Fantastic Veggie Burgers

My parents just sent me my favorite vegetarian cookbook in the whole wide world: Vegetarian Planet. I had to make something from it for Sunday night dinner; I literally looked through the whole book on Sunday morning, so there was no other choice. After hemming and hawing, we decided to make Curried Carrot-Walnut Burgers with a side of Toasted Sesame Slaw. The burgers have a meaty consistency from the ground nuts and beans that really boost up the powerful flavor from the curry, coriander, and fennel. The slaw couldn't be an easier way to add punch to any barbecue meal.


Toasted Sesame Slaw (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1/2 small green cabbage head, cored and sliced as thin as possible
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, grated or cut into thin julienne strips
1 1/2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. sesame seeds
3 Tbs. dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

1. Put the cabbage into a bowl with the red onion, and fluff the cabbage and onion with your hands to separate the pieces. Add the carrot, and mix well.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt. Add the dressing to the cabbage and onion, and mix well. Refrigerate the slaw for at least 1 hour so the cabbage can soften.
3. Toast the sesame seeds to bring out their flavor: Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds, let them sit for 30 seconds, then begin to shake the pan periodically. If you are using white seeds, toast them until they are uniformly browned; if you have black seeds, toast them until they taste nutty and toasted. Transfer the seeds to a small plate, and let them cool.
4. Just before serving, add the sesame seeds and peanuts to the slaw, and toss well.

Curried Carrot-Walnut Burgers (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Make sure you use a soft roll with your burger. We tried to use a crunchy-crusted roll, and the burgers were too soft to hold together with the tougher outside.

2 Tbs. canola or corn oil, or a bit more
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups (about 4 oz.) sliced white button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans; canned ones are fine)
4 medium carrots, grated
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
unbleached white flour (for dredging and forming the burgers)
5 to 6 slices cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute it, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the spices, and continue cooking, stirring often, for 3 minutes more. Add the mushrooms, and saute 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Take the pan off the heat.
2. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor. Add the chickpeas. Run the machine in 1-second spurts until the mushrooms and chickpeas are well chopped (do not puree them).
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and mix in the carrots, walnuts, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into five patties, using plenty of flour to dust your hands and to prevent the patties from getting sticky.
4. In a large skillet (not non-stick), heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Cook the burgers without crowding them, until the undersides are a deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the burgers, and cook them about 4 minutes more. (If you need to do this in two batches, add a bit more oil once the first batch of burgers is done.) If you want to make cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese over each burger after flipping it, and let the cheese melt while the burgers finish cooking. Serve the burgers hot.

Quick and Easy

Adam and I wanted a light meal the other night after coming home from an extravagant day of eating and drinking in Lodi. Luckily, we had previously planned on making a simple recipe from Cooking Light: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa. It was a perfect way to end the night with a bit of nutrients from the chicken, tofu, and avocado, a bit of crunch from our baked corn chips, and bit of fun with our homemade margaritas.

To bake the corn chips, we just put corn tortillas coated with cooking spray under the broiler until crisp.

Adam makes the most amazing margaritas by mixing 1 part Cointreau with 2 parts lime juice and 3 parts tequila (I think, he always makes them--aren't I lucky?). Add the tequila to taste, depending on how strong you like your drinks. Don't forget to rim your glasses with salt!

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa (Cooking Light, April 2009)

I recommend marinating the chicken or tofu in the lime juice and cilantro longer or to make some extra and use it to top off the grilled protein. Without the extra marinade, the flavors don't come through quite as much as you would like.

Chicken [tofu]
2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
2 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
cooking spray

Salsa
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (about 2)
2 Tbs. finely chopped onion
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

1. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss and let stand 3 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.
2. To prepare salsa, combine tomato and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.

Mac n' Cheese

For some strange reason, I have been craving some mac n' cheese. I found a recipe for a quick and easy mac n' cheese that seemed pretty delicious, and was I right! It was super fast; it actually took less time than I had expected it to. I served it with my mom's traditional mac n' cheese sides of peas and stewed tomatoes. I'm still eating the leftovers and loving every bite.

Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese (Cooking Light, June 2006)

4 cups uncooked medium elbow macaroni
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1/4 cup (2 oz.) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Worcesteshire sauce [this isn't vegetarian, so I used soy sauce]
1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese [I have to admit that I used the full-fat version of the cheese]

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, place flour, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Drop cream cheese by teaspoonfuls into milk mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes or until thick and cream cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add Cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Combine pasta and cheese sauce in a large bowl; toss well.

