Chickpea patties

We had this for dinner a couple weeks ago...soo delicious.  Sorry, no picture this time.

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chickpea-and-vegetable-patties-969

I didn't put the sesame seeds in, but the end result was still so yummy.  We have been eating chickpea patties wrapped in naan or just on a sandwich of ciabatta bread then we pile on some plain yogurt, cilantro, shredded carrots, avocado (if we have it) and red onion.  Most people would like tomato too, but we are a little bit anti fresh tomato.  Weird, I know.

Make it tonight!  So easy, cheap, and yummy!

Beets

I've had a couple people ask me for beet recipes.  Here are some of my favorite ways to eat them:

I got this one HERE

Honey Balsamic Ginger Beets

6 medium beets
2 T butter
2 T peeled and chopped (or grated) ginger
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey

Boil beets until tender, remove skins, and cut into cubes.  Put beets and all other ingredients in a skillet and stir until beets are hot and glazed.

I don't have exact recipes for the other two, but they're super easy.  Cook your beets (I always boil them, but I've seen recipes that tell you to roast them in the oven), stick em in a skillet and either add butter and salt OR a bit of cumin, cilantro, and lime juice.  Yum.

Carrot Pasta With Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce

Another yummy one we tried tonight...  Seriously delicious.  Fast and easy to make.  I shredded my carrots instead of trying to make cool noodles out of them and it was still awesome.

HERE is the recipe.

Here is the picture.

Black Bean Burgers

This is what my husband wanted for his birthday dinner.  That's how much my recently converted (mostly) vegetarian husband loves these.  I do too.  Thanks to Kristine for introducing us!  And by that I mean introducing us to black bean burgers.  Not my husband and me to each other...

Black Bean Burgers

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T ketchup
1 T mustard
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1/3 C oats

Mash black beans, add other ingredients, and mix well.  Form into 4 patties.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes on each side.

I've made these with freshly minced garlic and chopped up onions instead of the powder.  They tasted a little better, but the powder cuts down on time a LOT, which is nice when I'm in a hurry.  I've also shredded carrots and thrown them in.  I've added leftover rice.  Really I think you could add almost any veggie you want.

We usually eat these on toasted bagels with sauteed mushrooms, onions, feta cheese, lettuce, dilly beans (or pickles), bbq sauce, and mayo (hummus would be yummy too).

Enjoy!!

Sweet potato burritoes

Yes, we've been on a sweet potato kick...

These were also awesome, except I didn't have all the ingredients for the avocado salsa verde sauce so I just  smeared a tiny bit of cream cheese on my tortilla then put the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, avocado, rice, and salsa inside.  It was REALLY good.

http://cookieandkate.com/2012/sweet-potato-burrito-smothered-in-avocado-salsa-verde/

Sweet potato alfredo yumminess

Whoa.  This recipe blew us away.  I made this for dinner last week and I felt like I was eating at a gourmet vegan restaurant.  For real.  Give it a try.  I roasted some cauliflower in the oven (with olive oil, garlic salt, and italian seasoning) and put it on top of the pasta with this sauce.  It was delish.

http://www.loveandlemons.com/2013/12/11/sweet-potato-vegan-alfredo/

Curried Broccoli Couscous

This is what I made for dinner tonight...it was delicious.  HERE is where I found the recipe, and here are the changes I made to it:

2 T olive oil
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets
1 t curry powder
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
garlic salt
1 C couscous
2 T tomato paste
feta cheese
cashews

In a large saucepan, heat oil, add broccoli, and cook until tender-crisp.  Add curry powder, chickpeas, tomato paste, garlic salt, and about 1/4 C water.  Cook on medium-low.  In a separate saucepan, bring 1 C water to boil, remove from heat and add 1 C couscous.  Cover for 5 minutes then add to broccoli mixture.  Add feta and cashews right before serving.  YUM.

Cauliflower crust pizza

Another adventure in food.  I got this recipe from HERE but I changed it a bit.  I didn't steam my cauliflower like she says to.  I just stuck it in the food processor and mixed the other ingredients in.  And mine didn't end up looking as awesome as hers...it fell apart when we were eating it, but it was still delicious.  We topped it with mushrooms, red onions, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, and sun dried tomato.

p.s. there is a dairy free version at the bottom of her page

Try it!!!  I know it looks crazy and weird but it's yummy!

