Black bean sliders

Posted on February 1, 2012 by lilothis

When I started this Going Veggie challenge, I knew burgers would be one of the meals I would miss. A new burger place opened near me recently, and I had been craving their blue cheese and caramelized onion burger for weeks before I even started this vegetarian challenge. So, I knew I needed to find a good substitute.

I tried a couple of chickpea burgers but nothing felt inspired. I was unsure about a black bean burger — Why would I want my burger to taste like beans? — but my concerns were unfounded. This is a damn fine burger substitute. A hearty, thick patty with a lot of flavor and a lot of toppings, all held together by a crispy, buttery bun. I swoon.

My version is inspired by Eat Live Run’s spicy black bean burgers, with a few changes. The patties are smaller and perfect to top a whole wheat roll instead of a hamburger bun. I substituted tomato paste instead of tomato sauce because I didn’t need the extra liquid since I’m using a whole egg and because tomato paste has an intense flavor I love. And these sliders don’t have the spice of the original recipe. But that can be fixed with some hot sauce if you’re so inclined.Black bean sliders
Makes four slider-size patties.

1 14-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup panko or very dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbsp butter
4 whole wheat rolls

Toppings: hummus, avocado, lettuce, tomato, etc.

Add the beans and garlic to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Mix until the mixture is the consistency of a chunky dip, with some beans still whole or halfway whole.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, egg, panko and corn. Stir until combined.

Cut the rolls in thirds, removing and setting aside the center third. (This portion can be made into breadcrumbs or used for another recipe.) Heat one tablespoon butter in a medium skillet until it sizzles when you move the skillet but has not smoked or browned. Place the cut sides of the rolls in the pan and cook, checking often, until browned. Remove rolls from the pan and wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Return the pan to medium heat, and add the remaining butter.

Form the bean mixture into small, slider-size patties and begin to add to the pan once the butter is hot. Cook until brown, about five minutes, being careful not to move the patties too much so they don’t fall apart. Turn patties over and cook on the other side until brown, about three minutes.

Spread hummus on the crispy rolls, and top with a patty, sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato and any other goodies you can fit on top. Serve.

Cauliflower masala

Posted on January 30, 2012 by lilothis

Going Veggie challenge day: 23
Meaty meals eaten: 3 (oops) <– Yeah. I had bacon.

I’m finding Indian food, unlike Tex-Mex to be a vegetarian-friendly cuisine. Most sauces, or “gravies,” as the instructor in an Indian cooking class I took last year called them, can be used to cover just about anything — chickpeas, chicken, lamb, paneer or, in this case, cauliflower. I’m sure there is much about this recipe that is not at all traditional, but that’s part of the fun — take something you like (such as chana masala) and breathe new life into it with the substitution of a vegetable I (and maybe some of you) rarely eat.

This recipe is a mash-up of a Pin from Journey Kitchen and a Smitten Kitchen adaptation of Madhur Jaffrey’s classic chana masala, adapted to what I had and how I like my Indian food. I hope you’ll find it easier than some other recipes and just as delicious.

I ate mine with garlic naan, but you could add some more vegetables with a salad or substitute quinoa or barley for the traditional Basmati rice.

Cauliflower masala
Serves four.

1 small head cauliflower, divided into small florets
6 Tbsp butter (or butter substitute)
1 tsp chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 red onion, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala (add more if you prefer a spicier dish)
1 14-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp heavy cream (leave out for a vegan version)
1/2 to 3/4 cup vegetable broth, depending on how thick you want your sauce.

Melt three tablespoons butter over medium in a large skillet. Add chili powder, half the garlic, half the ginger and all of the salt. Cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add the cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until florets brown a little, about five minutes. Add water, cover the skillet, and cook until cauliflower is just tender, about five minutes. Remove cauliflower from the heat and set aside.

Melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion and let cook until tender, about five minutes. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and the turmeric and garam masala and stir together, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste and vegetable broth.

Let the sauce come to a boil, turn down the heat to medium, then add the heavy cream. Add the cauliflower, and cook until cauliflower is cooked through.

Broccoli-basil macaroni and cheese

Posted on January 20, 2012 by lilothis

Going Veggie challenge day: 13
Meaty meals eaten: 2 (oops)

The hardest cuisine to eat right now seems to be Tex-Mex. Maybe it’s because Tex-Mex is ubiquitous in Dallas, so I know what I usually order and have trouble finding an alternative. Or maybe it’s because Tex-Mex food isn’t exactly brimming with healthy vegetarian options. Yeah, I can order a cheese enchilada drenched in cheese sauce or a giant, fried bean chalupa covered in what is meant to be lettuce but is actually a cross between lettuce and that crimped paper that is sometimes used to protect items during shipping. Or maybe — and most likely — I’m just not the hugest fan of Tex-Mex. Give me a margarita any day, but can I use it to wash down my macaroni and cheese?

