper

Instructions

1.      Pre-heat oven to 350

2.      While oven is preheating boil water for pasta

3.      Boil 12 Lasagna noodles for 7/12 minutes, drain and allow to cool on a sheet tray

4.      Heat butter in a skillet

5.      Add diced mushrooms and shallots and saute until soft

6.      Combine Ricotta and large egg, stir until smooth.

7.      Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, Season with Salt, Pepper & set aside

8.      To build rolls

9.      Lay each lasagna pasta flat and spread Ricotta Cheese Mixture evenly across pasta

10.    Layer with spinach leaves length-wise

11.    Layer mushroom and shallot mixture

12.    Once complete, roll the noodle and its goodies to create a small circular roll shape.

13.    Spoon half of marinara sauce in the bottom of 9x13 pan

14.    Create a single layer of lasagna rolls

15.    Spread remaining Marinara Sauce atop rolls

16.    Sprinkle remaining Parmesan Cheese atop rolls

17.    Repeat until 12 rolls are complete

18.    Bake at 350 until Golden and bubbly, typically about 30 minutes.

19.    Serve and Enjoy!

- Candace is an Indianapolis native who blogs good eats and food for the soul at foodlovetog.com

Meatless Monday: Roasted Brown Sugar Cayenne Squash

Squash is one of the vegetables that I found tends to intimidate people. I’ve learned that some people think that cooking squash is hard. Well I’m here to tell you,  Squash is so easy to cook. Your oven will do all the work if you let it. Well, most of it. Check out my twist on Roasted Acorn Squash. I think you’ll enjoy it. Buttery, sweet and it has a kick thanks to my friend Cayenne. You should meet her, she’s hot! 

Grab a squash and make this recipe today!

Roasted Brown Sugar Cayenne Squash

Serves 2

Buttery, creamy and spiced up with Cayenne pepper. This one pan wonder is sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

Ingredients

1. 1 Acorn Squash, split in half with seeds scraped and removed
2. 2 Tablespoons Butter
3. Pinch of Salt
4. Heavy Pinch of Red Cayenne Pepper
5. 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Instructions

1. Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Clean Inside of Acorn Squash and pat dry paper towel
3. Sprinkle cavity with Kosher Salt and Red Cayenne Pepper
4. Spoon in equal amounts of Brown Sugar into each half
5. Top with Butter
6. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 45- minutes to 1 hour, until squash is tender
7. Serve hot and enjoy!

Candace Boyd Wylie is an Indianapolis, Indiana native who believes in the power of a good meal.  She is the Recipe developer, Content creator and Recipe slanger at FoodLoveTog. FoodLoveTog is a food blog that is dedicated to sharing good eats and food for the soul. Candace is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and CWUW supporter. She can be found on the web at FoodLoveTog and at BoydWyliePhoto

Meatless Monday: Orzo

Orzo pasta. Small. Rice shaped. Perfect. This post all about Orzo. Just look at it.

Isn't it lovely? Isn't it wonderful? (Yep, I serenade my good with Stevie lyrics. judge me.) But let's talk about why I love it. 

Orzo pasta is a short cut pasta that is similar to the shape of rice. It's light and fluffy and will become a go-to pasta in your pantry. Below are 5 things I like about orzo. 

1. Orzo is versatile, I've used orzo in soups, salads, casseroles. I've used it hot and old. This little noodle can do no wrong. 

2. Orzo is fairly quick cooking. I've made a pot on the stove in about 9 minutes. I've also made a batch in the microwave, covered in 7 &1/2 minutes. 

3. Orzo is a great change out instead of rice. We eat a lot of rice in our family, so when I'm over rice, I boil up a bot of orzo instead. It's a great alternative. 

4. The small yet, full shape of orzo is perfect for little fingers. Once booked, orzo blooms quite nicely, which helps little fingers pick it up and self feed. I'm all about dishes I can make for all 3 of us, and orzo pasta helps me do the trick. 

5. Shelf stable. Like all pastas orzo is shelf stable, which means I can keep it on hand and drop it in a dish or boil some up as a side for something quick and easy. 

Quick tip recipe: Warm Orzo Salad: Boil up 1 cup of orzo according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.  Chop a handful of halved cherry tomatoes, handful of parsley and a half of a shallot. Toss together with reserved orzo, season with salt, pepper. Drizzle a little Sweet Balsamic dressing. Toss gently to combine. Serve warm and enjoy!

I hope you'll befriend Orzo. It's truly a noodle for any job.

Candace Boyd Wylie is an Indianapolis, Indiana native who believes in the power of a good meal.  She is the Recipe developer, Content creator and Recipe slanger at FoodLoveTog. FoodLoveTog is a food blog that is dedicated to sharing good eats and food for the soul. Candace is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and CWUW supporter. She can be found on the web at FoodLoveTog and at BoydWyliePhoto

MEATLESS MONDAY: ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO & CLEMENTINE CROSTINI

The first #MeatlessMonday of 2015! We made it! I’m glad you’re here. 

Today I’m sharing an appetizer that will appease meat-eaters and vegans alike. Roasted Cherry Tomato & Clementine Crostini. Yep. Savory. Savory. Savory. Cherry Tomatoes and Citrus. An unlikely pair. This is what happens when I have items in my fridge that I don't want to go to waste and I'm in need of a tasty snack.  I'm quite resourceful when it comes to odds and ends in the fridge. Creating this recipe was quite fun.

