Vegetarian Mini BBQ “Meat” Loaf Muffins

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Jennifer FIsher

Vegetarian Mini BBQ “Meat” Loaf Muffins are so good even without the ground beef (and, goodness, you know I love my beef). We all can benefit from eating more plants in our diet, whether a confirmed carnivore, adventurous omnivore, or full-fledged vegetarian.

Not your grandma's meatloaf but just as delicious make with lentils and oats! The spicy BBQ sauce gives this satisfying vegetarian meal some zing! So delicious, easy and suitable for meal prep. 398 calories and 21g per serving of two.

A balanced plate that varies from day to day, is best in my opinion. This vegetarian meatloaf is one of the dishes I like to prepare on nights when I’m not doing chicken, beef, or fish. The protein count is still great, 21 grams per serving and 398 calories for TWO. Very filling and a good source of essential nutrients, especially dietary fiber (33% RDA) and iron (25% RDA).

I use a jumbo muffin tin to create this meatloaf alternative, because I just prefer the crisper outside texture that the extra surface area of a muffin tin creates rather that smashing it all up in a loaf pan. Plus, the meatless muffins turn out great for making ahead in this manner and hold up well for freezer storage. This is a great vegetarian meal prep recipe, just double or triple your batch!

Check out the 15-second mini tutorial!

Putting this no meat meatloaf recipe together is as easy as cooking a pot of lentils and then smooshing it all up with the other ingredients before baking.

I don’t know why we don’t eat more lentils over here in the US. These little edible seeds in the legume family area food staple in so many other parts of the world – economical, nutritious and versatile! I used red lentils in this lentil loaf recipe, mainly I felt the color was best for an alternative meatloaf and they are already split, which means they cook faster than whole brown lentils. But no worries if you want to swap!

A bit Reduced Sugar BBQ Sauce in the “meat” mixture as well as brushed on top in the last 5 minutes of baking, gives these lentil loaves a little zing! Use whatever bottled sauce you prefer, or make your own – if you are a traditionalist, then ketchup!

NOTE: This is also a gluten-free recipe, however to make suitable for vegan lifestyle you need to swap out egg and cheese for non-dairy alternatives.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission, but the price to you remains the same. Proceeds offset operating costs for The Fit Fork, thank you!

5 from 7 votes

Vegetarian Mini BBQ “Meat” Loaf Muffins

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Not your grandma's meatloaf but just as delicous make with lentils and oats! The spicy BBQ sauce gives this satisfing vegetarian meal some zing! So delicious, easy and suitable for meal prep. 398 calories and 21g per serving of two.

Course: dinner, dinner, entree, lunch

Cuisine: American, gluten free, vegetarian

Keyword: barbecue sauce, bbq, meatless

Servings: 2 servings (2 muffins each)

Calories: 398 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup red lentils
1/4 cup diced white onion
¼ cup diced white mushrooms
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ cup quick cooking oats
3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese 2 tbsp reserved
2 tbsp liquid egg product
1/4 cup bottled BBQ sauce
1/2 salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Bring water to boil in small sauce pan. Add lentils and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until lentils are soft and most water is evaporated.
Drain and excess water from lentils and coarsely mash with a fork.
Transfer lentils to mixing bowl; cool slightly.
Mix in onion, mushrooms, garlic, oats and cheese.
Mix in egg, 2 oz. of BBQ sauce, salt and pepper.
Spoon evenly among 4 spots in jumbo muffin pan that has been prepped with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes; remove and spread remaining BBQ sauce and reserved cheese over each. Cook 5 more minutes.
Cool 5 minutes, loosens sides with knife to release from pan.
A serving is TWO! Enjoy warm or keep in fridge up to 4 days, or freezer for 3 months.

Recipe Notes

Spicy-Sweet Orange Beef Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Jennifer FIsher

Spicy-Sweet Orange Beef Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas is proof you can make an amazing, delicious, nutritious beef dinner in 15 minutes. I used a strip steak, but sirloin or even flank steak would be amazing too!

Vibrant and citrus-y, this lightly spicy-sweet orange beef stir-fry made with steak is sure to please on busy nights! It comes together in just 15 minutes, lots of veggie goodness with the sugar snap peas, and 100% beats going for takeout!

