Omni Dinner Pleasers #2

Another successful dinner party where omnis eat delicious vegan food without even realizing it!
Hopefully this will be many in a continuing series that will inspire you when you need to impress!

Menu:
Mexican Herb Biscuits
Salad with sesame dressing
Taco Casserole
Mexican Rice
Flan


I started with a spin on the two big winners (biscuits & croutons) of the last Omni Dinner series.

*Appetizer*


Mexican Herb Biscuits (Ronin Recipe)
I altered the spices to include oregano, garlic, cumin, and paprika.
Awesome.

*Salad*


Fresh salad with croutons
Lettuce with avocado, tomato, onion, homemade sesame dressing (Ronin Recipe) and homemade garlic-rosemary croutons.
Croutons:
Bread, olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary
Lightly rub bread with oil, shake on garlic powder and rosemary. Rub into the bread. Cut into squares, place in toaster oven oil side up. Toast until light brown.

*Main 1*


Taco Casserole (Ronin Recipe)

I cannot tell you how many times I have made this for all sorts of occasions, and it always goes down so well. It really is a staple in my recipe repertoire because it is so EASY and FLEXIBLE!
This time I used kidney beans, onion, peppers, stewed tomatoes, and corn plus one packet of taco seasoning and some hot sauce (baked in 2 small pans).
Served on the side:
Salsa, Avocados, Onions, Tomatoes, Lettuce, and hot sauce of course!

*Main 2*
Mexican Rice
(not pictured)

Prepare and start cooking rice as you normally would. Half way through the cooking process, stir in:
Stewed tomatoes, mince onion, garlic powder, salt, dash of paprika, dash of turmeric, and mixed chopped vegetables (corn, carrot, peas...). Add more spice as desired.
Finish cooking as usual. Give it a good stir before you serve. MMMM!

*Dessert*
Flan


A.K.A.: Creme Caramel or Custard.

Vegan box mixes of flan are actually fairly easy to find. Try checking the Latin food section (Goya brand is vegan). Just follow the box directions and use soymilk!

Here is a recipe for Vegan Caramel Flan by VegCooking Blog. I have not tried this to know how good it is.


Sit back and enjoy the compliments!

Sage Biscuits

It is really hard to find food that highlights an herb itself. Usually it's the herb highlighting another food. So I was so pleased when I ran across this (American) biscuit recipe at TheHerbalGarden.com!



The best part is, they're super easy, fast, and tasty! And can easily be halved or doubled.

2 C self-rising flour (DIY recipe)
1/4 C vegan mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 C non-dairy milk

Optional extra herbs to throw in: chives, parsley, thyme, dill, or sage
I added fresh thyme in this recipe


1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well. It will be a bit sticky.


Learn from my mistake, do NOT use a whisk!


2. Divide the dough into the cups of a 12 compartment greased (or non-stick) muffin pan


Silicone liners means no oil!


3.Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees, until a light golden brown.


Addicting!

Breakfast Buddies Pot luck

I have given these guys their official name, Breakfast Buddies! Let the "mc" rule your language no more! I made mini Breakfast Buddies with Gimme Lean sausage for a potluck. They were a big hit and that makes me very happy! My recipe is super easy. Try them with any of your fav fixin's!

Breakfast Buddies

EDIT: I have named these "Breakfast Buddies" and their glory can be seen in an updated version HERE! =)



Advisory Warning: This post uses filthy language. I'll give you a hint, it starts with M and rhymes with mcdonalds (not worthy of capitalization).

Like most veggies, I was not raised vegan. Thus, sometimes guilty cravings creep in every now and then. Sometimes, I want a mcdonalds breakfast sandwich biscuit. THANKFULLY, I have a healthy alternative that quenches those cravings!

1st make polenta. This will be your 'egg'.
1 part polenta (corn meal/grits) & a few shakes of salt: 3 parts water
slowly add polenta to boiling water, constantly stirring until thick. Stir a minute or two more or until polenta pulls away from the pan sides. Pour into a container and let cool until firm. While cooling...

2nd, make biscuits (American type)! You can make them super easy with Bisquik, or there's plenty of biscuit recipes all over the web (basic uses: flour, baking powder, salt, oil, and 'milk').


3rd cut biscuits in half. slice polenta and place on each biscuit half. Add a slice of cheez, and maybe a little soy-sage if you're feeling a bit saucy. Place in toaster oven on a low-med heat for about 2-3 minutes.

4th Enjoy them open-faced or put the sides back together for a monster craving smasher.



I ended up eating them open face because they were too tall! The fella on the left has some fake shredded pork on it (I like them better plain).

YUM!!
Polenta really can make wonder-foods!