Spicy Black Bean Burger Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 T ground flax + 3 T water (aka 1 egg)

1 jalapeno (or 1 chipotle pepper)

2 cloves garlic

2 T tomato sauce

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 tsp cumin

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen and defrosted)

avocado for topping

olive oil (or canola oil) for frying burgers

Directions:

Roughly chop jalapeno (or chipotle). Add it and the garlic cloves to a food processor (or high speed blender) and mince finely. (Alternatively, you could chop them yourselves very finely but it's just easier at this point to throw them in a food processor.)

Add one can of beans to the jalapeno/garlic mixture and pulse to combine. Add cumin and salt and pulse until mixture resembles chunky black bean dip.

In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax and water. Let sit for five minutes.

Transfer the mixture in the food processor to a large bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, tomato sauce, flax and corn. Stir well until everything is combined. Add remaining black beans.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Form black bean mixture into patties and fry for about 4 minutes per side, until golden and crusty brown.

Serve burgers with avocado slices, sriracha and ketchup.

Oatmeal Muffins

Best muffins ever! I might make them on a very regular basis. The recipe came from Quaker Oats website.

Ingredients:

 ⅓ cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup skim milk
¼ cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line twelve medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cooking spray.

2. For streusel, in small bowl, combine oats, flour and sugar; mix well. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

3. For muffins, in large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar and baking powder; mix well. In small bowl, combine milk, oil, egg and vanilla; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not over-mix.)

4. Fill muffin cups almost full. Sprinkle with reserved streusel, patting gently.

5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Adapted from Notes from My Food Diary

2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1/3 cup cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini, gently pressed on a colander over a bowl or sink to release some of its moisture
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips, save the 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top of bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, honey, oil, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, cocoa, and flour, mixing until well combined. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Scatter the reserved 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top of the batter.
Bake the bread for 65 to 75 minutes, until the loaf tests done (a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean, save for perhaps a light smear of chocolate from the melted chips).
Remove the bread from the oven, and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack.  Cool completely before slicing; store well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Super moist and super chocolaty. The perfect recipe for the massive (seriously like 14" long) zucchini I found in my garden today :)

Salsa Verde

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 or 2 serrano chiles, cut in half, stems removed (depending on how hot you want it)
1 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
Salt to taste




Method:
To make the salsa, place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, serrano chiles and cilantro in a large pot. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil on high. Continue to boil uncovered for 10 minutes or until the tomatillos go from a bright green to a light, muted green (If the water doesn’t cover them completely, don’t add more water just turn the tomatillos in the pot halfway through the cooking so all sides are exposed to the boiling water). Turn of the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer the pot contents to a blender and blend until smooth. (If you don’t let the vegetables cool, the steam will make the blender lid pop off, which makes for a bit of a mess.) Add salt to taste.

Vegatable Lasagne Bechamel

This recipe comes from the Moosewood low fat recipe cookbook!


1 Tbl. oil
2 Tbl. flour
2 1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
2 C. chopped leeks, white and tender green parts
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 C. dry white wine
1 1/2 C. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 C. broccoli florets
3 C. undrained canned tomatoes(28-ounce cans)
1/3 C. chopped fresh basil
3/4 lb.uncooked lasagna noodles
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. grated mozzarella cheese

Warm the oil in a small saucepan and then stir in the flour, slowly whisk in the milk, 1/2 C. at a time. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens a bit. this bechamel will not be very thick.Add the nutmeg, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. remove from the heat and set aside.
In a heavy or preferably nonstick skillet on medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, leeks, and thyme and saute for 2-3 min. Add the wine, carrots, and broccoli stalks, cover, and simmer for 3-4 min. until all of the vegetables are tender but still firm. add a dash of salt and pepper and set aside. pour the canned tomatoes and juice into a bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. add the fresh basil, stir well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a deep 8x12in. baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
Assemble the lasagna. Layer half of the tomato-basil mixture in the bottom of the dish, top with a single layer of noodles, half of the vegetables and a cup of the bechamel sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and 2 tbl. of the grated mozzarella. Top with a second layer of noodles. and the rest of the vegetables the remaining bechamel sauce and third layer of oodles the rest of the tomato basil mixture and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheeses.
Cover and bake for 50 min. uncover and bake for an additional 10 min. allow the lasagna to rest for 10 min. before serving

Eggplant

Since we have begun to eat a much more vegetable based diet I have come to LOVE eggplant. It has a great flavor (almost nutty?) and texture if you pick a good one (pick them like zucchini, not too big because there will be more seeds and make sure it's firm). Lately some of our favorites are veggie fajitas and eggplant Parmesan and I've even got pictures!

Veggie Fajitas

1 small eggplant (or half a large)
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 onion
Olive oil
Flour Tortillas
Refried Beans
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Lettuce
Tomatoes

Chop to desired size (bite size or a little bigger) and saute in olive oil starting with the onion and ending with the eggplant. Cook until all vegetable are soft. Warm the flour tortillas and serve with desired toppings.

Eggplant Parmesan

2 small eggplant (or 1 large)

1 egg beaten

Breadcrumbs (seasoned or unseasoned)

Olive oil

1/2-1 jar marinara sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti noodles

Slice eggplant to desired thickness (I like mine on the thin side). Dip in egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil. Note: you can also bake the eggplant on a cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes each side

Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

My favorite way to eat gnocchi!