Portioned to serve two generously, this steak stir fry recipe can easily be doubled for a family of four. Also, it’s not very spicy, so the kids should love it. If you crave spicy heat, just add extra dried red pepper and Sriracha to the sauce step.

steak sliced thin for stir fry - thefitfork.com — *Slice the steak thinly, between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick!*

Another reason why I love this beef and vegetable stir fry is that the macros are just so great to fuel my active lifestyle. One very generous sized portion fills me up and has 336 calories, 15g fat, 23g net carb, 30g protein. This 15-minute beef dinner isn’t including the macros (or time) for the rice/quinoa blend I usually serve it on. However, I love to meal prep that and have these cooked whole grains on hand in the freezer. Restaurant preparation of a similar orange beef recipe would come in at typically 3x the calories, fat and sugar – they usually coat the beef in cornstarch and use more oil (basically frying.

Check out the 15-second video tutorial!

PRO TIPS FOR ORANGE BEEF STIR FRY:

Have all ingredients before starting. Once you turn on the heat, the cooking process happens very fast
Slice beef across grain thinly, into 1/8-inch to ¼-inch slices are best.
For easier slicing, use a sharp knife and set meat in freezer for 10 minutes beforehand to firm up.
If following recipe as written for 2, use a 10-inch skillet. If doubling, use a 12-inch or larger skillet OR a 14-inch wok. If halving the recipe to just serve one, use an 8″ skillet.
Cook meat first and remove from skillet to rest while cooking vegetables.
Cook meat quickly in a single layer, flipping strips once until pink is JUST gone (because will continue to cook while resting on the plate).
Substituting similar vegetables is allowed! If you don’t have sugar snap peas, use something similar like green beans or snow peas. Broccoli would be amazing too!
If you MUST, you can use orange juice from a carton and skip the zesting step, but the fresh juice and zest really adds a huge splash of flavor.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on sales, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds offset operating costs for The Fit Fork. Thank you!

5 from 3 votes

Spicy-Sweet Beef Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas (for Two)

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

13 mins

Vibrant and citrus-y, this lightly spicy-sweet beef stir-fry made with steak is sure to please on busy nights! It comes together in just 15 minutes and 100% beats going for takeout!

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: 15 minute dinner, beef, snap peas, stir fry

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 336 kcal

Ingredients

1 medium orange
2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tbsp coconut sugar
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp minced ginger
½ tsp minced garlic
8 oz strip or sirloin steak sliced across grain to 1/8” thickness
4 tsp sesame oil
2 green onion bulb + stalk sliced thinly
8oz sugar snap peas (1 1/2 to 2 cups(

Instructions

Wash and dry orange; use zesting tool or microplaner to remove 1 to 2 teaspoons of zest from peel. Set aside. Slice orange in half; squeeze out 1/3 cup of juice into small bowl. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic and ½ of orange zest. Stir to combine and set aside.
Add oil to a 10 to 12” skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add steak strips and sear for 2 minutes without turning. Use tongs to flip strips and cook on opposite side for about 2 more minutes until “just” cooked. Transfer to plate to rest.
Reduce heat to low and add sugar snap peas and sauce mixture to skillet. Stir to combine and let simmer for approximately 3 to 4 minutes until thickened and snap peas crisp-tender. Toss back in cooked beef and stir for another 1 minute until warmed. Sprinkle sliced green onion and remaining orange zest over beef, serve with rice if desired.

Recipe Notes

Watermelon Gazpacho (with Feta) for One

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Jennifer FIsher

Say YES to this watermelon soup in the summer, it’s so refreshing – naturally light and sweet-spicy and hydrating – a good way to “eat” your water. The cucumber and watermelon in the recipe are loaded with water (96% water and almost 93% water respectively) which makes it no surprise the pair up are actually botanic siblings.

Refreshing and just for you! Whip up a single-serving batch of this hydrating, delicious cold soup made with watermelon, cucumbers and tomato -- no-cook and ready in minutes.

