Bean Burgers

A vegetarian alternative to both standard hamburgers and frozen veggie burger patties.

Ingredients 
(for 4 burgers)

For patties:
2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 cups cooked brown rice
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
dash of salt
bit of bread crumbs, as needed

For the rest:
swiss (or other) cheese slices
½ an avocado
dash of flax seeds
lettuce
tomato slices
hamburger buns
dressings to taste: salsa, ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, or mayonnaise

Create a thick paste with all of the patty ingredients by blending them in a food processor.  If it doesn't seem firm enough, add a little bread crumbs.  Form patties and fry them in olive oil over medium heat.

Sprinkle a little flax seeds over the cheesed patties, and lay avocado slices over them.

Then add additional condiments as you like, and enjoy!

Tomato and Eggs with Soy Sauce

This is a simple and yummy dish, perfect for those days when you don't have much else in your refrigerator but don't feel like leaving the house.

Ingredients
(for 2-3 servings)

5 eggs
olive oil
2 large tomatoes (or 3 roma tomatoes)
½ cup water, plus more as needed
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash of sugar
1 tablespoon flour
soy sauce

Using a small dab of oil, scramble the eggs in a frying pan, and then set them aside in a bowl.

Slice the tomatoes into thin wedges. Heat up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan and fry the tomatoes over medium heat. After a minute, add half a cup of water and minced garlic. Sprinkle a dash of sugar over it as well.

While the tomatoes are cooking, mix soy sauce into a tablespoon of flour until it makes a brown paste, similar to the consistency of pancake batter.

When the tomatoes are soft and cooked, add the flour-soy sauce batter and the scrambled eggs, mixing well.  It should be somewhat wet, so add more water as necessary.  Simmer for a couple minutes, then serve with steamed white rice.

Chow Fun Noodles with Bok Choy

Ingredients

8 oz. dry wide rice noodles (chow fun)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
1 lb. bok choy--the smaller, the better
4 tablespoons Sa Cha sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee brand)
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Dash of chili pepper
Splash of rice vinegar
(optional: ½ cup chopped roasted peanuts)

Cook the chow fun noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, or until soft.  Drain them and set them aside in the strainer.

Cut the onion into strips and slice the garlic thinly.  Saute in the oil over medium-high heat until the onions are yellowish and glassy.  If your bok choy is large, cut it into edible pieces.  Toss it into the pan with the onions and garlic.

After a couple minutes, add the noodles.  Make sure it's not clumped together; if it is, run a little water over it and separate it with your hands before adding it to the pan.

Add the Sa Cha sauce, sugar, and a little salt. Stir it up and mix the ingedients together well.

After you put it in serving dishes, sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro and a dash of chili pepper over the top.  Drizzle a few drops of rice vinegar over it too.  If you'd like, top it off with chopped peanuts.

Veggie Fried Rice

My idea of fast food is homemade fried rice, made with leftover steamed rice and whatever veggies are lying around.  This recipe’s really flexible, but here’s a basic way to throw together an easy, yummy, and healthy meal.

 

Ingredients

3 eggs

4 tablespoons oil
5 cups steamed white rice (measured already cooked)
1 cup fresh or frozen carrots and peas

½ cup frozen or canned corn

Kikkoman* soy sauce to taste

Salt to taste

(optional: dash of sugar)

¼ cup chopped green onions

*I don't usually promote particular brands, but there are lots of soy sauces out there, and some of them are just awful. Use Kikkoman.

Heat up a small dab of oil in a frying pan at medium heat and scramble the eggs.  Add the rest of the oil and put the rice in.  (If the rice is leftover and clumped together, be sure to break it apart with your hands before frying, and add a little water if it’s dry.)

If your veggies are frozen, defrost them by putting them in a bowl and running warm water over them a few times.  Add the carrots, peas, and corn to the frying pan.  Drizzle soy sauce over it until it’s light tannish-brown.  Sprinkle salt on it and mix well.  If you want a little sweet kick, sprinkle a bit of sugar over it too.  Taste it and add more salt, soy sauce, and/or oil as needed.  Also sprinkle a bit more water over it if it seems dry.

Add the green onions and mix it up well.  Enjoy!

Libby's Pumpkin Rolls

Ingredients

                         

(Cake)

    ¼ cup powdered sugar

    ¾ cup all-purpose flour

    ½ teaspoon baking powder

    ½ teaspoon baking soda

    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    ½ teaspoon ground cloves

    ¼ teaspoon salt

    3 large eggs

    1 cup granulated sugar

    ²/₃ cup pumpkin puree

    (optional: 1 cup walnuts, chopped)

(Filling)

    1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature

    1 cup powdered sugar

    6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    A bit of powdered sugar (for decoration)

For cake:

Preheat oven to 375° F (190°C). Grease a 10x15 inch baking pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour the wax paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar to keep the cake from sticking to it later.

Ccombine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in the flour mixture. Spread evenly into the pan, over the wax paper. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts nuts.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn the cake onto the towel prepared with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the wax paper. Roll up the cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on a wire rack.

To add the filling:

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in a small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over it. Reroll the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Sprinkle the edges with powdered sugar before serving.

Sweet Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread is so delish, you'll be able to trick vegetable-haters into loving it.

Ingredients

    3 cups flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

    3 eggs

    1 cup vegetable oil

    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    2 ¼ cups sugar

    2 cups grated zucchini

    1 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts of your choice)

Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread pans. 

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Beat the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating well. Stir in the zucchini and chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the two pans and bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Cool for a few minutes before eating.

