With today being Black Friday, I want to remind everyone to shop locally. I know so many of us these days shop online so we don’t have to deal with the crowds, but it’s not the only option. Saturday is Small Business Saturday. This was created to encourage everyone to shop local businesses. Shopping local keeps your tax dollars here in our town and helps these stores be able to continue offering a variety of things for you to shop while giving you a more personalized shopping experience. There are some great options in our town for easy shopping with few lines. Try The Dowry with its many gift options and M&D right next door has some cute items too. Visit with Linda at the Blossom Shop. She would be glad to sell you a centerpiece for your table or mantle and they are beautiful. Stop by and check out Funky Blessing just past the downtown square. She has homemade items with local flair. Truly Yours is a cute boutique with a little bit of everything from clothes to candles. While you are out shopping, rest at Lokal for some fresh coffee and then shop at the Homeless Shelter Thrift Store for lots of good items at cheap prices. See Liz at Staudt’s Jewelry store for beautiful pieces for your loved ones. Sharpe’s Dept. Store is at 13th & Wood Dr., go check out their selection of western wear from boots to hats and everything in between. These are just a few places you could go. If you aren’t sure what is in Okmulgee, drive the streets and just see what you can find. Then try Morris for shops like Hometown Treasures or Henryetta for places like Paul’s Western Store before you head out of the county to spend your money in places like Tulsa or OKC. There are many small businesses run by people just like you that would love to help you pick the perfect gift this holiday season. Bonus: they are friendlier and can give far better suggestions than your computer screen. So since I have started eating less meat, I have found I absolutely love making ‘bowls’. Basically, you layer or section your food in a single bowl to eat it. My husband would be in shock if he were still alive as I am notorious for not wanting to mix my foods. I eat the foods on my plate one at a time with just a couple of exceptions (like corn on my mashed potatoes). In making bowls, I start with rice or quinoa and/or beans as a base then layer on all kinds of veggies. I usually add yellow peppers, onion, Romaine lettuce, and avocado. Then I choose corn, potatoes, green beans or asparagus. I add flax or chia and a sauce for flavor. Some of my favorite sauces have been BBQ, guacamole, salsa, French dressing, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. They are so easy to throw together and so easy to make as lunch for the next day too. Bonus: the possibilities are endless and they are so filling! Rice and beans from a bag take a while to make so I make them in bulk over the weekend and then just make meals and lunch throughout the week by reheating the leftovers. It helps cut down on the cooking time after work. Some veggies last longer than others. I plan accordingly and cook with the ones that go bad faster or buy frozen so I can cook with them later in the week. I also dice the veggies that I will use to add to other things on the weekends. So peppers, zucchini, celery, etc. all get chopped and placed in containers on Sunday for use throughout the week. Things like onion and avocado, I try to chop only what I need and since the rest of it is already ready to use, it takes no time to prepare the few things I need to slice and dice. This week I am sharing some main dish recipes I really liked. I’ll grant you the vegetable soup was a little extra work, but it was so worth it. It is delicious! Make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen for these main dishes with vegetables in the starring role!

Fajita Quinoa Bowls

1 red onion, peeled, thinly sliced 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded, cored and sliced 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and sliced 2 ears corn, kernels cut off or one bag frozen corn 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ tsps. fajita or taco seasoning 2 cups cooked or canned black beans ¼ tsp cumin 2 cups cooked quinoa 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced Homemade or store bought guacamole Salsa 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving Tortilla chips or small tortillas for serving (optional) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place peppers, onions, and corn kernels on a sheet pan. Coat with olive oil and fajita seasoning. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender and browned. Meanwhile, heat beans and cumin in a small saucepan. In large shallow bowls, make beds of quinoa. Top with peppers, onions, corn, beans and lettuce. Top with guacamole and salsa. Garnish with lime wedges for squeezing and cilantro. Serve with chips or tortillas, if desired.

Recipe adapted from yummymummykitchen.com .

Creamy Vegetable Soup

1 Tbsp. vegan butter ½ medium onion, finely chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped ½ small butternut squash, diced 1 medium red skinned white sweet potato, diced 1 small rutabaga, diced 1 large parsnip, sliced 2 large carrots, sliced 2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half ½ tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp. dried oregano 4 cups water The Cauliflower Cream 1 Tbsp. vegan butter ½ medium onion, finely chopped 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets 2 cups water ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsps. Dijon mustard 2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar 1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground white pepper ¼ tsp ground nutmeg Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion, celery, butternut squash, sweet potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, salt, pepper and dried oregano and sweat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly softened. Add water and bring to a boil then lower heat, cover partly and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat then add onion, and sweat for a few minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add cauliflower and water, cover and continue cooking until cauliflower is really soft and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer cauliflower, along with cooking water, into a blender, then add olive oil, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, sage and nutmeg and process on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add Brussels sprouts to soup, stir to combine and cook for 2-5 minutes until soft. Add the cauliflower cream and stir until well combined. Adjust seasoning, bring back to a simmer and serve.

Recipe adapted from thehealthyfoodie.com .

Mushroom Risotto

1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 shallot or ½ white onion, diced 3 garlic cloves minced ½ cup button mushrooms thinly sliced ½ cup risotto rice 2 cups vegetable stock ½ Tbsp. white wine vinegar, optional 4 Tbsps. nutritional yeast flakes, optional Fresh parsley to serve Salt and pepper to taste Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add shallot and garlic and cook on a medium-low heat until softened. Add mushrooms and cook for one minute. Stir in risotto rice and immediately pour in stock and vinegar (if using). Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked. Add more hot water, if necessary. Once cooked, stir in nutritional yeast (if using), stir in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from wallflowerkitchen.com .

Shiitake Tacos

3 Tbsps. canola oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed with press 1 tsp. ground chipotle chile ½ tsp. salt 8oz shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded 1 bunch green onions, trimmed 8 corn tortillas, warmed 1 cup homemade or prepared guacamole Lime wedges Cilantro sprigs Hot sauce, for serving Heat grill on medium. In a large baking dish, combine oil, garlic, chipotle, and salt. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and green onions and toss to coat well. Grill asparagus until tender and lightly charred, turning occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Grill mushrooms and green onions until lightly charred, turning occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to cutting board. Cut asparagus and green onions into 2" lengths and slice shiitakes. Serve with corn tortillas, guacamole, lime wedges, cilantro, and hot sauce.

Recipe adapted from goodhousekeeping.com .

Potato Cakes

3 Yukon gold or russet potatoes, grated ½ yellow onion, grated ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno, minced (optional) ¼ tsp salt, more or less to taste ½ tsp pepper ¼ tsp baking powder Light oil, such as canola or vegetable for frying Add everything to a large bowl and mix well. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, take a handful of potato mixture and form into a loose patty. I like mine super thin so they are nice and crunchy. Everyone else prefers theirs a little thicker. The mixture will be very wet and soft. Drop patty directly into hot pan. Fry a couple of minutes until bottom is golden brown, then flip and fry on the other side. Repeat with remaining potato mixture until all batter is used, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Drain patties on paper towel.

Recipe adapted from itdoesnttastelikechicken.com .