In addition to staying hydrated on a hot day, I like slurping up a bowl of this cold soup because it doesn’t make me feel bloated and heavy — in fact, it’s detoxing after an indulgent weekend thanks to robust levels of water, fiber, important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Watch this 15-second tutorial!

I have been on a binge of “recipes for one” lately and have been working behind the scenes on a cooking for one cookbook. Making soup for one, may seem like too much effort, but trust me this simple and speedy recipe is almost no effort at all. And, even with college kids at home this summer, I still like to make this single-serve gazpacho and other recipes for one because I hate food waste, and they are most often always going their separate ways at the dinner area (such social lives)!

Making this cold soup with watermelon is easy-breezy – just gather up the ingredients (a little chopping involved, but it’s not intense), and then drop most everything in the blender (except reserve some extra watermelon that’s be diced up really find to stir into the blended soup for texture). And, top with crumbled feta cheese and extra fresh herbs, if desired.

BTW, for single-batch recipes like this watermelon gazpacho, I like to use a mini-blender for effective blending. Often in my larger blender, the ingredients don’t rise high enough over the blade level.

Fruit soups make a good substitute for dessert when I’m being mindful of my diet. The recipe makes about 12-ounces and has 219 calories, 15g fat, 19g carb, 3g dietary fiber, and 4g protein. If you want to cut down the fat and calorie count, you can trim down the olive oil from 1 tablespoon to 2 teaspoons and by omit the tablespoon of crumbled feta cheese as the topping. Together this is about a 60-calorie reduction – it’s still a tasty recipe, however, I think the recipe is more satisfying how originally written.

Detoxing Cranberry Gazpacho makes a lovely light chilled soup for your meal. Blended with healthful ingredients like cranberries, watermelon, cucumber to flush the body of excess water and toxins.

If you love cold fruit soups and watermelon, I think you’ll be berry excited about a past recipe of mine — Cranberry Watermelon Gazpacho.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from products purchased, but price to you remains the same. Proceeds help offset operating costs for The Fit Fork. Thank you!

5 from 5 votes

Watermelon Gazpacho! Refreshing and just for you! Whip up a single-serving batch of this hydrating, delicious cold soup made with watermelon, cucumbers and tomato -- no-cook and ready in minutes.

Watermelon Gazpacho (with Feta) for One

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Refreshing and just for you! Whip up a single-serving batch of this hydrating, delicious cold soup made with watermelon, cucumbers and tomato — no-cook and ready in mintues.

Course: Snack, Soup

Keyword: watermelon

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 219 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup chopped cold watermelon reserve ¼ cup
1 5- ounce ripe tomato
½ cup chopped cucumber peeled and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoons lime juice
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or other fresh herb like mint or basil divided
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Set aside 1/4 cup of watermelon and dice down into small bits (will be stired in at the end).
Add watermelon, tomato, cucumber, olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, red pepper, most of the fresh herbs (save some for garnish), red and black pepper, and pinch of salt to blender. Blend for about 30 seconds or until mostly smooth.
Best served cold, so if you did not start with cold watermelon, chill gazpacho for at least 30 minutes.
Pour into bowl and stir in diced watermelon. Top with crumbled feta cheese and herbs.

Recipe Notes

No-Crust Tomato Pie – Lower Carb, Gluten-free

Posted on July 18, 2022 by Jennifer FIsher

Crustless Tomato Pie is a low-carb spin on one of my favorite southern dishes. Such a yummy way to use up a bumper crop of sweet, ripe tomatoes.

Most southern tomato pies have a pastry crust, but I personally like mine without! Tomatoes tend to get watery and seep all over a crust and make it unpleasantly soggy, especially you have leftovers. But a crustless tomato tart or pie doesn’t have nearly the same issue.

Watch it – 15-second tutorial!

However, one of the most important preparation steps you’ll want to take for this tomato mozzarella pie is to “sweat” the tomatoes. To do this simple task, just sprinkle your slice tomatoes with a little salt and let them rest on a plate for about 30 minutes. Afterward, drain off any liquid released onto the plant and use paper towels to blot up any excess moisture (this also helps remove some of the salt so that it doesn’t overpower). Sweating tomatoes like this helps keep them from making dishes watery and also makes the tomato flavor more intense – win-win!

