Since I'm a vegetarian, we don't cook meat at home and are always on the lookout for ways to change things up a little. For me, that is actually making meals that are pretty standard for most people using meat substitutes. One that we like to sub for ground beef is Light Life Smart Ground. Our market carries it in the produce section with the other soy products. It comes in a variety of flavors, but I prefer to use "original" so I can season it the way I want. I've tried similar products, but I like the texture of this one best. For those of you who have no problem eating ground beef, this is a good sub once in a while to lighten up a dish, speed up the cooking time (no browning necessary), or to please other "picky" eaters like me! If you are going to use it for something such as tacos, I would suggest adding a little water to the pan while heating to loosen things up.
The discovery of this made it possible for me to enjoy my family's traditional "Christmas Eve Queso" for the first time in over 10 years. My family didn't even know the difference, and my sister freaked out when she saw me eating it!
Chili con Queso
(Makes a lot. Freezes well)
1 medium onion, diced
1 can Rotel
1 12 oz pkg Smart Ground (or 1 lb ground beef, browned and drained)
8 oz can tomato sauce
4 oz can chopped green chilis
16 oz American cheese, cubed
Dash of garlic salt
Saute onions in a little oil over medium heat. When soft, add beef or Smart Ground. Stir to break up large chunks and add remaining ingredients. Lower heat and stir occasionally until all the cheese is melted.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
hmmmm...I wonder if I can pass this one off on Mark.
I love soy/tofu products. I've seen these ground crumbles but have yet to try it. what a great idea to use it in queso! Thanks for the review!
Post a Comment