Meatless Monday: Enjoy Meatless (and Guiltless) Comfort Food

Although we are several weeks shy of winter, it’s starting to get cold in Canada … real cold. And all this chilly weather has me thinking of one thing: comfort food.

When we think of comfort food, what often comes to mind are visions of shepherd’s pie, lasagna, beef stew, chicken noodle soup, and pot pie, among other things.  Of course, each one of us has our own idea of the perfect comfort food, and while not all of the dishes contain meat, many do.

This Meatless Monday ditch the meat-filled comfort dishes and instead whip up one of these vegetarian-friendly recipes sure to warm you from the inside out.

Mushroom and Barley Pot Pie: like mushroom and barley soup, but with a crispy, puff pastry crust.

Braised Vegetables Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits: because there’s no saturated-fat laden meat in this dish, you can indulge a little by using cheddar biscuits as the topping rather than a traditional crust.

Tofu Lasagna: ditch the ground beef and noodles in this herb-infused, protein-packed lasagna.

Seitan Marengo: seitan provides that meaty chew you expect in as stew, but is a healthy alternative to beef chunk.

Shepherd’s Pie Without the Sheep: Swap ground beef for chickpeas and mashed potatoes for bulgur or wheat berries in this vegetarian version of the classic.

French Onion Soup: use vegetable stock rather than the called for chicken stock in this rich, soul-warming soup.

Curried Cabbage Soup: satisfy a chicken noodle soup craving with this equally delicious soup, loaded with healthy veggies and seasoned with spicy curry.

Sweet Potato Lentil Chili: fill up with this stick-to-your-ribs meal, perfect for a cozy dinner in front of the fire.