Sweat the tomatoes with a little sale for 30 minutes - this helps remove excess moisture so recipe doesn't get soggy and also intensify flavor. — *Don’t skip the 30-minute tomato “sweat” session!*

To assemble the tomato pie, you just layer tomato slices and half of the egg-cheese mixture, and then repeat those layers again, and finish with a final tomato layer – so 3 layers of tomatoes and two layers of filling. The recipe does call for two eggs in it, but only to serve as a binder to help keep everything together – it’s definitely not eggy like a quiche or frittata. It’s all about the tomatoes!

*Ready to pop in the oven for 30 minutes!*

Serve a side dish to dinner or light lunch – it’s even delicious as summery breakfast. My husband says it’s a casserole with tomatoes, but I say it’s a low carb tomato pie since it’s in a pie dish – he does agree it’s delicious. My kids say the low carb tomato casserole slash pie tastes like a pizza! Any way you slice it, we gobble it all up.

However, if you do want to heat leftovers up the next day, you can microwave a slice for about 45 seconds. Or, if you have an air-fryer, I prefer to set my slice in a small dish and air fry at 390F for about 6 minutes – this returns the cheese to more of the original gooey-crispy state.

Makes 6 servings, each with 178 calories, 9g carb, 12g fat, 13g protein

Disclaimer: My post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on products purchase, however the price to you remains the same. Thank you!

5 from 7 votes

Crustless Tomato Pie: No crust means the intense flavor of vine-ripe tomatoes shines through in this recipe whether you want to call it a pie, tart or casserole. Simple ingredients, lower carb, gluten-free and sure to delight for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish any night.

No Crust Tomato Pie – Low Carb and Gluten Free

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

“Sweating” tomatoes

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

Crustless Tomato Pie: No crust means the intense flavor ofvine-ripe tomatoes shines through in this recipe whether you want to call it apie, tart or casserole. Simple ingredients, lower carb, gluten-free and sure todelight for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish any night.

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, brunch, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: brunch, pie, tart, tomato

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 178 kcal

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. tomatoes about 5 to 6 medium
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs
½ tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella reserve 1/3 cup
2 green onions tops and whites chopped

Instructions

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 30 minutes, then pour off juices and blot excess with paper towels.
While tomatoes are “sweating,” saute onion in butter. Let cool of a bit.
Mix together cooled sauteed onions, eggs, pepper, fresh basil, and 1 2/3 cups of the mozzarella.
Layer pie dish with tomatoes, then dollop and spread ½ of the cheese-egg mixture on top.
Sprinkle with green onions. Layer with tomatoes and remaining cheese mixture.
There should be enough tomatoes left for the top. Arrange these and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheese bubbling and starting to brown in places.
Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.

Recipe Notes

Makes 6 servings, each with 178 calories, 9g carb, 12g fat, 13g protein

No-cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta & Wildgrain Box

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Jennifer FIsher

Out of necessity, I’ve been minimizing my time in the kitchen this summer. The last couple months has been such a record-breaking scorcher that it’s been too hot to grill outside and even climbing into the sunbaked car to grab a meal out is unappealing.

But, one can only live on so many salads and charcuterie boards for dinner. What I really craved was a homemade pasta dinner (with dreamy noodles and warm bread) with that “I spent all day in the kitchen” taste without actually spending all day in the kitchen. Basically, SHOW ME A SHORTCUT!

My recipe for No-cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta (jump to recipe) came to the rescue served on fresh, hand-cut pasta from Wildgrain. Wildgrain is an amazing subscription box that sends artisanal pastas, breads and pastries to your door that are frozen and ready to prepare in a flash – no more than 25 minutes from freezer door opening to your mouth opening for the first bite!

Check out the video inspo for this recipe!

No-cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta involves absolutely no-simmering to turn out a flavorful tomato “sauce” for pasta (or even to top on fish, chicken or bruschetta). It’s based on an Italian uncooked tomato sauce pasta recipe called “Pasta Alla Checca.” Zero cooking, except for prepping the fresh noodles from Wildgrain on the stove top, which only takes 6 minutes. The tomato-artichoke sauce mixture gets “warmed up” as it is immediately stirred into the drained hot pasta. Basically, the pasta does the sauce heating – this puts new meaning into “using your noodle.” Lol!

