Thank you to Silk for sponsoring today’s conversation.
So there’s this thing called the #MeatlessMondayChallenge. Have you heard of it? Silk is challenging people to go Meatless on Monday Nights. Why? Because a plant-based diet can be good for you AND for the planet. (Find out how HERE.)
The Meatless Monday Challenge goes hand-in-hand with Monday Night Football. Silk is proposing that “sidelining” meat just one night a week has the potential to spark real change. So they’re challenging people to take the pledge to go Meatless on Monday Nights.
Going “meatless” isn’t so much of a challenge for me – I don’t eat a whole lot of meat to begin with. The real challenge for me is finding a way to be meatless AND maintain a balanced diet. Because you can eat a pound of pasta and call it meatless, but there’d be nothing balanced about it.
Silk.com has loads of meatless recipes that you can prepare with their plant-based beverages – Soymilk, Almondmilk, Cashewmilk, Coconutmilk, and their Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative. I’ve bookmarked several of them that I think my family might enjoy. I’ve definitely got my eye on their Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe. My own Loaded Baked Potato Soup has been a family favorite for years, and I’d love to see how this better-for-you version stacks up.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup (slightly modified to be completely meat- and dairy-free)
Ingredients:
- 3-4 slices veggie bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus additional for garnish
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 medium Russet potatoes cut in small cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white or black pepper
- 1 cup Silk Unsweetened Soymilk, Almondmilk, or Almond Coconut Blend
- Shredded vegan cheddar, for garnish
- Sliced green onions or chives, for garnish
- Vegan sour cream, for garnish
Preparation:
- Prepare veggie bacon according to package directions, until crispy.
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add celery and onions. Sauté vegetables until tender and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add stock, potatoes, salt, and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Ladle about 2 cups of potatoes & veggies from the pan and place in a blender with the Silk. Blend until smooth and return mixture to soup pot.
- Simmer for an additional 5 minutes and serve with veggie bacon, cheese, green onions, and vegan sour cream.
Sounds pretty good, right? I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Now, I did get the chance to try out one of Silk’s dessert recipes because, obviously. This one is made with Cashewmilk, which we’d never tried.
Salted Caramel Pudding
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp margarine (or butter)
- 3 1/2 cups Silk Vanilla Cashewmilk, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- Flaked sea salt, for garnish
Directions:
- Combine brown sugar, margarine, 1/2 cup Silk, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk cornstarch together with another 1/2 cup of Silk. Add cornstarch/Silk mixture and remaining 2 1/2 cups of Silk to the brown sugar mixture.
- Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until pudding thickens.
- To serve, sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
Watch me in the kitchen:
Want to take the Meatless Monday Night Challenge with me? Visit www.silk.com/sidelinemeat for recipes and for the chance to win a really cool giveaway!
This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.