Satisfying meat-free meals

Lose the meat, but not the flavor, with these meatless masterpieces

Butternut Squash Tacos

Ingredients

• ½ butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas

• ½ cup chopped green onions

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• 1 lime, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Combine cubed squash, 1 tablespoon oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a large bowl; mix to coat. Spread out on a baking sheet.

3. Roast in the preheated oven until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

4. Combine black beans, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.

5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and red bell pepper; cook and stir until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place 2 tortillas in the skillet and cook until heated through, about 1 minute per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

7. Top tortillas with baked squash, black beans, and onion-red pepper mixture. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and lime.

Cook’s Note:

Prepare 1 box Mexican or Spanish rice according to directions on the box, and add to the onion and red bell pepper mixture in step 5 if desired. Alternatively, flavor fresh rice with lime and cilantro and use that to top tacos instead.

Shrimp and Edamame Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

• 1/ 3 pound large shrimp - peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/3inch pieces

• ½ cup finely chopped bok choy

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced, or more to taste

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons water

• 36 dumpling wrappers

• ¼ cup peanut oil, divided

• 1 cup water, divided

• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 green onion, sliced

• 2 teaspoons white sugar

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions

1. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the insert. Bring the water to a boil. Add the edamame, place a cover on the saucepan, and steam until just tender, 2 to 6.

2. Place steamed edamame in a food processor; blend until smooth. Transfer edamame puree to a large bowl.

3. Stir the shrimp, bok choy, egg white, ginger, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, and salt into the edamame puree.

4. Pour about 2 tablespoons water in a dish.

5. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the shrimp mixture onto the center of a dumpling wrapper.

6. Wet the edge of the wrapper with water, then fold over to create a half-moon shape; pinch edge to seal.

7. Place the finished dumpling on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with a damp towel; repeat with remaining wrappers.

8. Working in batches of 6 to 8 dumplings, heat about 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry dumplings until crispy on one side, about 2 minutes.

9. Flip dumplings and cook for 1 more minute. Add 1/4 cup water to the skillet and cover.

10. Steam dumplings until shrimp are bright pink and no longer transparent in the center, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

11. For the dipping sauce: Whisk low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, sugar, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes together in a shallow bowl until sugar has dissolved.

Note: You can add a drop or two of half and half to the food processor with the edamame, if you have some, or one tablespoon of olive oil to make the mix a bit creamier. You can make an all-veggie version with edamame, spinach, bok choy and mushrooms.

Bulgur Chili

Ingredients

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup bulgur

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups shredded carrots

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste

• 5 cups reduced-sodium tomato juice

• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans

• 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans

• 1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 (8 ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Pour water and bulgur into a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain off excess water.

2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper; cook and stir until softened and starting to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Stir cooked bulgur, tomato juice, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, taco seasoning, cumin, cayenne, and pepper into the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors combine, 20 to 30 minutes.