Chik'n N Waffles

As I have mentioned many times on my blog, my favorite thing to do as a vegetarian is to re-create popular meaty foods but make them 100% vegetarian. When someone says to me "Oh I wish you could try this, its so good" is like a challenge to me.  I hate when people generalize vegetarianism as just salads and tofu. My goal is to show people that vegetarians can eat pretty similarly to meat eaters.

I have recreated various meaty dishes including buffalo chicken pizza, hamburger helper, sloppy joes, and even a hot sausage sandwich. But I wanted to go further. I wanted to recreate a dish that I had never seen turned vegetarian: Chicken and Waffles.

It might just be me, but I feel that recently chicken and waffles has been gaining popularity. People are always talking about the amazingness that is chicken and waffles and I knew that just being a vegetarian wasn't about to stop me from trying them. It was time to do this.



I started with my trusty Boca Chik'n patties. I just love these. They are probably the most realistic fake chicken I have ever had. The breading is crispy and the inside is meaty and peppery. I've used them in pasta, on sandwiches, and now its time to eat them on a waffle. For the waffle I just used a basic waffle mix.  Time to break out the waffle iron!



Yes that is a Bugs Bunny waffle iron, and it is 20 years old!  I remember my dad used to make me Bugs Bunny waffles all the time as a kid. I would sit and wait at the table while my dad made the waffle. Back then, the waffle always looked so massive, and I never finished it all. This baby has been away in a cabinet for so many years, and I decided to take it with me when I moved away from home. Who knew I would be breaking it out again for anther go!



The waffle came out just as perfectly as I remember as a kid.  Now its time to add the Chik'n, and the syrup!





I decided it needed some butter too, because if I am going to eat unhealthy food, I might as well go all out!





I have to say I wasn't totally blown away by my creation. I think the Chik'n was a bit too mild, and it got over powered by the syrup. Even though I couldn't taste the chicken too much I still enjoyed the mix of sweetness with a bit of salty and peppery. The waffle itself was perfect. It has a nice crunch and it took me right back to having waffles with my dad. This may not have been everything I dreamed of, but I was really happy I got to try something new and I can cross chicken and waffles off my meaty bucket list!

I had little visitor that wanted to try these too...



Muffin was very interested in my meal. I might have snuck her a little piece of waffle which she just LOVED!

Have you tried veggie chicken and waffles? What is your favorite meaty meal?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Chicken and Caprese open faced sammy

Hello everyone! Today I want to show you a typical lunch in the Simple. Easy. Vegetarian! household.  Two things that we always keep stocked on the fridge are tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.  I love adding them both to all kinds of foods like pastas and soups, and also slicing them to make sandwiches.  Whether hot and melted, or cold with the classic flavors, tomato and mozzarella.

For today's lunch I decided on hot and melty, I love melted cheese!  It has been a long time since I have ordered a sandwich with meat at a restaurant or deli, but I have seen some and I try to gain cooking inspiration from that.



I started with my tomato and mozzarella staple, and then I got creative from there.  After broiling the cheese on top of a slice of oatmeal bread, I added a layer of sliced tomatoes, and then a piece of my favorite veggie chicken, Boca Original Chik'n, which looks and tastes just like a chicken cutlet, without any of that pesky chicken, of course. I finished off with my absolute favorite hot mustard from the Jewish deli by my house.





I love the mix of hot, melty cheese, spicy mustard, and the classic chicken flavor!  This meal was a little messy, but a lot of delicious!  Now go ahead and tell me that vegetarians can't enjoy a hot open faced chicken sandwich! 

What is your favorite sandwich to make? Do you like experimenting with veggie meats too?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Chik'n Fettuccine Alfredo

Hey everyone!

One of my favorite things to do as a lazy vegetarian, is to put together meals that make me feel like a normal ole' meat eater.  Its fun to tell people that you just had chicken nuggets and fries for dinner.  With all the rudeness and questioning I get on a daily basis, its nice to still stick to my convictions, but just pretending that I don't.  It is pretty easy to do, you just need to find the right meat substitutes and food combinations.

One of my favorite "normal" people foods is chicken fettuccine Alfredo.  Its a  simple, classic dish, that is really easy to veg-ify, without adding actual veggies.  You can always start by making your own pasta and sauce, or being lazy and buying a box of pasta and a jar of sauce.  But once you have reached my laziness level, you start with frozen fettuccine Alfredo.



Stouffer's fettuccine Alfredo is not the healthiest frozen pasta out there, but the sauce is really rich and creamy, and it tastes amazing.  When I eat it on its own I love to load it with fresh ground black pepper!



In order to pretend I am eating chicken Alfredo, I turn to my trusted Boca Original Chik'n.  As i have mentioned before, on its own it has an amazing flavor that really resembles chicken.  It has the perfect amount of spices to be enjoyed on its own with a little bit of lemon juice, or added to meals to make them fake-atarian.

Just cut up some Chik'n and add them to the fettuccine Alfredo, and there you have it!  A perfect meal and makes you feel like a meat eater, with none of those pesky dead animals! I call it a win-win.





This really hits the spot when your craving regular chicken fettuccine Alfredo.  I hate when people say they can't give up meat because they don't want to only eat salads.  Well you can be a vegetarian and enjoy some chicken fettuccine Alfredo. How 'bout them apples?

Have you tried Boca Original Chik'n or Stouffer's Fettuccine Alfredo? Will you be combining them for yor next meal?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Boca Original Chik'n

Hello everyone!  Today I have one of my favorite meat substitutes to show you!  It's called Original Chik'n by Boca.  Boca, like Morning Star, makes a variety of meat substitutes.  As you guys know I used to love chicken back when I was a meat-eater, so having chicken substitutes is important to me as a vegetarian.  Like all veggie meats, Boca offers food that has less fat and calories than the real thing, often with more protein too. And they say us veggies don't get enough protein. Ya right!






Boca Original Chik'n are frozen chicken substitute with a delicious breading.  They have a lot of flavor and are really reminiscent of real chicken patties.  What is great about them is that they are super versatile.   They are great as a chicken patty sandwich, or in your favorite foods that call for chicken.  They are really great on their own too. My favorite way to enjoy them is with just a drizzle of lemon juice on top. Mmm!  My dad is a regular chicken consumer, and he loves these chik'n patties too!

Will you be trying these chik'n patties for your next meal? Have you had them before? What is your favorite way to eat them?

Bye from the Veggie Side!