Corn Cheese. This is huge in Korea and you’ll realize exactly why once you try.  Imagine cheese, peppers, corn and chewy rice cakes all together.  A sweet, textural sensation! You can serve it as an accompaniment to your rice or noodles and it’s just as perfect on its own! What better way to observe Meatless Monday than with an amazing veggie dish that stands on its own?

Ingredients:
1 7 oz. can corn kernels, drained and pat dry
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 sweet green pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
2 1/2 tbsps mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1/2 tsp organic raw sugar
10 Korean Rice Cakes (stuffed with cheese if available), frozen
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
1. Mix corn, peppers and onion in Mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter in skillet till melted. Add corn mixture and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add-in rice cakes and stir gently, cooking another 5 minutes.
4. Add 1/4 cup of Mozzarella, stirring gently till melted.
5. Transfer mixture to a baking pan, top with remaining cheese and cilantro. Broil 5-7 minutes till cheese is golden brown. Serve.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Almond Cookies. These might seem basic, but they are delicious, with a pleasing chewy texture. The cookie base not only is gluten-free, it’s keto and also vegan. You can make these with minimal prep and little time in the oven. Above that, there are so few ingredients!

Here are two delectable variations, Cherry-Almond Thumbprint and Black Sesame-Almond.

Ingredients:
1 cup Almond Flour
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup black sesame seeds, toasted (variation 1)
1/4 cup crushed almonds (variation 2)
2 tbsps cherry preserves (variation 2)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven at 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, salt, flour, baking powder and oil. Add 2 tbsps of water or more and gently shape into a dough ball.
3. For variation 1, mix sesame seeds into dough. Shape into 6-8 discs and placed on baking sheet.
4. For variation 2, mix almonds into dough. Shape dough into 6-8 balls and place on baking sheet. Press thumbprint down in center if each ball and fill with fruit preserves.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and serve. These will last a few days in air-tight container, you also may freeze them.

Gallery:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Meatless Sausage x Peppers. This is a hearty Italian classic which I felt could’ve been replicated with a plant protein. You easily could swap it out for meat sausage and that’s totally cool! I chose a tiny pasta, Tubetti, to sop-up all the liquid here, that way none of the flavour in the sauce gets lost. This has got a bit of kick, so you can omit the chillis if you like and use the non-spicy Yves Sausage as well. You’ll most definitely have leftovers! 🇮🇹

Ingredients:
1 green, yellow and red pepper each, seeded and sliced thin
1 450g package of Pasta
1 package Yves Spicy Italian Veggie Sausage, each sausage cut into six pieces
1 pint mushrooms, sliced thin
1 small onion, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 red chillies, seeded and minced
1/2 cup red wine
Olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Handful of chopped basil

Cilantro
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta in salted water, drain in colander. Do not rinse.
2. In large skillet, heat oil medium-high heat. Brown sausage pieces on both sides. Remove from skillet.
3. Add more oil, sautée garlic, onion and chillies till translucent.
4. Add peppers and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook till fully caramelized and pan has some brown bits.
5. Add wine and cook down till some of liquid is gone. You can add a bit of water if there isn’t much liquid there.
6. Add tomatoes, basil and sausage into pan and bring to boil.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.
8. Add pasta to the skillet and coat evenly, allowing pasta to soak-up sauce. Add one more round of salt and pepper.
9. Scoop onto plate. Garnish with cilantro and top with Parmesan Cheese. Serve.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Meatless Curry Buns. Delicious Brioche with mildly-spicy “meaty” filling. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack. And they freeze well! By all means, use ground beef if you like instead.

Ingredients:
5 cups flour
2 1/2 tsps yeast
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
1/2 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsps cold unsalted butter
4 tbsps condensed milk
1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Sesame seeds, toasted

Filling:
1 cup Yves Ground Round
1/2 white potato, diced
1/4 white onion, minced
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 carrots, diced
1/4 cup green peas
6-8 mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 block Glico Medium Curry
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Mix flour, salt and butter in mixing bowl. Use 2 forks criss-crossing to cut butter in.
2. In bowl, mix 1/2 cup lukewarm water (not warm or hot) with condensed milk, yeast and sugar till dissolved. Stand a few minutes.
3. Mix yeast water into flour bit by bit, using forks. Pour another 1 1/3 cup lukewarm water, forming dough.
4. Turn dough onto flat, floured surface. Sprinkle with flour till dough no longer is sticky. Knead 10 minutes till punchy.
5. Grease large bowl and transfer dough into it. Cover with damp cloth and place in oven on top rack with a pot of hot water on the rack below. Shut oven. Replace hot water again in 30 minutes.
6. Prep filling. Sautée garlic and onions till caramelized. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Cook till translucent. Add ground round, carrots, corn and peas. Cook about 5 minutes. Add Glico Curry, 2/3 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
6. Dough will double in size in 1 to 1.5 hours if proofed right. If it’s risen but not enough, proof a bit longer.
7. Grease baking sheet. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cut dough in half, separating each half into 6 even pieces on lightly-floured surface. Flatten each piece with hands. Fill with tbsp of filling. Pinch and seal each bun tightly, sealed side facing bottom. Place on tray.
8. Proof again for 45 minutes covered, with pot of hot water underneath in oven.
9. Preheat oven at 400°F. Brush top of loaf with egg wash using fingers or a brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing them in gently.
10. Bake for 17-20 minutes or till golden brown. Rotate pan once, half-way through. Cool 20 minutes and serve.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Szechuan Eggplant. I’ve received requests for eggplant recipes and what I love about Oh, Aubergines is that it is substantial enough to be a main course. Topped with mounds of garlic, chilli, with the freshness of coriander and green onion, you won’t miss meat for a meal when your veggies are done right like this. 🍆🌶️

