Fall Sides

 It's officially autumn now. It's time to forgo those salads and slaws and think heavier sides to go with those roasts and stews. Luckily there's a whole array of  side dishes you can make. They can be simple or complex but all will have great flavor.

One of the best fall and winter sides is stuffing. It goes not only well with turkey but also chicken and pork. Use Stovetop Stuffing if you want to go the easy route. This is super simple to make and lets you concentrate more on the main dish. You can try a classic stuffing made with stale French bread ,sage, chopped celery and chicken broth. You can add eggs if you want for a more custardy mouth feel,You can also change up the bread and sub in challah or sourdough. If you're serving a pork roast, think about adding chopped Granny Smith apples to it to compliment the meat. A novel way of serving it is bake the stuffing in a muffin tin so you can have cups to fill with meat and gravy. Another fall side is squash. Any meat benefits from its' mild flavor so it doesn't steal the spotlight. Butternut, a rich orange squash is the best to serve right now. You can bake or even microwave it. Fill the hollowed out section with butter or cinnamon. Brown sugar also works, You can also go savory by adding garlic to the butter.

Fall is when many cruciferous veggies come into harvest.Cabbage  was a staple in the summer as many turned it into slaw to accompany hoi dogs and hamburgers. You can try frying it in butter and add some minced garlic for a truly flavorful side. Cabbage leaves can also be sauteed in oil. You can add bacon and onions for more flavor along with a scant cup of vegetable broth. Kale is also popular right now. Think about sauteing it in olive oil with lemon and garlic for a nutritious side with chicken or steak. Remember to not dry the leaves after initially washing it. This makes them less chewy and more tender.Brussels sprout are the perennial autumn favorite. You see them everywhere now., from groceries to farmer's markets. One delicious way to make them is steam  either on the stovetop or microwave, then dress them with melted butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.They and kale can be turned into crispy chips  after a few minutes in an air fryer.These would be a great side for burgers or chicken nuggets.

Fall is here and with a wide variety of different side dish. You can go the traditional route with stuffing, squash or cabbage or try something new like kale or Brussels sprouts chips.  No matter which way you'll go you have a perfect complement to your main course. 

A Vegetarian Mother's Day

 Mother's day is full of good homemade meals and treats. Yet what happens when Mom eschews those yummy strips of bacon or that great chicken dish? Not to worry of you have a vegetarian or vegan mother. There are plenty of substitutes that you can use for  tasty and delicious dishes throughout the day.

Nothing beats a Mother's Day breakfast.One of the best sub ins to serve is Morningstar Farms Bacon strips.

This is like the real thing, especially when it's microwaved crisp. It has the same crunch and flavor as the real thing and goes great with any of the Vegg products.

These can be bought on Amazon and both the power scramble - which resembles scrambled eggs when cook and the egg yolk are great. One of my favorite any time meals is bowl of the yolks which are easily cooked in the microwave, and the Morningstar Farm bacon strips. I love dipping the bacon in the "egg' yolk". Make a side of toast buttered fingers also for fun dipping. Add a mimosa and it's a great brunch.

As for lunch and dinner, you cannot go wrong with the Gardein soy meat products. I love their teriyaki chicken strips.

They're a quick fry in the air fryer while the sauce is heated in the oven. Serve with white rice and a Japanese salad with a carrot ginger dressing for a nice dinner in. Gardein also has turkey cutlets with gravy which tastes like the real thing. Serve with steamed asparagus for a lovely Spring dinner for Mom. For a more fun meal, definitely grill up their burgers for an old fashioned barbecue or serve their chicken sliders with air fried French fries.Finish with soy or almond milk shakes in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

Don't worry about cooking your vegan or vegetarian mom a meal. There are so many ways and so many products to give her memorable meals. She can have brunch , lunch  and dinner with a whole host of meatless products.