Pozole Rojo

Ingredients
1 white onion
Garlic, peeled
2 oz. cremini mushrooms
6 oz. cooked hominy
1 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans
Pozole base (a mix of ancho chile powder, cumin, dried Mexican oregano, cloves, honey/agave, olive oil, apple cider vinegar)
1 1/2 c. diced tomatoes
1 c. vegetable stock
3 oz. green cabbage
2-3 radishes
Fresh cilantro
1 lime
4 corn tortillas
1 1/2 oz. queso fresco (omit for vegan)

Directions
Peel and coarsely chop the white onion, reserving one-fourth for garnish. Finely chop, press, or grate the garlic. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of oil until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and three-fourths of the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop the mushrooms. Rinse the pinto beans and the hominy. When the onion is softened, add the mushrooms, hominy, beans, pozole base, tomatoes, broth and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thickened and the mushrooms are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Cut away any core from the cabbage; thinly slice. Trim the ends from the radishes; thinly slice. Separate the cilantro into sprigs. Cut the lime into wedges.

On the stovetop, directly over a flame, or in a dry medium frying pan over medium heat, warm the tortillas until just pliable and warmed through, about 30 seconds per side.

Ladle the pozole into individual bowls. Garnish with the cabbage, radishes, cilantro, and reserved onion. Crumble the queso fresco (if using) and serve with the tortillas and lime wedges on the side.

Serves 2.

Pumpkin Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Ingredients
6 c. water
1 c. half & half or milk
1 1/2 c. steel cut oats
1 c. pumpkin purée
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions
Stir all the ingredients together in the slow cooker, cook on LOW overnight, about 8 hours. When it is done, it will still look liquidy. Give it a good stir and it will all come together. Serve immediately. Save any leftovers in the fridge or freezer. It reheats well.

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

For the vegetable mixture:

1tbsp. oil

1 small onion, diced

100 g. asparagus, cut into ½ cm. slices

50 g. sugar snap peas, cut into ½ cm. slices

4 cloves garlic, minced

100 g. mushrooms, cut into 1cm dice

125 g. cherry tomatoes, quartered

125 g. sweetcorn kernels

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. plain flour

300 ml milk

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Salt

Black pepper

50 g. cheddar cheese, grated

To construct the lasagna:

150 g. no-boil lasagna sheets

100 g. mozzarella, grated

1 large tomato, sliced

Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Instructions

Begin by preparing your vegetables. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the diced onion, asparagus, and sugar snap peas. Cook over a fairly low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have cooked down and the mixture is fairly dry. Remove from the heat, and add the tomatoes and sweetcorn. Set aside.

Next, make the creamy sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour. Whisking constantly, cook over a very low heat for a minute or two, and then add the milk a little at a time, whisking until smooth each time before adding another dash. Add the nutmeg and plenty of seasoning, along with the grated cheddar. Whisk for one more minute until the cheese has melted into the sauce, and then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Now you can begin to construct the lasagna. Begin with about a tablespoon of sauce, spread out over the bottom of a baking dish (mine measured around 8 x 6 inches). Add a layer of lasagna sheets, breaking them into pieces so that they cover the bottom of the dish in a single layer.

From here on, it doesn't matter too much how you create your layers, but here's how I made mine: ⅓ of the vegetable mixture; ⅓ of the sauce; layer of lasagna; another ⅓ of the vegetables; another ⅓ of the sauce; another layer of lasagna; remaining vegetables; remaining sauce. Make sure any corners of lasagna are covered in at least a little bit of the sauce to stop them from burning.

Once you've used up all of your vegetables and sauce, top the dish with the grated mozzarella and slices of tomato. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy and golden brown and the lasagna is tender. If the cheese is browning too quickly, just cover the dish loosely with foil and return to the oven until the pasta is cooked.

Leave to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Chickpea & Dill Pitas

Ingredients

1 c. plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ tsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. cayenne

1-15 oz. can chickpeas, well-drained and rinsed

1/3 c. fresh dill, finely chopped

½ c. shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs

2 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 tbsp. tahini

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

¼ tsp. ground cumin

Vegetable oil

6 pita pockets

Directions

Lightly mash half of the chickpeas in a medium bowl. Add the dill, shallots, bread crumbs, and lemon juice and mix well. In a food processor, combine remaining chickpeas, tahini, salt, pepper and cumin, until smooth. Add to the mashed chickpeas, mix well, and form into six to eight patties.

Oil a 12-inch skillet over medium heat and cook the burgers until very crispy and dark golden on both sides, about six minutes. Don’t flip them too often. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags on a wire rack.

