Recipe Alternatives

Try these variations on the our recipes for a lovely Vegan or Vegetarian Dinner, for Dips, Grilling or Ingredient ideas.

Grilled - follow the directions for marinading the chicken except to mince the garlic and add it to the marinade. Prepare the grill for medium heat. Slice onions into 1/4” thick slices and drizzle with olive or canola oil. Oil your grill rack and place the chicken on the grill. Cook the chicken until done, about 45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to retain the juices. Remove the chicken to a plate, wrap with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Place the onions on the grill rack and cook for 5 minutes on each side until lightly browned. To serve, sprinkle chicken with grilled onions and warm pita pieces.

Vegetarian - replace the chicken with a combination of vegetables cut into bite size pieces, such as winter squashes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, carrots, summer squash, broccoli, red onions, etc. Add them to the pot to cook based on firmness so they cook evenly. Adjust the cooking time to cook until the vegetables are fork tender.

Grilled - follow the recipe directions except to marinade the fish in a tightly sealed foil pouch. Prepare the grill for medium heat and place the foil pouch in the middle of the grilling rack. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes for medium thickness filets and 20 to 30 minutes for a whole fish. Remove the pouch from the grill, let sit for a few minutes then open the foil pouch (being careful of the releasing stem) to reveal your beautiful poached fish.

Grilled Flank Steak - place all of the ingredients in a foil pouch with the flank steak to marinade. Remove the pouch from the refrigerator to bring the meat to room temperature. Prepare the grill to medium heat. Open the foil pouch and form a bowl of the sides to hold the liquids from the meat. Place the pouch in the middle of the grilling rack and cook the meat for 10 minutes per side or until done to desired temperature. Remove from heat, close the foil and let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Slice on across the grain into 1/8 inch thickness. Serve wrapped in pita with fresh cilantro, limes and plain yogurt or over a green salad with a light dressing.

Vegetarian Curry - replace the chicken with your favorite vegetables, cut into bit size pieces, such as winter and summer squash, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, red onions, etc. Add the vegetables to the pot by firmness so they will cook evenly. Hard roots will take 30 to 40 minutes to cook, softer zucchini and onions 10 to 15 minutes.

Seafood Curry - replace the chicken with cleaned and peeled shrimp, other shell fish and small fish filets. Add 15 minutes cooking time for the sauce before adding the seafood as it they will take less time than the vegetables or chicken to cook. Place the fish filets and shell fish in the sauce, cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes before adding the shrimp. Add the shrimp, cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the shrimp turns bright pink.

Yogurt Tagine Dip-mix the spice packets into a quart of plain yogurt with a table spoon of fresh lemon juice. Let stand in refrigerator over night. Garnish with chopped pistachios and diced dried apricots and raisons. Serve with pita triangles.

Fish Tagine - marinade fish in a tightly sealed foil pouch for 1 to 2 hours, closing the foil tightly to stem the fish in later. Heat charcoal or gas grill over high heat. Place foil pouch on middle of grilling rack and cook the fish for 10 minutes for 1/2 inch thick fillets. Remove from pouch from the grill, let sit for a few minutes then open the foil pouch (being careful of the releasing stem) to reveal your beautiful poached fish.

Salad - Cook lentils as directed decreasing the liquid by 1/2. Spoon warm or cool lentils over a green salad made of your favorite fresh vegetables and sliced grilled meat if desired. Drizzle with a light dressing and serve.

Spread for wraps - Cook lentils as directed decreasing the liquid by 1/2. Cook until mixture is thickened. Spread warm onto large tortilla or wrap, add you favorite sliced grilled meats or vegetables and fresh vegetables, roll and enjoy!

Serve cool for a creamy summer soup.