We at The Beet get very excited about plant-based pieces that taste exactly like chicken. So when our friends at Quorn came out with their latest lineup of alternative vegan meatless pieces made entirely of plant-based ingredients that are also naturally high in protein, we couldn't wait to get our hands on them.

We sent these tasty vegan pieces to our chef, JD Raymundo, with the assignment to whip up something creative and delicious. He came up with these five amazing recipes that are so satisfying, your entire household will dig in and ask for more. You don't have to be vegan, vegetarian or plant-based to love Quorn's meatless chicken alternatives.

First, a word about Quorn. It's a British based company that believes in creating healthy meat-free products that are packed with clean, natural protein. By helping us eat healthier, these sustainably farmed ingredients are also making the planet healthier. The amazing thing about Quorn's delicious chicken alternatives is that they are made of a natural plant, technically a fungus (keep in mind that your favorite mushrooms are also fungus) that is high in protein and fiber, and low in saturated fat. Called "mycoprotein," it's made of one of the most nutrient-rich foods, from clean fungi that grow in the soil. The technical name is Fusarium Venenatum.

The raw natural ingredient is then fermented in the same process used to create bread, beer, and yogurt, to create a delicious, sustainable meat alternative that is more similar in taste and texture to chicken as anything we've ever tasted. Because producing mycoprotein uses 90% less land and water than producing some animal protein sources, it is a great example of a more sustainable protein source for a growing global population.

One side note: You may have seen that Hooters has introduced its line of "UNreal Wings," made with Quorn's plant-based meatless wings. These "wings" were so convincing and similar to the real thing, that some of the Hooters Girls couldn't tell the difference. We love the video of Hooter's Girls as they taste the UNreal Wings. They are incredulous when told that what they were eating was a plant-based meatless chicken. and not the real thing. And we want to point out that while some of Quorn's products are made with a small amount of egg white in them, and technically not vegan, we at The Beet chose to make these recipes out of the fully vegan selections on Quorn's lineup.

Here, without further ado, is your "What We're Cooking with Quorn" recipes. Find Quorn at a retailer near you and make them yourself at home, then send us your pictures and a few sentences about how it went.

Please let us know if you'd make any modifications to these recipes (hey nobody's perfect!) and if we love your pictures and write up, we may just publish your creations in our new column, Reality Bites! And of course, enjoy!

@thelittlealmond

1. Buffalo Chickenless Parm Appetizers

Prep Time: 5 Min

Cook Time: 15 Min

Total Time: 20 Min

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 Packs Meatless Buffalo Dippers
1 Cup Vegan Parmesan Shreds, or Vegan Mozzarella Shreds
1 Cup Your favorite Marinara Sauce
Handful of Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Bake your Meatless Buffalo Dippers in the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven.
Spoon over your marinara sauce and divide your Vegan Parmesan/Mozzarella shreds over each of your buffalo dippers. Feel free to add as much or as little marinara and vegan cheese as you want!
Place your dippers back into the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the vegan cheese starts to melt.
Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve right away and enjoy!

@thelittlealmond

2. Chickenless Pesto Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 Pack of Meatless Spicy Vegan Patties
1 Lb Dry Short Pasta (penne, rigatoni, bowtie, etc)
3 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, lightly packed
½ Cup Pine Nuts
2 Cloves of Garlic
⅔ Cups Vegan Parmesan Cheese, shredded
¼ Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp Pepper
½ Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Bell Peppers, chopped
½ Cup Roma Tomatoes, chopped
¼ Cup Green Onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Bake your Meatless Spicy Vegan Patties in the oven for 19 minutes As your patties are baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the box directions.
As your patties and pasta are cooking, make your pesto sauce by adding your basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, vegan parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to a food processor or blender. Blend until everything is finely chopped. On a low speed, blend your ingredients as you drizzle in your olive oil. Scrape the sides as needed and blend until everything is well combined.
Remove your patties from the oven once it’s finished cooking, and chop it into slices or squares. Set aside. Drain your pasta once it’s finished boiling. Add your pasta back to the pot and stir in your pesto sauce until your pasta is evenly coated.
Toss in your chopped bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, and chopped patties into the pesto pasta. Mix until it’s evenly combined. Taste for salt and pepper.
You can serve right away or chill it in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

