Some Uses for Faux Chicken Patties

Having been a vegetarian for nearly 5 weeks now, I am finding all sorts of new uses for vegetarian "chicken" patties by Boca or Morningstar Farm (which I like better because of the crunchier crust; the kids prefer Boca). I had always liked them well enough but had only ever eaten them with cheese, like an actual burger.

But, inspired by a picture on another box that uses veggie burgers in pasta, I decided to throw some chicken patties on a salad. Good. Tonight, I layered one with ratatouille and whole wheat pasta. Even better.

How to prepare a chicken patty best/easiest/fastest: Microwave it on a plate for 1-2 minutes until defrosted. Meanwhile, heat Pam in nonstick skillet on medium-high. Remove patty from microwave and heat it through until crisp. Serve however you like it.

And if you know other creative ways, tell me.

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Ratatouille

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

1-2 teaspoons salt

2 cups frozen chopped onions, thawed, drained and patted dry (or, geez, real onions)

1-28 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 large green bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces

1 large red bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces

2 medium zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

3 tablespoons dried basil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons nonfat vegetable broth (we used chicken)

1-6 oz can Italian tomato paste with roasted garlic

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray (wipe with canola oil for kiddos). Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let stand in colander 30-60 minutes to drain (we did about 45 min). Press out any excess moisture; rinse eggplant with water and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange eggplant in bottom of cooker. Top with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and squash. Ad dried basil and minced garlic to broth; pour over vegetables and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir in tomato paste and fresh basil before serving.

Jyl Steinbeck, The Busy Mom’s Slow Cooker Cookbook (serves 6; 2 pts a serving)