From Bon Appetite:

1 cup frozen baby peas ( I add 2 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream (I might also use 1 cup :)
1/4 tsp reed pepper flakes
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups baby spinach (3oz) (I think I just use the whole bag)
1 tsp lemon zest (I view this as optional)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 lb gnocchi dried
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Simmer peas with cream, red pepper, garlic, and salt, covered until tender about 5 minutes.
Add spinach and cook over medium-low heat until wilted stirring often.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.
Meanwhile cook gnocchi in boiling water until tender (they will float), reserving a 1/2 cup of cooking water (this is where I add in the extra cream).
Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and cooking water (or extra cream) and stir to coat.

So maybe I change this recipe a lot, oh well, have fun making your own version!

Creamy Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

This is a great recipe for those cold winter days when you want something warm to eat. Even better is that it is loaded with tons of vegetables! Feel free to add/substitute whatever vegetables that you have on hand. We usually substitute the mushrooms with eggplant and add yellow squash or zucchini. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 carrot, diced

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped small

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup green beans

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup vegetable broth

2/3 cup

2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

4 potatoes, chopped

¼ cup butter

¼ cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the vegetables and steam just until tender.

Boil the potatoes until soft.

 In a large saucepan combine melt butter, whisk in flour until combined and bubbly.

Add milk and vegetable broth, and sage.

 Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, stirring constantly.

Add vegetables and toss until vegetables are coated with gravy mixture.

Drain and mash potatoes with butter, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Spread the vegetables in a large baking dish, and spread the potato mixture on top.

 Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly golden.

Black Bean Chilaquile aka Amy's Mexican Bowls

This recipe comes from the amazing Moosewood Restaurant (Low-fat Favorites Cookbook) and is a new favorite at our house. It is packed full of vegetables and the Blender Hot Sauce is so good, but if you are in a hurry you can use any salsa or I bet enchilada sauce would be really good too. When we were eating this all I kept thinking was how it tasted just like Amy's frozen Mexican bowls. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!

Black Bean Chilaquile

1 cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 ½ cups cooked black beans (15-ounce can drained)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about half a lime)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups rinsed, stemmed and chopped Swiss chard OR spinach

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

2 cups red salsa or Blender Hot Sauce

Preheat oven to 350.

Sauté onions in oil until they are translucent, about 8 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for 5 to 10 minutes until heated through.

Blanch greens in boiling water until just wilted and bright green, drain and set aside. (Note: I sautéed my spinach with about a half cup of the salsa until just wilted and bright green).

Prepare a casserole dish (8x8 or 9x12) with a very light coating of oil. Spread half of the crushed chips on the bottom. Spoon sautéed vegetables over chips and sprinkle two-thirds of the cheese. Arrange the greens evenly over the cheese and spoon on half the salsa (1/2 cup if you sautéed the spinach in salsa). Finish with the remaining chips and top with remaining salsa and cheese (I also added some olives on top).

Bake for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Enjoy!

Blender Hot Sauce

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 or 2 fresh green chiles (I used jalapenos), seeds removed (for more spice add seeds)

5 cloves garlic minced

4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes OR 3 cups chopped canned tomatoes with their juice (28-ounce can)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a blender or food processor combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth. Transfer to sauce pan and simmer on low uncovered for about 30 minutes. Sauce should thicken and the flavors should be mellowed. Stir often as it cooks to prevent sticking.

Will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge (you could probably freeze it as well).

Betty Crocker Mac & Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

¼ cup butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground mustard

¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (one 8oz block)

Heat oven to 350.

Cook macaroni as directed on package.

While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, mustard and flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.

Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes.

Aubrey’s notes:

Use large elbow macaroni for best results (they don’t have these in NY or VA but they do in UT)

Play with the cheese, mix it up a bit. Sharp or extra sharp cheddar is really good, but a mild cheese (jack or regular cheddar) lets you taste the spices more.  Depends what you’re feeling like!

This is a great recipe to use your LeCreuset pot! Make the cheese mixture in it and then add the noodles and throw it in the oven uncovered, you’ll dirty fewer dishes.

Sprinkle extra cheese over the top before you put it in the oven, it will add a crunchy layer of cheese on the top.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

From: Real Simple Magazine

20- Jumbo pasta shells (about half a 12 ounce box)

1- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce

2- 15 ounce containers ricotta (or one large container I think they’re 32 ounces)

2 cups- baby spinach washed and chopped (about half a bag)

½ cup- grated parmesan (2 ounces)

½ tsp- salt

¼ tsp- pepper

1 cup- grated mozzarella (4 ounces)

1.       Set over rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400F.

2.       Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water until cool.

3.       Spread the marinara sauce in bottom of a large baking dish.

4.       In a bowl combine the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce.

5.       Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake until shells are heated through 10 to 12 minutes.

6.       Increase heat to broil. Broil shells until the cheese begins to brown 2 to 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Moosewood Creamy Potato Soup

My all-time favorite potato soup from the world famous Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. All of their recipes are vegetarian.

Serves 4 to 6

3 to 4 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 large potatoes, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
2 large carrot, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1 ½ cups milk
4 ounces of cream cheese or Neufchatel
2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese


In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the butter until the onions are translucent. Add the potatoes and carrots and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Add the stock and simmer until all the vegetables are tender.

Puree the vegetables with the cream cheese and milk in a blender or food processor (or use a hand blender in the pot). Return the soup to the soup pot. Stir in the cheddar cheese and reheat gently.

Serve each cup or bowl garnished with chopped fresh parsley. A simple green salad is the perfect complement because opposites attract.