Best salad I've ever had

This recipe is from an awesome cookbook my friend gave to me...The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen

Is it legal to blog about it???  Someone tell me if it's not and I'll take it off right away.  I'm shortening the directions a bit too...

Broccoli, Apples, and Red Onion in Honey Mustard Marinade (longest title ever)

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets
2 T cider vinegar
2 T dijon mustard
1/2 t minced garlic
1/4 t salt
2 t honey
5 T olive oil (I usually only do about 2 of 3 T)
3/4 C thinly sliced red onion
1 medium apple, thinly sliced

Steam the broccoli until it is bright green and tender crisp.  Put the red onions on top of the broccoli so the steam can soften them for the last minute or so.  Mix vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, honey, and olive oil in a medium sized bowl.  Add broccoli, onion, and apple and mix well with the dressing.

Oh man.  You're gonna love it, I promise.

Tomato Basil Hummus

Another creation of ours.  Well, it's technically from my husband.  This is especially amazing with carrot sticks.

Tomato Basil Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained...but save the liquid to add in later
about half a can of tomato paste
1/2 T dried basil
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t garlic salt
1 T soy sauce
5 T lemon juice
1 t cumin
1 T olive oil

Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.  If you need more liquid, use the reserved stuff from your can of garbanzo beans.  Serve with chips, crackers, bread, veggies, etc

Homemade wheat bread

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm just a tiny bit obsessed with bread.  When asked the question, "What is your favorite food?" I reply without hesitation, "Bread."  I love it.  I've always loved white bread, especially fresh out of the oven, but in the past couple years I have converted myself to wheat bread.  Because, as my dad loves to remind me, the whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead.

Here is the recipe I make at least a couple times a month.  It is a combination of 2 or 3 recipes I've experimented with.  It is a creation of my own so it is not as precise as it probably should be.  If you are wanting to make it and have questions, let me know :)  It makes four loaves.

9 Grain Wheat Bread

Mix together (I use a Bosch):
5 C hot water
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C honey

Add 3 C wheat flour and mix for about 15-20 seconds.  Add 3 T yeast and mix again.  Let sit for about 5 minutes while the yeast grows and bubbles.  Then add:

3 T dough enhancer (optional)
1 T salt
1/3 heaping C wheat gluten

Turn Bosch on low and slowly add:

1 C oats
1 C 9 grain cereal (I get this in bulk at Winco)
2 C white flour
4 C wheat flour (plus or minus a cup)

You'll have to turn up the speed on the mixer as it gets thicker.  Stop adding wheat flour when the dough starts pulling away from the edges and isn't too sticky.  I know, that's such a clear direction, but it's the best I can do when not in person.  Mix on high for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts, spray bread pans with non-stick spray, and form loaves for each pan.

Turn oven on to 350 for one minute, turn it off, and stick the loaves in the warm oven for about 23 minutes.  Then turn oven on again to 350 and let bake for about 25 minutes.

Yum.  I hope you like it as much as we do.

Food

So, there's a good chance this will turn into a food blog.  I love food.  Really yummy, healthy, good-for-me food.  Here's my latest find...Asain Quinoa Broccoli Slaw.

http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2013/03/asian-quinoa-broccoli-slaw-recipe/

p.s.  thanks Carissa for thinking of me when you saw this :)

Another amazing soup...

My sweet friend brought this over to me the day I found out I was having another miscarriage.  I will think of you every time I make this, Sarah!  p.s. I'm not sure where she got this recipe from...it's most certainly not my creation though.  I deserve no credit for this amazingness...

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Soup

1 C uncooked quinoa
1/2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C diced onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (I only used half)
1 or 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t coriander
6 C vegetable broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 handfuls chopped kale leaves

Toppings: avocado, corn chips, cilantro, lime juice, salsa, green onion

In medium saucepan, cook quinoa in 2 C water.  Meanwhile, heat oil in large pot.  Add garlic and onion and saute 5 - 7 minutes.  Add jalapeno and sweet potato.  Cook another 5 - 7 minutes.  Stir in cumin, chili powder, coriander, and broth.  Boil and then simmer 18 - 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Stir in quinoa, black beans, cayenne, and kale right before serving.

Peruvian food fills my soul

I made this for dinner last night (minus the chicken and about half the pepper it calls for) and I don't have words for how much I loved it.  My dear friend Amy introduced this to me years ago and I've only made it like twice.  It is soooo easy, super inexpensive, and seriously delicious.

chicken-soup-aguadito-de-pollo/