*Used fresh freezer-ready fettuccini from Wildgrain!*

I used the season’s sweetest tomatoes plucked from my backyard. You could use any medium-sized variety of tomato such as Roma tomatoes – they are meaty, not overly juicy/easy, and easy in most markets. Then all that’s to be done is chopping tomatoes up very finely along with marinated artichokes, basil and garlic to create a fresh, light sauce that’s a lovely way to top off noodles and top off these long, long days.

For even more of a shortcut, you can make the raw chunky tomato artichoke sauce ahead and keep chilled in the fridge in a Mason jar for a couple days. Use on pasta or pile on crusty bread with mozzarella and stick under the broiler. Or toss into your egg scramble – so many uses!

*Save $30 with code THEFITFORK (offer thru 8/30 . . . then it’s $10 off)*

So let me tell you a little more about my new obsession, the Wildgrain Subscription Box (which BTW, you can save $30 on your first order with code THEFITFORK). Every month (pause or cancel at any time), I get a frozen shipment of tender pastas, artisan breads and pastries delivered to my door. All the labor-intensive work has been done for me – the dough has been hand-cut, the breads have been proofed, and the pastries prepped. Plus, no mess was made at my house, lol! All I do to enjoy these delights is place the breads straight oven or drop pasta into a pot, straight from frozen – no defrosting of anything needed meaning you can truly rely on Wildgrain for last-minute meals.

Other things I appreciate about Wildgrain: They use clean, non-GMO ingredients and their fermentation process provides benefits you won’t find at the grocery store. Items are always shipped free in and eco-friendly box and recyclable stay-cold packaging. Plus, they also support small bakeries and responsible source products from some of the best bread and pasta makers around the country. Honestly, I can taste the talent and love that goes into these breads, pastas and pastries.

Here’s a peek at what you get in a “mixed” box, although some contents will vary from month-to-month to keep those taste buds tantalized!

July Wildgrain Mixed Box: Plain Sourdough Loaf, Cranberry Pecan Sourdough Loaf, Everything Sourdough Loaf, Fettuccine Pasta, Tonnarelli Pasta, Peach Pie Bites, and free Croissants.

*Free croissants for life! Don’t miss this deal!*

*Oh, and did I mention that if you order Wildgrain by the end of July, you get a free four-pack of croissants with every order “for life.” Remember to use code THEFITFORK to save $30. These buttery, flakey, crescent-shaped pastries are truly heaven straight out of the oven.

Whip up a fresh fit meal in minutes with this easy, no-cook pasta sauce that features tomatoes, marinated artichokes, garlic and feta cheese - plus a little EVOO. It's tossed with hot noodles that warms it up! A delicious summer dinner! Used pasta from the Wildgrain subscription box, save $30 with code THEFITFORK at http://bit.ly/Wildgrain

No-cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta | Pasta alla Checca

Prep Time

4 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Whip up a fresh fit meal in minutes with this easy, no-cook pasta sauce that features tomatoes, marinated artichokes, garlic and feta cheese – plus a little EVOO. It's tossed with hot noodles that warms it up! A delicious summer meal!

Course: dinner, dinner, entree, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 10 minute meal, artichokes, fetuccini, pasta, summer, tomatoes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh tomatoes about 3 to 4 medium
3/4 cup marinated artichokes
3 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12- oz package fresh pasta
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Optional: garnish with additional chopped basil

Instructions

Finely chop tomatoes and artichokes.
Scrape into bowl along with any seeds and liquids that came out while chopping.
Add chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil to bowl; stir to toss.
Set tomato mixture aside to marinate while making pasta.
Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package instructions.*
Drain pasta in colander and add back to pot while still hot.
Pour in tomato mixture from bowl and toss around to coat pasta.
Divide among 4 plates and top with crumbled feta cheese. Garnish with additional basil, if desired.

Recipe Notes

*The pasta I used from Wildgrain is put frozen into boiling water and cooks in 6 minutes.