Vegetarian Bean Burgers

Let me share a secret with you: what makes most burgers taste the way they do (unless you're one of those people that just eats it plain) is the condiments, not the burger itself. These burgers, with condiments, will taste almost exactly like a regular burger, though the texture is a little different

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of black beans (I use low sodium, but that's optional)
• 2 cups cooked sushi rice
• 1 medium onion, ends cut off and paper removed, quartered
• 2 jalapeno peppers, half and seeds removed
• 3 cloves of garlic, paper and end removed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Put both cans of black beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Drain, and shake until as dry as possible (patties will not form if too much moisture remains on the beans!) Set aside

Place the onion, peppers, and garlic in a food processor or blender (I recommend a food processor, as blenders tend to suck a certain amount towards the bottom and then fail to process the rest) and pulse until everything is roughly chopped. Be careful not to over-process or the onion will liquefy. Scrap into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Put half of the beans and approximately 1/2 of the rice into the food processor and blend until totally smooth. Mix the puree and remaining beans and rice in with the onion mixture. Stir well. The mixture should stick together without being crumbly or too liquid (shouldn't ooze off the side of your hand if you pick up a handful)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pat mixture into approximately eight flat, round patties. If the patties are not flat, they may break when you flip them.

Bake for 10 minutes. Gently flip the burgers, making sure the spatula is under the whole burger before lifting. Bake 10 more minutes.

If you want to add cheese, do so in the last minute of baking.

Enjoy!


Notes:

These are also excellent with sour cream and chives as an appetizer (if you cook them in smaller patties, keep an eye on them so they don't burn)

They reheat well in toaster ovens, but microwaving tends to make the patties soggy.

Quick and Easy: Herb and Tomato Pasta

I like this recipe for its simplicity and how pretty it looks on a plate. It's quick, easy, and can be served either hot or cold.

Ingredients:
1 box pasta noodles of your choice (I recommend thin spaghetti or linguine)
1 can diced tomatoes, low sodium (If using fresh tomatoes, substitute about two cups chopped.)
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon fresh chopped marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
Chopped parsley to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions or until desired texture. Set aside for warm, or drain and set in refrigerator for cold pasta.

Put all other ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Toss with pasta.

Cheatsheet: Make your own Greek Yogurt (kind of)

This wonder food deserves it's own place in the pantheon of great foods you can get cheaply. It can be used in place of sour cream (much healthier) and eaten instead of "regular" yogurt (also usually healthier)

Let me start by saying that you don't have to buy those little 1.50 per tiny yogurt sized ones. In fact, you can get a giant tub for about the same price.

How?

1. Buy the biggest tub you can find of plain, regular yogurt. No flavorings at this step if you want it to turn out right.
2. Place a large strainer in a bowl slightly smaller than it, so there's at least two inches between the bowl and the strainer bottom.
3. Place a clean, unscented dish towel in the strainer, making sure the sides are covered.
4. Empty the yogurt into the dishtowel
5. Keep and clean out the yogurt container and reserve
6. Cover the strainer/bowl/yogurt with a large round plate and place in refrigerator.
7. Leave overnight (for firm) or for 3 hours (for smooth)
8. Lift the plate off and check for the desired consistency: in my case this means if I lift the towel out, it retains the shape of the strainer.
9. Scoop back into container and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Now, if you over-shoot the firmness you want, you can stir back in small amount of the liquid that has drained off the yogurt.

After this, you can add in fruit, honey, or whatever else you desire.

Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding

If you never liked rice pudding, you'll like this.

If you hate the smell of burning popcorn, this may change your mind.

Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding

1/3 cup Jasmine rice (I haven't tried this with another type yet, so do so at your own risk)
1 14oz can of unsweetened coconut milk, not low fat
1/3 cup white sugar (brown sugar will make this too sweet)

Makes about 2 cups (6 servings)
Tip: Have all your ingredients out and measured when you start the recipe: this will not only keep you from having to struggle around for it, but also keeps you from burning the rice.

Pour rice into medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and shake constantly until all rice is browned, about the color of brown sugar. Will put off a strong scent not unlike burning popcorn. YOU MUST KEEP STIRRING OR THE RICE WILL BURN.

Add the coconut milk and sugar to the pan and reduce heat to low. Stir to combine. Wait for it to come to a boil again, then cover with tight fitting lid and set a timer for 20 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes for the first 15 minutes, then stir every other minute until done. This should make al dente (slightly chewy) rice, so you can cook longer if you want it really soft.