This recipe has absolutely nothing to do with Tex-Mex. I have Mexican food on my mind because I’m hoping to find something healthy and vegetarian on the menu when we go out for a birthday dinner tonight. This recipe is definitely not Mexican. There’s no tequila in sight. But it does have cheese, and it’s mighty good food.

Broccoli-basil macaroni and cheese
Serves 8 to 10. Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

I found that the dish needed salt, so I added it to the breadcrumbs in the recipe below. I also increased the amount of cherry tomatoes and basil recommended, since I didn’t think the final dish tasted basil-y or tomato-y enough.

1 small butternut, acorn, or other winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks
olive oil
2 bunches of basil
2 slices good brown bread, stale or dried out in the oven
1/2 a small head of broccoli, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
3 cups of grated cheese (I used cheddar and swiss)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3 cups whole wheat macaroni elbows or other small pasta (I used fusilli)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Put a large pot of water on to boil.

Place the squash on a large, foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

In the meantime, pulse the leaves of one bunch of basil, all of the bread, the broccoli, a tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt in a food processor until it’s finely chopped. The mixture will be a bit damp — that’s fine. Transfer to a small bowl, and rinse out the processor.

In a large bowl, combine the crème fraîche and grated cheeses.

Place the cherry tomatoes in the food processor with the remaining basil leaves. Pulse a couple of times to break things up, then add to the crème fraîche mixture and stir well.

Boil the pasta in well-salted water for a bit less time than the package suggests — you want it a bit undercooked. Drain, reserving a big cup of the hot pasta water for later use. Add the pasta to the large bowl that contains the cheese mixture. Add the squash and give it all a good stir. Add pasta water to thin the sauce to the consistency of cream. It can be a bit runny as the pasta will soak it up in the oven.

Transfer everything to a large baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle the green breadcrumbs evenly across the top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is crunchy. Remove from the oven, and wait 10 minutes before serving.

Black bean soup

Posted on January 19, 2012 by lilothis

Going Veggie challenge day: 12
Meaty meals eaten: 2 (oops)

Let’s start with confessions.

I confess that I had two bites of a meat-sauce covered cheese enchilada (which I stupidly assumed would be covered in cheese sauce instead). And it was gross.

I confess that I’m not really into meat at all right now, but I can see myself having a chicken sandwich or spaghetti carbonara or chicken tortilla soup after this self-imposed month of vegetarianism.

And I confess that, although my meat intake has been (mostly) eliminated, I’ve been eating way more than a daily recommended allowance of sweets. I had 2 1/2 cupcakes yesterday. I’ve ended every dinner this week with a Baileys-spiked hot chocolate. And I’m eating chocolate-covered cherries as I write this. So, while eliminating meat can be healthy, gorging on sweets is not. (I’m working on that. I swear.)

I bought a slow-cooker special edition of America’s Test Kitchen magazine a few weeks ago and decided to give one of the vegetarian recipes a try. While they call this recipe black bean chili, I can’t in good faith call it that because, well, I’m from the South and chili needs some meat in it. No doubt about that.

I can, however, call it good. Spicy, thick and full of hearty beans, mushrooms and veggies, this black bean soup could easily be called a stew (or stoup, if you’re Rachel Ray). But I’ll stick with soup, since I’d like to add a little more broth next time and I think you should too.

Black bean soup
Serves 6 to 8. Adapted (the tiniest bit) from America’s Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution.

I added a lot of toppings to my bowl. The chili is pretty spicy — I’d probably call it a six on a scale of 1-10 — so sour cream and cheese are welcome additions.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced
6 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp chili powder
4 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
2-1/2 cups water
1 lb (2-1/2 cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
10 ounces white mushrooms, diced
1 Tbsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo
2 bay leaves
1 28-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

Toppings: cheddar cheese, cilantro, sour cream, chopped onion or anything your heart desires

Heat oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, mustard seeds, cumin and oregano, and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan (that’s the good stuff). Transfer the contents of the pan to a slow cooker.

Add water, beans, mushrooms, remaining 1-1/2 cups broth, adobo sauce and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Discard bay leaves. Add tomatoes and cook for about 30 minutes longer or until tomatoes are tender. Serve with lots of toppings.

Roasted tomato, avocado and hummus toasts

Posted on January 12, 2012 by lilothis

Going Veggie challenge day: 5
Meaty meals eaten: 1 (oops)

I start with a confession: I ate meat yesterday. I know. Terrible. Here’s what happened: I went to my mom’s for dinner, forgetting to remind her that I’m not eating meat right now, and she had made soup. With sausage in it.At that point, I have two options: 1) tell my mom she made something I can’t eat, make her feel bad, and go get fast food, or 2) pretend it didn’t happen, avoid the sausage in the soup (I know the meat is in the broth too — I’m sorry!), and remind her next time that I’m not partaking in the animals right now. So I went with option two. I was surprisingly a little grossed out by the meaty flavor of the soup. I know I’d only been meat free for four days as of yesterday, but I’d rather enjoyed those four days. I’ve eaten healthier and been more creative about my meals since this started. Lunch today included.I was inspired by a pin on Pinterest for Hummus and Avocado Toasts With Roasted Tomatoes, so I took that idea and ran with it. I pan-fried my bread in a little butter, rubbed it with a little garlic and smashed my avocado with a little lemon juice. My version might not be quite as healthy (though how unhealthy can you really be when we’re talking about seven-grain bread with vegetables on top?), but it’s crazy delicious.