Enter bread, balsamic and my oven. This simple recipe will be delight your taste buds and please a crowd if you're entertaining. Roasting the veggies pulls out a sweetness that is unmatched. The tang of Balsamic adds a nice rounded touch what I'm calling "the duo of delight".  

Ingredients

1. 10-15 Cherry Tomatoes Halved
2. 12 Clementine Segments
3. 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
4. Pinch of Salt
5. Black Pepper
6. 4 Tablespoons Butter
7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8. 5 Slices of Bread

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 350
2. Lightly Coat a sheet pan with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3. Toss Tomatoes and Clementine Segments in Balsamic Vinegar and Spread on sheet pan
4. Season with Salt & Pepper
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until softened
6. While the tomatoes and clementines roast
7. Cut out rounds of bread slices, each piece should yield two rounds
8. Melt butter in a saucepan
9. Toast each round in butter until lightly golden and crisp
10. Top each crostini round with Tomato and Clementine mixture
11. Serve warm and enjoy!

Candace Boyd Wylie is an Indianapolis, Indiana native who believes in the power of a good meal.  She is the Recipe developer, Content creator and Recipe slanger at FoodLoveTog. FoodLoveTog is a food blog that is dedicated to sharing good eats and food for the soul. Candace is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and CWUW supporter. She can be found on the web at FoodLoveTog and at BoydWyliePhoto

Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Pecan Bread

The Sweet Potato is one of my favorite vegetables. I love that can eat it all year long in a variety of ways.. steamed, roasted, baked in a pie, chopped in a hash for breakfast, the possibilities are endless for the sturdy vegetable. In honor of Fall, I decided to whip up this cake, instead of my usual Banana Nut Bread. I’m so glad I did.. I mirrored this recipe after my Granny’s Banana But Bread, only this one is Eggless and Milk-free. Yep, it is quite possible to bake a moist bread without eggs or milk. I dare you to try it!

Check out the recipe below.

Eggless. Milk-Free. Delightful. This almost Vegan recipe is moist, hearty and full of the flavors of Fall. This one bowl recipe is sure to please!

Total Time

1 hr 15 min

Total Time

1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

1. 1 Large Sweet Potato (Cooked and Mashed) ( to yield 1 cup )
2. 1/2 stick of Melted Butter
3. 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
4. 1/2 Cup White Sugar
5. 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6. 1/3 Cup unsweetened Applesauce
7. 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
8. Pinch of Salt
9. 1 and 1/2 Cups AP Flour
10. 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
11. 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
12. 1/3 Cup Chopped Pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 350
2. In a large bowl combine Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sugars, Nutmeg, Cinnamon,& Applesauce
3. Stir gently to combine
4. Add Baking Soda, Salt, Melted Butter, Vanilla Extract
5. Add flour and stir well to combine all ingredients
6. Fold in Chopped Pecans
7. Add mixture to a prepared loaf pan
8. Bake on 350 for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in middle of bread comes out clean
9. Let Cool and Serve along side your favorite milk.

Candace Boyd Wylie is an Indianapolis, Indiana native who believes in the power of a good meal.  She is the Recipe developer, Content creator and Recipe slanger at FoodLoveTog. FoodLoveTog is a food blog that is dedicated to sharing good eats and food for the soul. Candace is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and CWUW supporter. She can be found on the web at FoodLoveTog and at BoydWyliePhoto

Meatless Monday: Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad

It's Monday! I'm Candace and I'm here from FoodLoveTog to share a recipe for Meatless Monday.  I know what you're thinking. "The bacon lady does Meatless Monday?" Yes, more often than you think. While I do have my love for bacon, I do recognize that I can not have bacon every single day with every single meal. Going Meatless is an excellent way to curb my bacon addiction. That said, I do have moments where all I'm craving is a giant spinach salad. Enter this baby: Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad with  Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Yes, you can make a delicious salad and your own dressing at home! Try it, it's easier than you think.
The flavors of Fall are all throughout this salad. Sweet Bartlett pears, tangy Pomegranate seeds, chunky blue cheese and crunchy Pecans. The dressing has a balsamic vinegar base, but when matched with sweet and tangy pomegranate juice, it's kicked up a bit. Simple, yet full of flavor.
Checkout the recipe below.

Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Ingredients 

1 Large bunch of Spinach Leaves for Salad (cleaned and prepped)

1 Bartlett Pear, Seeded and Sliced thinly

1 Handful of Chopped Pecans

1 Handful of Pomegranate Seeds

1/3 cup of Blue Cheese Crumbles

For the Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup of Pomegranate juice

½ teaspoon salt

Several cracks of cracked Black Pepper

¾ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

To Prepare Salad:

Add Spinach to large salad bowl

Mix in Chopped Pecans.

Mix in Blue Cheese Crumbles.

Top with sliced Bartlett Pear.

Sprinkle Pomegranate Seeds on top of salad just before serving.

To Prepare Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

In a bowl, combine by whisking Balsamic Vinegar, Pomegranate juice, salt, and fresh Black Pepper.

Slowly whisk in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and whisk until emulsified.

Spoon desired amount over dressing.

Toss gently

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Candace Boyd Wylie is an Indianapolis, Indiana native who believes in the power of a good meal.  She is the recipe developer and content creator and FoodLoveTog. A food blog that is dedicated to sharing good eats and food for the soul. Candace is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and CWUW supporter.. She can be found on the web at FoodLoveTog and at BoydWyliePhoto

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