For yogurt sauce, combine yogurt, garlic, curry powder and cayenne. Stir until blended thoroughly.

Stuff the patties into pita pockets. Drizzle with yogurt sauce. Serves 3. 

Vegetarian Shepherds' Pie

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash

1 head of garlic

1/4 c. olive oil 

2 c. bread crumbs

1 c. milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped 

1 tbsp. flat parsley, chopped

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled but not peeled

1/4 c. melted butter

1/2 c. smooth goat cheese 
1 c. half-and-half 

3 c. sliced mushrooms

6 c. zucchini

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cloves garlic cloves, minced

1 c. lentils (cooked), kidney beans or chickpeas

Fried shallots to garnish

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 °F. First, cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 ½ hours. As an alternative, place on a plate and cook in the microwave on high for about 20 minutes.

Put the garlic head on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 30 minutes or until the garlic is very tender.

In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Mix in the eggs and herbs. Put aside.

Mash the potatoes with the butter, goat cheese, cooked garlic puree and cream to make them nice and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the spaghetti squash flesh with a fork and put it in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and put aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 °F. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and sauté the onions, carrots and celery over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, and zucchini and continue cooking until brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked lentils or beans and the bread mixture. Stir and put aside.

In an 9 x 13 inches baking dish, spoon the vegetable mixture onto the bottom. Layer with the spaghetti squash, then the potatoes and smooth them down. Cook in oven for 30 minutes or so until top is slightly browned. Garnish with fried shallots to taste.

Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped finely
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thickly
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
3/4 c. white wine or dry vermouth
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 c. baby spinach
1/2 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until onions begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and salt. Cook until mushrooms begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue to cook until liquid reduces by about half.

Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, paprika, and pepper. Sprinkle flour mixture over cooked mushrooms and toss to coat the mushroom mixture. Add broth, wine or vermouth, and Worcestershire sauce to mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Add in spinach, cover and turn heat down or off. The spinach will wilt in just a few minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the sour cream or yogurt and heat on low to bring it up to temperature. Do not boil. Serve over egg noodles, topped with crunchy Chinese rice noodles. Serves 6.

Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large leek, well cleaned and sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
1 tsp. paprika
3 c. vegetable stock
1 c. spinach

6 to 12 eggs


Directions
Heat oil, add leek, salt and pepper and cook 10 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, asparagus, spinach, stock and cook until tender. Purée soup. Gently poach one or 2 eggs per person (about 4 minutes each). Season eggs with paprika, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and slide eggs on top. Garnish with parsley and chives. Serves 6. 

West African Groundnut Stew

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp. coriander, ground
1/2 tsp. cayenne
4 c. onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 c. eggplant, peeled and cubed
1/2 c. vegetable stock
1 c. zucchini, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 c. tomato juice or puree
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
salt to taste

Directions
Boil sweet potatoes for about 7 minutes, or until just tender. Meanwhile, saute the garlic, ginger, and spices in the oil for about a minute. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, and the vegetable stock and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and continue to simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 more minutes.

Drain the sweet potatoes and add them to the stew along with the tomato juice and peanut butter. Salt to taste. Simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes to warm through, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Serve over rice, millet, or couscous. Serves 6.

Leek, Artichoke & Blue Cheese Wellington

Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
100 g. pine nuts
1.25 kg. leeks, sliced
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
500 g. frozen puff pastry, thawed
150 g. blue cheese, crumbled
200 g. sliced artichokes in oil, drained
175 g. sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1 egg, beaten

Directions
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the pine nuts for two minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the nuts from the pan and drain well on paper towels. Meanwhile, add the leeks to the pan and cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender. Stir in the thyme, remove from the heat, uncover, and allow to cool. Stir in pine nuts.

Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Roll the pastry into a 13 x 14.5" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place the pastry on the baking sheet. Spoon half the leeks onto one half of the pastry and within an inch of three of the edges. Scatter half the cheese. Arrange artichokes and tomatoes on top, then spread over remaining leeks and cheese.

Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Fold over pastry to enclose the filling and pinch the edges together. Using a sharp knife, knock up the edges and flute. Brush with the egg and score the surface with a sharp knife to decorate. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Uncover the wellington and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Cranberry Cashew Biryani

Ingredients
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium carrots, diced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
200 g. basmati rice
1-1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. tumeric
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. salt
1000 mL water
5 tsp. tomato paste
60 g. dried cranberries
80 g. roasted unsalted cashews, chopped
50 g. frozen peas
fresh cilantro and chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds and cover. Let the seeds pop for about 30 seconds and stir a few times. If seeds are not too brown, allow to pop for about 30 seconds more. Add garlic and saute for about a minute more. Add carrots, chickpeas, rice, spices, and stir constantly for about a minute. Dissolve tomato paste in warm water, and add to mixture. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occassionally; at this point most of the liquid should be dissolved. Stir in the cranberries, cashews, and peas. Cook a little longer, if necessary, until liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork and garnish to serve. Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as a side.