Roasted tomato, avocado and hummus toasts

This recipe makes enough for two or three small toasts and can easily be doubled for party appetizers or a dinner for a family with a side of soup or salad. Yum.

8 cherry tomatoes, halved
about 1 Tbsp olive oil
about 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2-3 small slices of seven-grain or whole wheat bread
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and whole
1/2 avocado
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and place the sliced tomatoes on the sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with oil and vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, checking every 10 minutes after an hour has passed. Remove tomatoes from the oven, and let cool.

Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium. When butter begins to sizzle, add your bread and let cook until it browns, 3-5 minutes. Flip the bread over, and let the other side brown, 2-3 minutes.

Using tongs, remove the bread to a plate. When cool enough to handle, rub the garlic clove over the bread. (Rub it a lot if you’re a garlic lover and just a little if you’re a garlic liker.)

Scoop the avocado into a small bowl. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper, and mash until it all comes together.

Spread a layer of hummus over the toast. Scoop the mashed avocado onto the hummus and spread evenly. Top with a few tomatoes and salt and pepper, if desired.

Eat. Rejoice in the simplicity and deliciousness.

Spicy African peanut soup

Posted on January 10, 2012 by lilothis

Meatless days: 3

I bought a lot of vegetables at the grocery store today. Not that that’s so far out of my element that it’s shocking, but the space in my cart normally occupied by meat was definitely exploding with vegetables.

I haven’t had trouble going vegetarian at home, but I almost ordered meat at a restaurant yesterday. I was next in line to order a sandwich and staring at the turkey options when I realized I’m not eating meat right now. I’m lucky this particular sandwich shop has a black bean burger on the menu or I’m not really sure what I would’ve ordered. A lettuce and tomato sandwich, please sir.

Today’s dinner comes from Peas and Thank You, a vegan blog I read and cook from often. Her book by the same name includes a slow-cooker recipe for Spicy African Peanut Soup. It’s loaded with veggies and spices and particularly suited to this grey, damp Dallas day.

I added two chopped carrots to the recipe since I had them around, but I’m sure the soup is wonderful without them. The peanut butter might sound like an odd ingredient, but you don’t exactly taste it. If you know it’s there, you might, but it works here as another layer of flavor, giving the soup a nice depth.

Spicy African Peanut Slow Cooker Soup

If you’ve cooked with red lentils before, you know they break up in soup and can work as a thickener. They do just that here. And they’re wonderful. I added a few dashes of hot sauce to my soup, since it wasn’t at all spicy, but you might want to check the spiciness of your soup before adding any extras.

1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup of cubed sweet potato
2 medium carrots, sliced
1-1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed

Topping possibilities: chopped roasted peanuts, sour cream, cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Set on high for an hour, then switch to low for 4-5. You could probably extend the time in the slow cooker by omitting the hour of cooking on the high setting.

Pasta e fagioli

Posted on January 8, 2012 by lilothis

Today is my first day of a month-long challenge to go meat free, so, as you might expect, I gorged myself on an array of meaty goodness yesterday. Chicken tetrazzini for lunch and a bounty of goodies from First Chinese Barbeque — lemongrass chicken, barbeque pork and duck, and curry noodles with shrimp and pork — for dinner. The meatfest turned out to be a good thing because I truly have no desire to eat anything but vegetable-heavy dishes today. My meat detox has begun!

I started this Going Veggie challenge with an easy transitional recipe: pasta e fagioli. I have not a clue what the translation of “fagioli” is, but suffice it to say, this is pasta cooked in tomato sauce and broth instead of water, with veggies and beans. It’s healthy and filling and a lovely start to a meatless month.

Pasta e fagioli
from Everyday Food, issue 78

The recipe says it serves four, but I fed four hungry adults with enough leftover for at least two more meals. I added mushrooms because I had them lying around, but this would be just as good without them

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 spring oregano or 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
2-1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 Parmesan rind (optional), plus shredded Parmesan for serving
1 to 1-1/2 cup small pasta (I used tiny wheels)
1 15-oz can cannellini (or white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

In a medium heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add sliced mushrooms, and cook until brown on one side. Flip over and cook until brown on that side. Remove mushrooms from the pan, and sprinkle with salt.

Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic to the same pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about nine minutes.

Add oregano, tomatoes, broth and Parmesan rind (if using).

Increase heat to high, and simmer until liquid thickens slightly, about five minutes. Add pasta, and cook, partially covered, until tender, 10-15 minutes. Be sure to watch the pot while it’s simmering, as I’ve made this several times and have sometimes had to add a bit more liquid during this step.

Add beans and mushrooms, and cook until warmed through, about three minutes.

To serve, remove rind, and sprinkle with Parmesan.

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