California Fresh

Even though I have been dancing a lot on weekday evenings, I have been trying to make actual meals for us to eat rather than have us just scrounge around the fridge for food to eat. This meal doesn't actually make the cut for a speedy weeknight meal, but I tried it as such and I was running around the kitchen like a chicken without a head. This artichoke pasta and fig salad are wonderfully delicious but would make a much better Sunday night dinner when you can sit back, relax, and share a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.


Spinach Salad with Feta, Almonds, and Black Mission Fig Vinaigrette (The Dancing Gourmet, Linda Hymes)

3 Tbs. flaked almonds
1 tsp. butter
10 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
2 Tbs. dried cranberries
1/3 cup reduced fat or regular feta cheese, crumbled

Fig vinaigrette
1/4 cup dried black mission figs
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. honey
salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1. Soak figs in 1/2 cup boiling water for 5 minutes then place fig and soaking juice in a blender and process to a puree. Add remaining dressing ingredients and blend until liquefied. (Add a little water if dressing seems too thick.) Set aside.
2. Heat butter in a small skillet. Add almonds and saute just until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl to cool, then mix with spinach, cranberries, and feta. Toss with just enough dressing to coat leaves and serve at once.


Pasta with Artichokes and Fresh Ricotta (Cooking Light, April 2009)

The artichokes take a long time to prepare because you have to take off a lot of the leaves. It feels so wasteful too. I think next time I try this recipe I will use frozen artichoke hearts to shorten up and ease the prep time. Hopefully all of the flavor will remain, because the flavor is fantastic!

4 cups water
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
4 medium artichoke hearts
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 Tbs. chopped fresh garlic
3/4 tsp. fine sea salt, divided
3 cups uncooked penne rigate pasta (about 12 oz. tube-shaped pasta)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese [we actually used skim-milk cheese]
3/4 cup (3 oz.) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Combine 4 cups water and juice. Cut off stem of each artichoke to within 1 inch of base; peel stem. Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender heart and bottom. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon. Thinly slice each artichoke heart; place in lemon water. Drain.
2. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Add artichokes and 1/4 tsp. salt; cover and cook 10 minutes or until artichokes are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Combine remaining 1 Tbs. oil, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, artichoke mixture, pasta, reserved cooking liquid, parsley, and pepper in a large bowl, tossing to combine. Add ricotta in spoonfuls, stirring gently to combine. Spoon 1 1/3 cups pasta mixture into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 2 Tbs. Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Paella

Adam and I were trying to figure out something new and different that we had never made before to have for one of our Wednesday night dinners. We also had the stipulation of making something not spicy, because one of our neighbors really doesn't enjoy spice. We though paella would be a wonderful thing to make with seafood and sausage and easy to divide into vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. We were right! It was fairly simple and only used to pots to make an immense amount of a flavorful, healthy, complete meal.


Paella Our Way

I used a combination of two recipes, Paella Valencia and Quick Vegetarian Paella, from which I took bits and pieces of each and then added a bit of my own ideas. I got both recipes off of the Cooking Light website. I am sure that those recipes would be wonderful as they are currently written, but I combined them to make sure there were both a lot of vegetables as well as seafood and meat.

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3/4 lbs. scallops
3 large links of sausage or chorizo, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 Tbs. capers, drained
1/4 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
2/3 cup white wine
21 oz. vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
18 (3/4 lbs.) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add scallops to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until scallops are done. Place scallops in a medium bowl. Add sausage to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until browned. Add sausage to bowl. [We did this process at the end in a separate pan so that the meat wouldn't mix with the vegetarian portion of the paella, but this isn't necessary if you aren't worried about the meat/veggie mixing.]
2. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan [or in a separate pan]; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato, capers, and saffron; cook 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, rice, wine, and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Stir in peas, artichokes, and pepper. Separate into veggie and non-veggie at this time, if desired. Add the mussels, scallops, sausage, 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook 8 minutes over medium heat or until mussels open; discard any unopened shells. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro. Let stand 3 minutes.

Easter Brinner

Adam and I really wanted to celebrate Easter by preparing a brunch. The only issue was that our guests were unavailable for brunch. No problem--we just made the brunch for dinner (hence calling it brinner). We made an outrageous amount of food including a spinach and gruyere quiche, a roasted asparagus salad, a shrimp salad, and sticky pecan buns to top it all off. I must say it was quite a feast!


Spinach and Gruyere Quiche (Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bridal Edition)

We made a variation on the quiche Lorraine recipe from Betty Crocker. It actually only vaguely resembles the original recipe. I will try to give you exactly what we did, but the wonderful thing about quiche is that you can add any vegetables and any cheese along with egg and milk to a pie crust, bake it, and end up with a fantastic meal.

