Cajun Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 tsp vegetable oil
VE Salt, to taste
VE Cajun Seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Clean pumpkin seeds in a colander under warm running water. Let drain.
3. Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the oil and VE Cajun Seasoning.
4. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just lightly browned.

Cajun Mayo

This recipe can be used on burgers, grilled chicken or fish, Chicken wings or strips.
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp VE Cajun Seasoning
juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tbsp ReaLemon™ juice)
VE Sea Salt & VE Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together. Refrigerate unused portions.

Cajun or Cuban Tortilla Chips

Use vegetable oil spray instead of butter for a healthier treat.
Yield 32 chips
4 - 8" tortilla rounds
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 - 2 tsp VE Cajun or Cuban Seasoning
2 tsp VE Parsley
VE Sea Salt, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F .
2. Mix together melted butter, VE Cajun Seasoning (or Cuban) and VE Parsley.
3. Brush with prepared butter and sprinkle with VE Sea Salt OR you use spray oil and spray pita then sprinkle with VE Cajun Seasoning (or Cuban), VE Parsley and VE salt.
4. Cut each pita wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove when chips are crisp and slightly browned. Serve with favourite VE Dip.

Cajun Skillet Beans

Serves 4 to 6
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 green or red peppers, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 tsp VE Herb & Garlic Dip Mix
1 Tbsp VE Cajun Seasoning
1- 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp honey (or molasses)
1 Tbsp VE Herb Mustard
2 cans of white kidney or lima beans
VE Sea Salt & VE Pepper to taste
Green onions, sliced (optional)
Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large pot, over med-high.
2. Add onions, peppers, celery, VE Herb & Garlic Dip Mix and VE Cajun Seasoning. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are golden.
3. Add tomatoes, honey, VE Herb Mustard and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add beans and heat through. Garnish with sliced green onions and cheddar cheese if you wish. Serve.

Cubanos Frijoles

by Cindy Marshall
2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp VE Cajun seasoning
1 onion, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans
1 (6 oz.) can chopped black olives, drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp. VE Chipotle Chili Powder

1. Place rice and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.
2. While the rice is cooking, brown the ground beef in a deep skillet or wok. Season with Cajun seasoning.
3. When meat is almost done, add the onion, and cook until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent.
4. Stir in the beans, olives, vinegar, and chipotle powder. Mix well, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat. Add the cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve hot over or mixed in with rice.

Light Guacamole

by Sharon Statham
Makes: 2 Cups

1 2/3 cups Frozen peas (thawed)
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon juice
1 Avocado, peeled
1 tsp VE Chili Powder
2 large Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp VE Sea Salt
2 small Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp VE Whole Cumin (ground well)
1/4 cup Minced Red Onion
Pinch VE Cajun Season
Prepared Salsa Mix (optional)

1. Puree peas food processor until smooth.
2. Mash avocado in a bowl with a fork. Add peas.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Option: You could also try this recipe with any of our VE Salsa blends (VE Fruit Salsa Mix, VE Poco Picante Salsa or VE Caliente Salsa Mix) .

Tisha's Cajun Chicken Salad

by Tisha Richard
4 Chicken Breasts, sliced in thin strips
6 Green Onions, finely sliced
1 tsp VE Beef and Steak (rounded)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (diced)
2 tsp VE Cajun Seasoning
1/2 cup Yellow Bell Pepper (diced)
2 tsps. VE Fajita Seasoning
1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 ripe Papayas, cut and diced
6 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

1. Mix spices with chicken strips and let marinate several hours.
2. Brown chicken strips in frying pan.
2. Mix together remaining ingredients -- except lime. Toss with warm chicken strips then sprinkle with lime juice and enjoy!

Caribbean Shrimp Caesar

Serves: 4-6
1 Tbsp butter
1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 lb shrimp, peeled, rinsed & dried
1/3 to 1/2 cup VE Caesar Dressing
1 Tbsp VE Cajun Seasoning
1 mango, peeled and diced
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter in frying pan.
2. Add shrimp, sprinkle with VE Cajun Seasoning and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Squeeze lime juice over all then remove from heat.
4. Toss Romaine leaves in bowl with VE Caesar Salad Dressing.
5. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, shrimp and mango and toss salad quickly. Serve.

Option: Serve Caribbean Shrimp Caesar in a tortilla shell for a quick wrap to go.

Easy Western Lasagna

by Alzira Armas

2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated (divided)
1 1/4 tsp VE Cajun Seasoning
500 gm container of Cottage Cheese
2 cups canned Diced Tomatoes
1 egg
6 Tbsp VE Poco Picante Salsa mix
1 lb lean Ground Beef
1 pkg (8oz)Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
3 tbsp VE 3 Onion

1. Combine 1.5 cup cheddar, cottage cheese, 3 onion and egg set aside.
2. Over medium high heat fry beef, until lightly browned.
3. Add Cajun Seasoning. Cook for 1 minute then stir in diced tomatoes and salsa mix.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Spread 1 cup of meat mixture over the bottom of the dish, top with lasagne noodles, spread 1/2 of cheese mixture, repeat. Finsh with the remaining cheddar. 6. Coat a sheet of foil with cooking oil spray and place over lasagna with the coated side down. 7. Bake at 350F for 45 mins. Remove foil and bake until cheese melts, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Cajun Skillet Beans

Serves: 4 to 6

2 Tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil
1- 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 Tbsp Honey or Molasses
3 stalks Celery, sliced
1 Tbsp VE Herb Mustard
2 green or red peppers, diced
2 cans of white kidney or lima beans
2 tsp (10ml) VE Herb & Garlic Dip Mix
VE Sea Salt & VE Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp VE Cajun Seasoning

1. Put vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, peppers, celery and VE Herb & Garlic Dip Mix and saute for 5 minutes or until onions are golden.
2. Add tomatoes, honey (or molasses), VE Herb Mustard and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add beans, heat through and serve.
4. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and cheddar cheese if you wish.

Optional garnish: sliced green onions and grated cheddar cheese

Chili Spiced Chicken Wings with Thai Lime Dip

24 split Chicken Wings (tips removed)
1 - 1 1/2 tsp (5 to 7.5ml) VE Fajita or VE Cajun
2 Tbsp (30ml) Vegetable Oil
1 tsp (5ml) Sugar
juice and zest of 1 lime
VE Sea Salt & VE Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp (15ml) VE Chili Seasoning

Dip:
3/4 cup (180ml) plain yogurt or sour cream
1 1/2 tsp VE Thai Seasoning
juice and zest of 1 lime
VE Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp (5ml) sugar

1. Split wings and toss with vegetable oil and lime juice.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and rub onto chicken. Allow chicken to marinate a least 1 hour in refrigerator.
3. Roast wings at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Whisk dip ingredients together and serve with cooked wings.

Seafood Jambalaya

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Medium Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
1/2 lb. scallops
1/2 lb. pork sausage
1 Tbsp flour
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced thin
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 Tbsp VE CAJUN SEASONING
1 1/2 c rice
1 can tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in wok and add shrimp. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until shrimp turn pink.
2. Remove from wok and place in bowl.
3. Place scallops in wok and stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove from wok and place in bowl with shrimp.
4. Add sausage to wok and cook 5 minutes until well browned. Add flour to sausage meat and stir-fry until completely blended.
5. Add onion, garlic, peppers and CAJUN SEASONING to sausage. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
6. Add rice, chopped tomatoes with juice and chicken stock to sausage mixture. Stir well.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
Stir in reserved seafood and cook covered for 5 minutes until heated through.