Veggie Stew a l'Orange

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

2-3 carrots, diced

1 small butternut squash or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

28 oz. tomatoes, diced

1-1/2 c. veggie broth

1 c. roasted red peppers, sliced

1 tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper, to taste

zest of one orange

1 tbsp. fresh thyme

avocado, to serve

Directions

Saute onions and carrots in a touch of olive oil. Add squash or potatoes and cook a bit longer. Add black beans, tomatoes, veggie broth, roasted red peppers, chipotles, cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer until veggies are tender and stew has cooked down to your desired thickness. About 15 minutes prior to serving, stir in the orange zest and thyme. Serves 4 to 6. 

NOTE: This recipe will probably do very well in the crockpot. Add all ingredients except for zest and thyme and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add zest and thyme an hour prior to serving. 

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
6 bell peppers
2-1/2 c. brown rice, cooked
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c frozen corn, thawed
1 c. tomato puree
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Cut out stems and centers of peppers. Remove all seeds. Mix all other ingredients and cook all in skillet until tender. Fill peppers. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until melted and golden.

Serves 4. 

Greek Couscous with Fennel & Tomatoes

My sister-in-law discovered this recipe, made with shrimp (Food Network magazine 3/2013). I omitted the shrimp for a fast, filling, veggie lunch!

Ingredients
1 c. whole-wheat couscous
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pt. grape tomatoes, quartered
1 small bulb fennel, halved, cored & sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. dry white wine or vermouth
1-15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 c. Israeli feta, crumbled

Directions
Prepare couscous by boiling 1 cup of water, adding couscous, turning off the heat, and covering. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, cook for a few minutes, then add red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook until slightly more tender, then add tomatoes. Once the veggies are tender, add the wine, bring to a simmer, then add chickpeas and another 1/3 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are slightly softened. Turn off the heat, add scallions and dill.

Fluff couscous with a fork. Layer couscous and veggie mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the feta and transfer to the broiler and broil until golden.

Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

Quinoa Fried Rice

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
8 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c.  frozen peas
2 carrots, peeled and grated
3 c. cooked quinoa (1-1/2 c. uncooked)
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 green onions, sliced
Sriracha, for serving

Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add eggs and fry until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping only once. Let cool before dicing into small pieces.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onions become translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, broccoli and zucchini. Cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn, peas, carrots and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Add ginger and soy sauce, and gently toss to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Stir in green onions and eggs. Serve immediately, drizzled with Sriracha, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6.

Spinach Enchiladas

The is an excellent white sauce for the traditional "Mexican Flag" enchilada dish you might find. 

Ingredients
For the enchiladas:
1 lb. fresh organic spinach (we used the Wegmans 11 oz. organic baby spinach)

2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, halved
1 tbsp. butter
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
salt
2 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
6 to 8 flour tortillas

For the cilantro cream sauce:
1-1/2 c. half-and-half
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. cornstarch, plus 1 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in a small amount of cold water
1-1/2 c. cilantro, chopped finely

Directions
Wilt spinach in large pot. Combine garlic, onion and mushrooms in food processor, and process until coarsely chopped. Melt butter in sauté pan, and sauté onion mixture until onion is translucent. Remove pan from heat, and set aside.

Make bread crumbs in food processor from sliced bread. Add spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, chili powder and eggs. Process until blended thoroughly. Transfer to mixing bowl, and stir in onion mixture and 6 tablespoons cheese.

Preheat broiler. Spoon a portion of filling onto each tortilla and roll it up. Place each enchilada in casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat until you've used up filling. 

For cream sauce, mix half-and-half, cayenne, salt and a little of the dissolved corn starch in medium saucepan, and heat until thickened. The sauce should be creamy, not runny; add more cornstarch mixture as necessary. Off the heat, stir in cilantro. Pour cilantro cream sauce over tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese melts and turns a nice golden color.