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. shortening [butter]
2 to 3 Tbs. cold water

1. Measure 2 Tbs. water into liquid measuring cup; set aside. Place shortening, flour, and salt in food processor. Cover and process, using quick on-and-off motions, until mixture is crumbly. With food processor running, pour water all at once through feed tube just until dough leaves side of bowl (dough should not form a ball).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. If desired, wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes to firm up the shortening slightly, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky and lets the water absorb evenly throughout the dough. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
3. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4 inches, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate; or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate; pressing firmly against bottom and side being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.

Filling
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Make pastry. Fold pastry into fourths; place in quiche dish, 9 x 1 1/2 inches, or pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4 inches. Unfold and ease into dish, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
3. Sprinkle spinach and cheese in pastry-lined quiche dish. Beat eggs slightly in large bowl with fork or wire whisk. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into quiche dish. Bake 15 minutes.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.


Roasted Asparagus Salad with Pecorino, Lemon, and Olive Oil (Cooking Light, April 2009)

This makes a huge amount. Not to worry, because there won't be much left--it's that good.

2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 cups torn Boston lettuce (about 2 small heads)
2 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 6 slices
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (1 oz.) shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Place asparagus on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper; toss well. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on pan. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender, tossing once. Cool slightly.
3. Arrange lettuce on a large platter. Top with asparagus and egg slices. Combine remaining 2 Tbs. oil, juice, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over asparagus and lettuce. Top with cheese. Serve immediately.


Shrimp Salad with Blood Oranges and Slivered Fennel (Cooking Light, April 2009)

We wanted to add a fresh, non-vegetarian dish to the meal. I think this shrimp salad worked in perfect harmony with the rest of our springy, clean components of our feast.

1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice (about 1 orange)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
cooking spray
3 blood oranges, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices
2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 small)
chopped fennel fronds (optional)

1. Combine orange juice, lemon juice, 1 1/2 Tbs. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper, stirring with with a whisk.
2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
3. Combine shrimp, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. oil, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; toss to coat. Thread 4 shrimp onto each of 6 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from skewers; keep warm.
4. Divide orange slices evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with 1/2 cup fennel and 6 shrimp. Drizzle 1 Tbs. dressing over each serving. Sprinkle with fennel fronds, if desired.


Pecan Sticky Rolls (Cooking Light, September 2008)

These take a LONG time to make. They are absolutely delicious, but they are definitely a time commitment. The sauce was a bit grainy for my taste, but if you are craving a sticky bun while trying to maintain a healthy diet, these are certainly worth the effort.

Dough
3/4 cup warm skim milk (100 to 110 degrees)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1/2 cup egg substitute [or 2 eggs]
3 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled
4 cups all-purpose flour (about 18 oz.), divided
cooking spray

Sauce
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter, melted
2 Tbs. hot water
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbs. butter, melted

1. To prepare dough, combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture. Add egg substitute and 3 Tbs. melted butter; stir until well combined.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 3 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture; stir until smooth. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tbs. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough with feel slightly soft and tacky).
4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 45 minutes. Punch dough down and turn over in bowl; lightly coat with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
5. To prepare sauce, combine brown sugar, 3 Tbs. butter, and 2 Tbs. hot water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Scrape brown sugar mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly with pecans, and set aside.
6. To prepare filling, combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 1 1/2 Tbs. melted butter. Sprinkle granulated sugar mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Beginning with a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 15 slices (approximately 1 inch wide). Arrange slices, cut sides up, in prepared pan. Lightly coat rolls with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350.
8. Uncover rolls, and bake at 250 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; carefully invert onto serving platter.

Completely Homemade

When all of our wonderful guests had finally gone, Adam and I wanted to make a fantastic meal for each other completely from scratch. The weather was beautiful and so we wanted something really fresh and light. We decided to make homemade fettuccine with an arugula pesto accompanied by a simple salad of greens with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. To make the meal really simple, buy fresh pasta from the grocery store--it will still taste absolutely wonderful. (The recipe for the pasta is in Impress the Guests.) We are still using the leftover arugula pesto to adorn various snacks and sandwiches.
Linguine with Arugula Pesto (Cooking Light, April 2009)

12 oz. uncooked linguine
1 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups loosely packed arugula
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6 Tbs. grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Place pasta in a bowl.
2. Place 1 Tbs. pine nuts and garlic in a food processor; process until minced. Add arugula and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper), and process until well combined.
3. Add arugula mixture and reserved cooking liquid to serving bowl; toss well to coat. Serve with cheese.