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Earthy mushrooms pair perfectly with puff pastry and goat cheese in this #meatfree, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart. Prep the vegetables the day before to make this a simple and easy brunch or #MeatlessMonday meal.

 

We do a meat free meal once a week.  When the hubs had like cholesterol through the roof (the hereditary kind thank you) I thought it would be a good idea of we cut back on all the meat we eat.  I explained all the benefits of at least one meat free meal a week on this post for Baked Eggplant Parmesan.

 

He was skeptical.  Heck, even I was skeptical if I was going to be able to pull this thing off.  But I have, for at least 2 years now.  I never thought it would last this long and I honestly thought I’d run out of ideas, but I truly haven’t.  While the techniques or base recipes remain the same (e.g. pasta, veggie burger, pizza, frittata) the ingredient combinations make seasonal eating simple.  All the while, I’ve tried to keep away from the typical seitan or tofu or those other veggie based protein alternatives.

 

 

I’ve made some delicious recipes that were surprisingly featuring veggies instead of meat.  Rustic Tomato and Ricotta tart highlights the sweet flavor of tomatoes in season.  This Potato Leek Pizza rocked our socks off with delicious potato and sweet leek flavor.  I even made Sloppy Eds that featured eggplant as the “meat” in the sloppy joes.  Then there’s the quick and versatile carbonara recipes that you can put almost any vegetable in like Brussels sprouts, leeks, cauliflower; the possibilities are endless!

 

Wow.  It’s like a trip down memory lane.  It also shows you how far this little blog of mine has come in the last few years.  Some of those pictures really do need to be revisited.  These in particular.

 

Anyway.

 

 

The Sloppy Eds took me down a path that I found fun!  Take a popular meat meal and make it meat free!  So, I made Portobello Wellingtons, Portobello tacos (also featured on the Meatless Monday newsletter), Portobello Goulash, Creamed Chipped Spinach Over Toast, and Mushroom Lentil Bourgignon.  There’s no way you’re NOT drooling now.  Some of these things were delicious!  And no, neither I nor the hubs missed the meat in these dishes.

 

I mean, just look at that tart!  Those succulent and hearty mushrooms mingling with that creamy and tangy goat cheese all surrounded by delicate puff pastry.  You can’t sit there and say, “Where’s the beef?” on that dish.

 

 

I mean, just look at that tart! 

 

Those succulent and hearty mushrooms mingling with that creamy and tangy goat cheese all surrounded by delicate puff pastry.  You can’t sit there and say, “Where’s the beef?” on that dish.

 

And yes, yes that is oven roasted acorn squash with the tart.  Sometimes the tart isn’t enough for the hubs, or at least he THINKS it’s not enough.  Is it just me or do y’all have that “I need to feel full and just no longer hungry” thing going on?  I hope I’m not alone in this one.  It’s really not easy to retrain your brain into think your body is going to be fine if you just eat to no longer by hungry.  Because, I lack that switch that tells me to stop eating.  I hope I’m in good company on this one…

 

 

Sorry for that little train of thought side track.  Anyway, the hubs THINKS he needs to be full so for this tart it was either serve him a larger piece or roast a squash.  So, I chose to roast a squash.  More veggies isn’t gonna kill anyone.  Well, unless you’re allergic to them and then, well, it might.

 

Back to the veggies.  Even your heartiest of meat eaters can truly enjoy ONE dish a week that’s not meat based.  Trust me on this one.  If I can sell the hubs on it, then you should be able to sell it to your carnivorous family.  I promise.

 

What’s going to be your veggie as main dish you’re going to make?  Check out what the rest of the #SundaySupper crew are offering up for suggestions this week.

 

Veggie Main Dish

• Butternut Squash Risotto with Crème Fraîche and Fried Sage Leaves by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Eggplant Rollatini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Moroccan-style Lentil Chickpea Stew by Food Lust People Love
• Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Polenta with Aged Gouda, Chard & Wild Mushrooms by 30A Eats
• Portobello Stack by The Freshman Cook
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Roasted Potato and Spinach Soup by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Vegetable Strudel by Palatable Pastime
• Vegetarian Chili by Wholistic Woman