Fool a Carnivore

French Onion Soup – My Ultimate Cold Weather Comfort Food

Date: January 27, 2026 / By Nancy Olah

Winter Storm Fern has moved on, but it is still very cold in the Carolinas. Sunday afternoon I made soup stock from aging vegetables in my produce bin and used that stock to make my favorite cold weather comfort food – French Onion Soup.

I learned how to make this delicious soup from watching Julia Child in The French Chef when I was in my early teens. Unlike Julia, I don’t use beef stock – I now use Better than Bouillion No Beef Base to give it that meaty flavor that can fool a carnivore. Want to know how? Read on!

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Vegan Barbecue Worth Eating

June 28, 2025 / By Nancy Olah

Although I know how to make a killer barbecue sauce, the problem up to now has been finding a worthy vegetable protein. Enter Barvecue Smokehouse, made just up the road from me in Cornelius, North Carolina. Barvecue Pulled BVQ has a unique, meaty texture and delivers nine grams of protein per ...

Meaty Baked Ziti

May 8, 2025 / By Nancy Olah

Lasagna is one of my favorite pasta dishes. It’s my go to dish for a crowd and the very first recipe I wrote for my Fool a Carnivore cookbook. I’ve been thinking about ways to make it simpler to assemble while still providing all the elements of a great tasting lasagna. I’ve decided that layering ...

Fusion Fettuccine

February 19, 2025 / By Nancy Olah

Vegan caviar made from seaweed? I continue to be amazed at the plant-based versions of foods that I thought I would never eat again! I initially bought Caviart® plant-based caviar to motivate me to improve my sushi-making skills or to garnish blini (thin Russian buckwheat pancakes). Both dishes ...

Summery Seitan with Bulldog BBQ Sauce

August 8, 2024 / By Nancy Olah

As an Ohio transplant to the Carolinas who doesn't eat meat, I've never gotten into the debate about which state has the best barbecue sauce. North Carolinians love vinegar based barbecue sauce, whereas South Carolinians swear by a tangy mustard based sauce. I recently discovered a type of ...

Chili Crisp Chick’n Scallopini

October 25, 2023 / By Nancy Olah

For the past two years, I’ve been obsessed with Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp. But last night was the first time I used Fly By Jing Chili Crisp Vin as a marinade for Gardein Lightly Seasoned Chick’n Scallopini. Not counting the marinating time (roughly two hours in the fridge, during which I also cooked…

Quick Chick’n Piccata for Two with Fruity Brussels Sprouts

January 24, 2023 / By Nancy Olah

My slow cooker gets a lot of use during the winter months. But sometimes I don’t have the time to prep early in the day and am scrambling to come up with a quick dinner that I can have on the table in 20-30 minutes. That’s when an old standby like Gardein’s Chick’n Scallopini comes…

Vegan Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

October 5, 2022 / By Nancy Olah

Gardein’s plant-based be’f tips (formerly Beefless Tips) is one of the most versatile vegan products on the market. I’ve used it in recipes ranging from Beef Stroganoff to Beef and Mushrooms Berkeley, and have begun experimenting with it in Asian dishes. Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein is a classic staple in Chinese restaurants, but you can make it…

Heatwave Supper Salad

August 2, 2022 / By Nancy Olah

With temperatures in triple digits for the third consecutive week, who feels like turning on the oven? Not me! One of my favorite quick weeknight suppers when it is much too hot to turn on the oven is my ultra flexible main course salad with Gardein Chipotle Lime Flavored Chick’n Tenders. Just 6 to 7…

Triple Citrus Fennel Avocado Salad

May 25, 2022 / By Nancy Olah

As the days get warmer, I find myself looking for interesting salads that are filling enough to make a satisfying vegan dinner – so I don’t have to turn on the oven or slave over the cooktop! Since spinach is a great source of vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, as well as one…

Lemony Sugar Snap Pea Pappardelle – the Perfect Springtime Pasta!

May 10, 2022 / By Nancy Olah

Sugar Snap Peas are one of my favorite spring vegetables. Paired with leeks, purple scallions, orange and yellow peppers, Meyer lemon, and Gardein Meatless Chick’n Strips, they produced a bright and colorful dinner that was a snap to make. (Pardon the pun!) Sugar snap peas take only a few minutes to prepare, but “stringing them”…

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