Vegan "Ground Beef"

(recipe by Beth of Pass the Plants)

Ingredients:

    • 1 head of cauliflower, broken into large florets

    • 8 ounces crimini or baby portobello mushrooms

    • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

    • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

    • 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

    • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I use the julienne cut, packed dry)

    • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), or walnuts

Instructions:

   • In a food processor fitted with an s-blade, process the pumpkin seeds (or walnuts) and sun-dried tomatoes until a fine meal forms, but be careful not to go so far as to puree into a smooth mixture.

    • Remove the pumpkin seed and sun-dried tomato mixture to a bowl and set aside.

    • Remove the s-blade from the food processor and attach the grating disc.

     • Shred the cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic. If you don’t have a shredding attachment, pulse small amounts at a time using the S-blade until finely chopped but not pureed.

     • In a large nonstick skillet, cook the shredded vegetables over medium-high heat until the moisture has evaporated and the vegetables are cooked, about 6-8 minutes. See notes for alternative oven roasting method.

      • Add the pumpkin seed (or walnut) and sun-dried tomato mixture into the skillet, and combine with the vegetables, cooking for 1 minute.       

      • Use in place of ground beef with the ratio of 2 cups of vegan ground beef for 1 pound of cooked ground meat.

Oven Roasting Instructions:

    • Preheat the oven to 425F.

     • Prepare two large sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper.

     • Spread out the shredded vegetables and tomato/seed mixture evenly between the two sheet pans, and stir to combine.

      • Roast for 20-25 minutes until the mixture is cooked and reduced in size due to moisture evaporation. Stir halfway through the time to ensure even cooking.

Notes from Beth:

 This recipe stores for up to a week in the refrigerator, and a minimum of 3 months in the freezer. As Daryl Hannah said in “Steel Magnolias,” it freezes beautifully.

I use the sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in liquid, and there is no need to rehydrate them before using.

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I first became aware of this website many years ago, long before I had amassed a long list of PB websites. Darlene S, a dietitian who helped us as a volunteer when Dr. Barnett and I gave an in-person Plant-Based Diet course with food samples, told us it was one of her favorite sites. For that reason I was not surprised to find a lot of recipes that seemed worth trying. There are some ads there—it seems to be the price of survival for websites—but you can keep them to the sideline which is where they appear.

Beth of Pass the Plants is married with a daughter and son. Her husband Michael is her chief taste tester. Her husband and son hate pickles, she and her daughter love them—go figure!

Pass the Plants is a WFPB and basically oil-free site though a small amount of oil is sometimes optional. Beth says: “if you are looking for dairy-free, egg-free, and meat-free recipes, that are healthy, approachable, and shareable, you are in the right place! I’m so glad you’re here!”

Heres an interesting recipe from the site, for Vegan Ground Beef which looks like it could be very useful and is refreshingly based on vegetables and seeds—far from the fake meats on grocery shelves.