Serve warm or cold

Eggplant Lasagna

This is a great recipe for the vegetarian in your life. Or for making lasagna just a little bit healthier.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (leave peel on!)
Olive Oil
Ground black pepper (fresh if possible)
1 32-oz package of mushrooms sliced at about 1/2 inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 cup grated Romano, divided
1 cup shredded mozarella, divided
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 jar Barilla Spicy Marinara or similar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 oiled sheet pans. Brush on top with olive oil and grind pepper over. Bake slices 15 minutes, then turn gently. Brush tops with olive oil and grind pepper over again. Bake additional 10 minutes or until a fork poked into the thickest part of any of the slices slides in easily. Drop oven temperature to 350.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute over medium high heat about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Mushrooms should be soft. Once the mushrooms are cooked remove and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/4 cup romano, 1/2 cup mozarella, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.

Spread 1/3 of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay eggplant slices to cover the marinara without overlapping and smooth over with ricotta mixture. Spread another 1/3 of the marinara on top of the ricotta mixture, then another layer of eggplant and ricotta. Top with last of eggplant, then marinara, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.

If you'd like, you can freeze the casserole before baking. It will keep in the freezer for a few months, then you just bake it for about 10 minutes longer to ensure the middle is cooked through.

I have also noted in making this recipe that you CANNOT put anything else in the oven while this is cooking or it won't get done. Not being a scientist, I couldn't tell you why, but I know it does happen.

Also make sure your eggplant gets done in the first step, or it won't taste right no matter how long you cook it in the last step.

Tips for picking your eggplant

When you go to the grocery store, make sure to pick an eggplant with as close to unblemished skin as you can find. The skin should be the same deep purple all over and the greenery at the head of the plant should look relatively fresh. It should feel heavy, make a hollow "pock" noise if you flick it with your fingernail, and should not be overly soft.

Quite a while back I heard that you should pick "innie" eggplants rather than "outies". I don't know what the wisdom of that was meant to be, but it has served me well. When you're picking your eggplant, check the bottom to see whether the little brown spot (where the flower was) is pushing out or tucked in. Go for the tucked in.

Ginger Gems

A simple, quick, dessert recipe for today to tantalize your tastebuds. This is what I call a "no kids" batch (in other words, very small)

Ginger Gems

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs freshly grated ginger (you can also use thawed ginger cubes like the ones produced by Dorot. They last pretty darned long too.)
1 1/4 cup flour
3-6 oz chopped candied ginger to taste

Directions
Heat oven to 375
In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar, and salt until creamy. Add egg, mix well. Add vanilla and ginger root, mix well. Add flour and blend until all lumps are gone. Mix in the ginger, making sure to spread it evenly throughout (otherwise you'll have a handful of just vaguely ginger scented sugar cookies) Drop heaping tablespoons on an ungreased cookie sheet and mash slightly. These cookies barely spread at all so you can place them pretty close together. Bake for 12 minutes. Warning they will not brown, so be careful not to overcook. Unless your oven runs a little cold, twelve minutes is perfect for slightly soft cookies.

Granola

Having stumbled upon a pretty good recipe in Frontier Heritage Cookbook, I then proceeded to change almost everything about it because...well, I hate walnuts. The result lasted less than 24 hours as my husband, myself, and my dear friend Cathy munched blissfully away.

This recipe can be edited to suit your particular tastes: consider it a general guideline of delicious.

Homemade Granola Cereal
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups quick-cook oats (such as Quaker)
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds, unsalted
1/4 cup flax seeds
3/4 cup butter (that's 1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (or 4 tsp) vanilla extract

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and butter the foil well. Add oats, coconut, almonds, and flax seeds and spread evenly. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes, stirring several times. (if you have an oven that is hotter at the back than the front, you should turn the pan halfway through)

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and honey over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until bubbling. (Be careful! The bubbles come up quickly and will make an awful mess if they hit your stove). Remove from heat.

Turn up oven to 350. Add the butter mixture to the oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combine. Bake 10 minutes or until bubbly. (again, turning halfway through for hot ovens)

Let cool, then put into a plastic bag and seal tightly to last for up to a month.

General Announcement

In the interest of keeping up a steady flow of recipes, I'm scheduling new posts until the end of the month. With all luck (and planning) we should see posts every Monday and Wednesday for the next few months at least.

Quick and Easy: Broccoli Kimpara

I am one of those people who doesn't like to steam the broccoli stalks when I'm making broccoli for dinner or snacks or whatever. At the same time, I really hate throwing away such a large portion of anything I've bought. So Broccoli Kimpara is the perfect solution!

Ingredients:
1 tbs oil (I prefer vegetable, but it's up to you)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
4 stalks of broccoli, florets cut off

Directions
Cut the broccoli stalks in half width-wise, then slice into matchstick thin pieces. Heat a skillet over medium heat with the oil, then add broccoli pieces. Stir fry until the broccoli becomes a bright shade of green, approximately 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Eat hot or cold.

In my experience, this recipe will keep in your refrigerator in a air-tight container for about a week. Anything longer and it starts to get that rotten broccoli smell.