Megan’s Meat-Free Monday: Guide To Easter

Megan Cross

Let’s take the cruelty out of Easter for this Meat-Free Mondays Challenge! The U.S.A is responsible for some 75 billion eggs a year. Perhaps it’s time we retired the egg dyeing business. Instead have the little ones finger paint, make macaroni necklaces, or cotton ball bunnies! As for what to eat for your Easter feast! Here are some easy fun food ideas.

Caramelized Onion BBQ Panini

1 lb. tofu, thinly sliced
3 T BBQ sauce
2 T water
1 1/2 T vegan butter, separated
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, seeded, thinly sliced
1 T dijon mustard
Daiya cheddar shreds, optional
8 slices sourdough bread

Mix water and your favorite BBQ sauce (I use Trader Joe’s) add tofu and let marinate for at least 10 minutes.

In a sauté pan on medium to high, melt 1 T. butter and add onions. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent, sprinkle with salt. Reduce heat, and cook for about 10-15 more minutes. Add a little water if they start to dry out. Try not to stir too much as they won’t brown.

Butter the outer-sides of the bread. Spread dijon on the inside of the bread. Build the panini with thin slices of tofu, onions, tomato slice, (Just one or the panini will be soggy) and the Dayia shreds, if using.

Toast the sandwich in a preheated panini press for about 5-7 minutes. I like to spray the press with cooking spray. The time really depends on your press. You want nice, brown grill marks on the bread. You can also toast the panini’s in a sauté pan on med-high and use a spatula to press the panini together. Flip a few times until golden brown.

Balsamic Butter Sauce

1/2 C balsamic vinegar
2 T C vegan butter

Pour the balsamic vinegar into small saucepan, heat on low, reduce until balsamic thickens and slowly add butter 1/4 T at a time, stirring constantly.

Potato Salad

3 pounds small red potatoes
1 C, vegan mayonnaise
4 T. dijon mustard
1/2 C. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 C. celery chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until just tender. Drain, return to pot, cover with dish towel to steam potatoes for about 10 more minutes. Then, depending on the size of your potatoes, cut in quarters or sixths.

In the meantime, mix mayonnaise, mustard, dill, salt, pepper. Mix well. Add potatoes and mix. Add celery and onion. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Meat-Free Monday Rice Crispy Treats — Photo Credit: Megan Cross

Rice Crispy Treats Dippers

5 1/2 crispy rice (brown rice or gluten-free)
3 T vegan butter
1 bag Dandies marshmallows
pinch of salt

Melt the butter and marshmallows and stir until mostly melted. Fold in the crispy rice. Transfer to a well-greased casserole dish or get the kiddies involved to pack the treats into washed plastic eggs to mold into egg-shaped treats ready to dip in chocolate! Refrigerate.

Chocolate Sauce

1/3 C. vegetable shortening
2 C. semi-sweet vegan chocolate

On low heat, melt shortening slowly add chocolate, stirring constantly. Try dipping the rice crispy treat in the chocolate then dip in crushed almonds. Or drizzle the chocolate on well… ANYTHING!! It hardens as it cools.

Looking for something more? Here’s a list of store bought candy that don’t contain animal products.

CANDY (List provided by Petakids.com)

Airheads taffy
Brach’s Cinnamon Hard Candy
Brach’s Hi-C Fruit Slices
Brach’s Hi-C Orange Slices
Brach’s Root Beer Barrels
Brach’s Star Brites
Chocolove Dark Chocolate bar
Chocolove Cherries and Almonds Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Crystallized Ginger Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Orange Peel Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar
Chick-o-Sticks
Cry Babies
Dots
Dum-Dums
Fireballs
Hubba Bubba bubblegum
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Jujubees
Jujyfruits
Laffy Taffy (some varieties)
Lemonheads
Mambas
Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)
Mike and Ike
Panda Licorice
Runts
Smarties (U.S. Brand)
Sour Patch Kids
Super Bubble
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Twizzlers
Zotz

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