*This recipe will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.*

@thelittlealmond

3. Spicy Chopped Thai Chickenless Salad

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 21 Min

Total Time: 36 Min

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 Packs Meatless Vegan Chipotle Cutlets

For the Salad

4 Cups Napa Cabbage, thinly sliced
2 Cups Red Cabbage, thinly sliced
1 Cup Carrots, grated
3 Green Onions, thinly sliced
¼ Cup Cilantro, minced
¼ Cup Cashews, toasted

For the Dressing

¼ Cup Peanut Butter, or almond butter if peanut allergy
2 Tbsp Tamari, or soy sauce
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup, or agave syrup
2 Tsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Sriracha Sauce
Juice from 1 Lime

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Bake your Meatless Vegan Chipotle Cutlets in the oven for 21 minutes
While your cutlets are baking, chop and prep your salad ingredients. In a large bowl add your Salad ingredients, except the cashews, and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.
To make the dressing, add all your ingredients to a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Alternatively, you can add everything to a blender and blend until combined.
Add your dressing to the salad and toss your salad until evenly coated. Set aside.
Once chipotle cutlets are done baking, remove from the oven and let it cool until you can handle it. Cut it into strips and add it into your salad. Mix until evenly combined.
Garnish with some crushed cashews over it and extra chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

@thelittlealmond

4. Lemon Chickenless Piccata

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

2 Packs Meatless Vegan Fillets
½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
½ Cup Vegan Parmesan, shredded
½ Tsp Salt
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
½ Tsp Garlic Powder
Oil for cooking

For the Lemon Sauce

3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
¼ Cup Dry White Wine
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp All-purpose Flour

Instructions

On a microwave-safe dish, place your Meatless Vegan Fillets in the microwave. Microwave for 2 Minutes. Remove from the microwave and set aside.
In a shallow dish, combine your non-dairy milk and lemon juice. In a second shallow dish, combine your flour, vegan parm, salt, parsley, and garlic powder.
Take your fillets and evenly coat in the flour mixture, dredge it in the non-dairy milk mixture, and then coat it again in the flour mixture. Place on a baking tray or plate. Repeat with the rest of the fillets.
Heat about 1 Tbsp of oil in a large non-stick pan or skillet over low-medium heat. Once oil is heated, cook 4 of your fillets at a time for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan onto a plate with a paper towel. Repeat with the other batches, adding another 1 Tbsp of oil in between batches.
Once all your fillets are cooked, remove and place it in a turned-off oven to keep it warm. While you make the lemon sauce.
In the same pan, you used to cook your fillets, melt your vegan butter. Once melted add your dry white wine and lemon juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Let it reduce for 3-5 minutes and whisk in 1 tsp of all-purpose flour. Once it begins to thicken, remove from the heat. If you find it gets too thick, add a splash of water or veggie stock.
Drizzle your sauce over the fillets and serve right away. Enjoy!

@thelittlealmond

5. Vegan Butter Chickenless Masala

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 Pack Meatless Vegan Pieces
¼ Cup Vegan Butter
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tsp Curry Powder
¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp Salt
1 Can (14oz) Coconut Milk, full fat
¼ Cup + 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, minced

Instructions

In a large non-stick pan, melt your vegan butter over medium heat. Once melted, saute your onions for 3-5 minutes. Add your ginger and garlic, cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add your garam masala, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to the pan. Stir it in with your onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for only 30 seconds, to wake up your spices. Add your coconut milk and tomato paste and stir until combined.
Stir in 1 pack of meatless vegan pieces and your fresh cilantro to your sauce. Bring to a simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently. If your mixture starts to get too thick, add in a splash of water or veggie stock to thin it out a bit.
Once finished simmering, taste for any adjustments on seasonings or spices. Serve right away with basmati rice and some vegan naan. Garnish with some extra cilantro and enjoy!

This dedicated sponsored content is presented by Quorn.