Serials and Scenarios ~ Gardein Beefless Ground ~ Reviewed and Recipe

Again, thank you, Target for selling Gardein products at the best prices around. 

Now, onto Gardein Beefless Ground. 

Look at that picture. Totally looks like hamburger doesn't it? I don't think anyone would guess it's not the real deal if it's in a recipe. Maybe a taste comparison side by side with no seasonings etc. But who does that? We want a meatless replacement to go into our favorite family dishes and recipes. Right? 

Gardein will do that. I am so impressed with all the products I've tried and this one is no different. 

With the Beefless Ground I made a hearty "Bear" Soup (I have no idea where that name came from, my husband's grandma I think.) Bear Soup is hamburger potato soup. 

I used 1 Cup of the Gardein Beefless Ground
1 small to medium onion finely diced
1 TBSP oil (I used grape seed)
2 finely diced celery stalks
3 garlic cloves minced
4 Large or 7 small to medium diced potatoes)
8 Cups of broth (my broth was no salt added so I added salt to taste)

This will feed 4-6 depending on appetite.

In a dutch oven or soup pot sauté the onion, garlic, and potatoes until golden and crisping. Add the other ingredients and simmer for at least a half hour or as long as needed. 

If you need a hamburger substitute I suggest Gardein's Beefless Ground. Texture and taste are hand down winners. Also the bag will probably make 2-3 solid multi-serving meals. At under $5.00 that's cheaper than beef. Also, it's gluten free. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Broccoli Caulicheezy Soup

Eww excuse the boiled over water stain. 

We have a local organic  co-op deal that provided a screaming good deal on veggies and a delivery is coming Saturday. So I had to make room. I love broccoli cheese soup. Well, I loved it and miss it on occasion. I just can't bring myself to use vegan cheeze shreds to put the cheeze in the soup. But I had broccoli that was looking a little limp on hand and I have been experimenting with cauliflower based soups with great success. So...

This soup is mostly veggie and completely crazy good.  The weird thing I noticed is that one bowl with a few crackers and a small slice of bread stuck with me all night long. I'm not sure how that's possible, but it did. 

Broccoli Caulicheezy Soup

Serves 4

3 Cups or so of cauliflower florets

1/2 onion or leek (I used a whole leek and it was pretty strong, so I'm cutting back a bit next time)

2 ish Cups of finely chopped broccoli

4 Cups of veggie broth (I used the veggie paste boullion with water including the cauliflower steam water)

8 - 10 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 TBSP miso (or soy sauce or liquid aminos)

1/3 Cup nutritional yeast

Steam the cauliflower until tender. Approx 10 minutes.

Toss the leek/onion, garlic, lemon juice, a cup or so of veggie broth and miso into a food processor. Run it until pureed. Add steamed cauliflower and whir until incorporated. 

Transfer the mixture to saucepan, add the additional vegetable broth and broccoli. Simmer for 1/2 an hour or so. Add the nutritional yeast and stir well. Serve. 

Suggested add ins: potato chunks, brown rice, additional veggies of choice, vegan bacon bits.