*Healthier version:

Since my kids LOVE this bread, I've been making it a lot. They don't even notice the difference when I make this healthier version.

    1 1/2 cups white or wheat flour
    1 1/2 cups chickpea flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

    3 eggs

    1 cup coconut oil

    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup stevia (for baking)

    2 cups grated zucchini
    1 cup applesauce

    1 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts

They can also be made into muffins, cooking them 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Fish Fillets with Tangy Orange Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 six-ounce fillets of your favorite sustainably caught fish

3 teaspoons cornstarch

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup dry white wine

²/₃ cup orange juice

¹/₃ cup carrot juice

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon water

Heat up the oil over a medium-heat fire. Dip the fish fillets in a couple teaspoons of cornstarch, or more if necessary. Fry it for a few minutes on each side, or until it starts to flake a little when touched with a fork.  Set aside and cover.

Add the garlic to the pan. Then add the wine, turn the heat to high, and boil until about half of the wine evaporates.

Add the orange and carrot juices, the salt, and the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about two minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together a teaspoon of cornstarch and the tablespoon of water. Stir into the pan and cook for about a minute.

Spread the sauce over the fillets and serve over a bed of lettuce.

Southern Style Fried Okra

Ingredients

1 bag frozen cut okra
vegetable oil
¼ cup cornmeal
(optional: salt to taste)

Thaw out the frozen okra by putting it in a bowl and running warm water over it a few times.  Drain it thoroughly.  Heat some oil in a frying pan on medium-high and prepare a bowl with the cornmeal.

Dip the drained okra into the cornmeal to bread it, then put it in the pan.  Let it fry for a while until it gets golden brown, flipping it over to make sure it's evenly fried.  My mom says each okra piece should be turned individually with a fork for the best flavor, but when I'm feeling lazy I just turn it with a spatula and it still tastes pretty good to me.

Add more oil as necessary while the okra is frying.  When it's crispy and golden brown, it's good to go.  It's yummy just like that, but you can also add a little salt for a last touch.

Alfredo Sauce from Scratch

Not the healthiest meal, but if you’ve just returned from the gym and are eager to reward yourself with a heart-stopping Italian favorite, use this delicious Alfredo Sauce!

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

¼ cup butter

4 oz. cream cheese

1 cup milk

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

pepper to taste

(optional: dash of cayenne pepper)

Boil your favorite pasta in salted water. When it's getting close to done, make the alfredo sauce:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cream cheese and melt that as well. Stir in the milk, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and pepper.

Keep it on low heat until the pasta is done. (The sauce will thicken up quickly when you remove it from heat.)  After you've drained your pasta, mix the sauce in with it.  If you'd like, sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese and pepper over the top.  I think cayenne pepper also complements the creamy flavor very nicely.

Homemade Tahini

Tahini is a simple Middle Eastern dip made of sesame seeds and oil.  It’s a key ingredient in hummus and baba ghanouj, and it can also be enjoyed on its own with breads or crackers, or as a substitute for peanut butter.

Ingredients

1 cup sesame seeds

¼ cup olive oil

Lightly toast the sesame seeds in an oven at 340°F (170°C) for about 10 minutes.  Let them cool for a minute after taking them out.

Grind them with the oil into a smooth paste using a food processor, stopping to scrape the sides when necessary.

That’s it!

Baba Ghanouj (or Baba Ghanoush)

A tasty Middle Eastern dip that's nice to make alongisde Hummus Yummus, since they both require a lot of the same ingredients.  Great with Arabic bread, pita chips, or other crackers.

Ingredients 

1 large eggplant 

1/4 cup tahini 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

a pinch of ground cumin  

salt, to taste

a bit of olive oil

a couple sprigs of chopped parsley

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).

Poke the eggplant in several places with a fork and place on a barbeque grill rack a few inches from the fire.  (If you don’t have a barbeque grill, you can also just stick it with a pronged fork and hold it over a stove fire.) Grill the eggplant, turning frequently, until the skin turns brown-black and the flesh begins to feel soft (10 to 15 minutes).

Transfer the eggplant onto a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.  Then remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.

Put the eggplant flesh with the other ingredients (except the parsley) into a food processor and process until it forms a soft paste.  Add more seasonings to taste, if necessary.

Pour the Baba Ghanouj into a serving bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over it, and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.  Enjoy!

Hummus Yummus

If you’ve just bought a new food processor, this is an exciting way to use it, since hummus won’t come out right without one.  This recipe is for basic hummus, but you can also experiment with other added flavors like eggplant, dried tomato, or basil.  Makes a nice dip complement to Baba Ghanouj.

Ingredients

1 can drained garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons tahini*

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

*If you don’t have a Middle Eastern foods store nearby, you can make your own tahini by following this Homemade Tahini recipe.

Throw all the ingredients into the food processor and process until it’s smooth and pasty.  Put in a bowl and serve with Arabic bread or pita chips.  Yummus!

Sweet Red Bean Soup

This sweet & yummy Chinese soup is very easy to make, if you have a few hours to hang around and watch over it.  It makes a nice last touch to a meal as a dessert soup, but you can also cut some or all of the sugar and enjoy it as a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups small red beans
• 20-25 cups water (5-6 quarts)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup dry tapioca

Boil the beans for two and a half hours, stirring occasionally. (Start with about half of the water and add cups periodically as it starts to boil out.) While the beans are cooking, soak the tapioca in a small bowl of water.  

After two and a half hours, add the tapioca and sugar, stirring constantly.  When the tapioca is transparent and the beans are soft, it's ready.  Enjoy your sweet red bean soup!