I’m all for reducing our carbon footprint and eating a bit cleaner, so enjoy this recipe if you’re looking for a flavourful break from meat proteins.

Ingredients:
4 Japanese Eggplants
2 garlic bulbs, minced
2 red Thai chillies, minced
2 stalks green onion, minced
4 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp 5 Spice Powder
Sea salt, to taste

Coriander, minced

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven at 410°F.
2. Cut each egg plant in half vertically. Using knife score criss-cross grid pattern across flesh of each eggplant.
3. Sautée garlic till just about caramelized.
4. In bowl, mix fish sauce, 3 tbsps soy sauce, 1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp olive oil. Brush half of mixture over eggplant. Bake 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and brush with remainder of soy mixture. Bake 15 more minutes.
6. In bowl, mix garlic, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp 5 Spice powder, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Season with salt, to taste.
7. Scoop garlic on-top of eggplant. Bake 10 minutes more or till skin of eggplant begins curling-up.
8. Sprinkle chillies, coriander and green onion on-top and serve.

Gallery:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Meatless Lasagna. Growing-up I had Lasagna maybe twice. Being from a Chinese family, we rarely ever ate Italian other than my Dad’s take on Spaghetti, which though not bad, was Tomato Paste and Ketchup-based with ground pork, peas and carrots. You can imagine the shock of my classmates who got introduced to Hong Kong-style Spaghetti at my sixth birthday party!

My Mom was excited that I asked her to help assemble my Meatless Lasagna and I’m glad I got to show them a proper Lasagna. No processed cheese, LOL. 🧀

You cannot tell this is meatless. It’s got the same heartiness and flavour a Meat Lasagna has. Everyone should be pitching-in their part and reducing our carbon footprint. Eat meatless once a week. This is an easy way to do it!

Ingredients:
9 Lasagne noodles
2 packages of Yves Original Veggie Ground Round
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
2 cups of shredded Mozzarella
1/2 tub of Ricotta
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic raw sugar

Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:
1. Boil noodles till al dente. Place aside in a tray and drizzle a bit of oil on them to prevent from sticking.
2. In medium-sized sauce pan, sauteé garlic and onion. Add-in peppers and mushrooms, cook till mushrooms wilt. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add-in Veggie Ground Round.
4. Cook about 5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add-in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Add 1/4 tomato paste can of water.
6. Bring to boil and add sugar.
7. Reduce to low heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Pre-heat oven at 375°F.
9. Prepare a 13 x 9″ tray, ladle some of the tomato mixture in, covering bottom.
10. Layer 3 Lasagne noodles on-top.
11. Add layer of Mozzarella, followed by dollops of Ricotta, covering surface.
12. Add 3 more noodles. Ladle some tomato mixture on-top, then Mozzarella and Ricotta.
13. Repeat steps 10 to 12 again.
14. Add 3 final noodles on-top. Ladle tomato mixture on-top. Cover with Mozzarella.
15. Cover tray with foil and bake 35 minutes.
16. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
17. Cool 20 minutes and serve.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Meatless Miso Mac & Cheese. Take your Kraft Dinner and elevate it with this amplified take on a comforting favourite! The combination of cheese and miso you’d think would be too salty, but this is a perfect marriage. KD has a bad rap but it has a healthy serving of protein, aids in iron absorption and contains minerals that help with boosting metabolism, your immune system and brain function. 🧀

Ingredients:
1 box Kraft Dinner
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon Miso paste
1/2 package Yves Original Veggie Ground Round
6-8 large white mushrooms, sliced thin
8 grape tomatoes
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 cup Arugula
1 stalk green onion, chopped

1/4 cup old white cheddar, grated

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Prepare Kraft Dinner, cooking noodles. Strain in colander.
2. In skillet, sautée mushrooms, onions and tomatoes in oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
3. Stir-in 1/2 tablespoon of Miso paste, continue to fry until vegetables wilt.
4. Add-in meatless Ground Round and stir-fry for about two to three minutes on medium heat.
5. Prepare cheese sauce in a medium-sized sauce pan that is oven-safe. Melt butter and 1/2 tablespoon Miso paste in sauce pan. Add packet of cheese powder and milk. Once sauce just is about to bubble, turn heat off. Fold-in macaroni and vegetable/ground round mixture. Mix evenly till sauce is dispersed.
6. Stir-in Arugula gently till dispersed. Grate old cheddar over the top.
7. Broil mixture 5 minutes in oven. Allow to cool and serve.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)