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers

Ingredients
1/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. minced shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. buffalo sauce (see recipe for Buffalo Cauliflower)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
whole grain hamburger buns
crumbled blue cheese or blue cheese dressing
lettuce, tomato and/or avocado

Directions
Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, add chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until they are broken down into crumb-sized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add oats to same food processor and pulse a few times to break them down into fine crumbs (but not a powder). Add to chickpeas in large bowl. Add to the bowl the shallots, garlic, buffalo sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa. Mix everything together with a large fork until well combined. If mixture is still too wet to form patties, add the 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs (or enough to hold the mixture together). Divide and shape into patties (made about 3).

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook patties for about 4-5 minutes per side.

Assemble burgers by placing patty on bun, topping with additional buffalo sauce, a bit of blue cheese, lettuce, and avocado or tomato if desired.

Spicy Roasted Veggie Macaroni & Cheese

Made without butter and WITH lots of veggies, making this macaroni and cheese a little healthier.

Ingredients
2 to 3 c. fresh vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, red pepper, and squash, chopped
2 c. whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. milk
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. Panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper, and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Toss vegetables onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Enchilada Skillet

I found this recipe on www.plainchicken.com, but obviously needed to adjust to accommodate my meatless preference. This is quick and easy, and tastes very similar to traditional enchiladas without all the work! 

Ingredients

2 c. mixed veggies, like zucchini, carrots, and red peppers, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1-12 oz. jar enchilada sauce 

1-15 oz. can black beans

1/4 c. vegetable broth

1 c. salsa

1/2 c. heavy cream

8 oz. pasta, like penne or campanelle

1 c. cheese, shredded

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a 12-inch skillet, until hot. Add onions, garlic, and veggies until slightly softened. They don't need to be completely cooked because they will continue to cook with the pasta. Add enchilada sauce, black beans, broth, cream, salsa, and pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Remove skillet from heat. Top with cheese and mix in. Serve with chopped cilantro. 

NOTE: I believe this would work well in a crockpot! Just toss in all the ingredients and cook on low for several hours. Check often to make sure veggies are not mushy and pasta is tender. 

Serves 4. 

Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Pineapple

A recommendation from Tracey Henderson, this veggie burger is one of the few that holds up on the grill! Full of protein and Indian flare, it was super easy to throw together for a quick dinner! Sweet potato fries accompanied ours! 

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. adobo seasoning
1/4 c. fresh chives or scallions, chopped
1/2 c. quinoa, cooked
2/3 c. panko breadcrumbs
4 slices fresh pineapple
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 c. Veganaise
lime zest
black pepper, freshly ground
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Directions

Place the chickpeas, coconut milk, curry, garam masala, adobo seasoning, and garlic powder in a food processor. Pulse until pureed. Stir in the chives, Quinoa, and panko crumbs. Form into 4 patties.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Mist patties with olive oil spray and grill patties until golden brown on each side. Then set aside the patties, mist pineapple with sesame seed oil spray and grill until grill lines appear on each side of the fruit.

In a small bowl, stir together the lime zest, pepper, and Veganaise.
Serve the Chickpea burgers topped with grilled pineapple, your flavored Veganaise, and a bit of lettuce on top of of your burger buns.

Smoky Sweet Potato Burgers with Roasted Garlic Cream

Ingredients

2 c. yams, coarsely mashed

2 bulbs garlic, roasted

1 c. cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 c. panko bread crumbs

1/3 c. oat flour (or all-purpose, wheat, etc.)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1-1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. cumin

2-3 tbsp. olive oil

1 avocado

2/3 c. plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. maple syrup

Salt and pepper, to taste (for cream)

Whole wheat buns

Directions

To Roast Garlic

Cut off the top of the garlic head. Take off most of the paper. Pour about a teaspoon of olive oil on the garlic head and let it soak. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.

For the Garlic Cream

Combine yogurt with 2 bulbs (squeezed out) of roasted garlic cloves, maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth then set aside until ready to use.

For the Burgers

Pierce potatoes (I used 2 large) all over with a fork and place on a paper towel, setting in the microwave. Microwave for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove, slice in half and let cool until you can scoop out the flesh.

In a large bowl, coarsely mash beans with a fork. Add in sweet potato and mash together, then add in spices, salt and pepper, minced garlic, egg, panko and flour. Mix together until combined, then place bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. This helps form them into patties, but as a warning they are still somewhat messy.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove mixture from fridge and form into 4 equal patties, then place in the skillet once hot. Since the mixture can be wet and messy, do not move until they are fully cooked and golden on one side! This takes about 5-6 minutes. Then, add more oil if needed (this really helps cook them) and flip burgers very gently. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. Toast buns if desired.

Assemble by topping burgers with roasted garlic cream and avocado!