Recipes

[haydensmom]

So, you ladies make so many awesome recipes and I think we need to keep them tagged. PLEASE add more! There are some ladies on here who just have awesome recipes - ones that you usually don't find in "regular" cookbooks. I want to use kale and quinoa and other stuff like that and have NO clue how to do it. So enlighten me, awesome mommas!



ETA: I'm going to copy some of the more recent ones into here so we'll have them.

[haydensmom]

Stash:

Sourdough starter is a mixture of flour, water and sugar (I used whole grapes in a cheesecloth bag) that you let sit - yes ferment - in a warm place for about 2 weeks. For almost a week of that time, you feed it (flour and water) three times a day to build the yeasties up. Then you can bake with it, and you keep replenishing it it after you use it so you never run out.

It's actually kind of a PIA but really worth it if you're a kitchen-dork like I am.

The pancakes (once you've made the starter - if you're really interested, get the La Brea Bakery cookbook, it's indispensible) are:

2C starter
3T safflower oil
2T maple syrup
1T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt.

[haydensmom]

babyloven:

Category: Side Dish (breads)

Recipe Name: Omega-3 banana walnut muffins
(These muffins are a morning staple at our house. They are so good for your heart, and tasty too! Only 2 WW points per muffin. They also freeze really well.)

Submitter: Babyloven, Amber

Serves: 12 muffins total

Ingredients:

½ cup flaxseeds
2 mashed ripe bananas (about 1 cup)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup flaxseeds
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray

1. Place ½ cup flaxseeds in a blender or coffee grinder and process until ground. (coffee grinder works best). Set flaxseed meal aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat banana, sugar, oil, and eggs at medium speed until well blended.
4. Combine flour, flaxseed meal, ¼ cup whole flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add to banana mixture, beating until well blended.
6. Stir in chopped walnuts
7. Spoon batter into 12-cup regular size muffin pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
8. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

[haydensmom]

villagespin:

Cookies (these are my favorite)

1 3/4 C organic bran flour (add 1 tsp bran)
1 1/4 C organic light brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 1/4 C Flaxseeds (bulk-light or dark)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
MIX DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
1 C softened butter
2 local grown brown eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
BLEND ABOVE INGREDIENTS
STIR TOGETHER WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS THOROUGHLY
3 1/2 C organic blueberry flaxseed granola
1 C grated zucchini (optional)
1/2 C frozen blueberries
ADD GRANOLA & ZUCCHINI THEN ADD BLUEBERRIES
BAKE ON GREASED COOKIE SHEET FOR 10-12 MIN. AT 350 DEGREES

[haydensmom]

Atlanta Hope:

Tuscan Vegetable Soup
Copyright 2007, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.


Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 140
Total Fat 4 grams
Saturated Fat 0.5 grams
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 310 mg
Carbohydrates 19 grams
Protein 8 grams
Fiber 4.5 grams

[haydensmom]

Stash:

This can be made with any kind of cooked, whole grains. Even leftovers (as long as they're plain). I've used brown rice, wheat berries, millet, quinoa - and they all work great. Make sure to mix the grains - like, use 1c brown rice and 1c whatever else. You can also alternate the flour. Use whole wheat in place of the flax meal for plain whole wheat bread.

In a big mixing bowl put 2C of cooked whole grains, 2C of water, 1/4 veggie oil, 1T sea salt, 1T dry yeast, 1C whole wheat flour, 1/4C maple syrup (or brown sugar, or other sweetener). Mix it together and let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Add 1C flax meal and 1C whole wheat flour. Mix. Add 3-4 cups of white bread flour a little at a time. When it gets to hard to stir it, dump it out onto a floured board and knead the flour in until it's moist but not sticky. Knead for about 15 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Oil a big bowl, put the dough in, flip it around to coat with oil. COver with a damp towel and allow to rise for about 1.5 hours (until doubled).

Punch it down, divide it in two. Shape into loaves and put in oiled pans or do handshaped loaves and put them on an oiled cookie sheet that is dusted lightly with cornmeal. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1.5 hours or until doubled.

Mix together 1tea water, 1 tea maple syrup, 1tea veggie oil, 1/4tea salt and brush tops of bread with it. With a very sharp knife, make some decorative slices in the top of the loaves and bake them on 350 for 50 minutes.

(you can also add sunflower seeds to this before you add all the flour - yummy - I made this version today :Wink: ).

[HollyJo]

Stacy's veggie stew and Jenny's fish sticks should be added here too. Maybe I'll do a search for them later.

[stash]

I'm too lazy to find them, but I have a chicken stock recipe and a few others somewhereeeee on the forums.

[austin hope]

Thanks! Good idea. It was hard to go back and find them later.

[sprinke]

Butternut Squash Soup

I created this because I liked the one from Trader Joe's and figured I could do better. You can actually use almost any sweet winter squash.

Cut in half and cook until soft (steam, bake or microwave) 1 butternut squash (remove seeds of course).

Chop 1 small sweet onion very fine and sauté in butter until soft and golden. Add about 2 cups of chicken broth and heat to boiling, then reduce heat to a low simmer.

Scrape the squash meat from the skin and add to the broth. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, using your spoon to gently mash the squash. Add some water if you think you need it (will depend on the size of the squash).

Remove from heat and let cool somewhat. Transfer the soup to the blender (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Blend until smooth.

Return the blended soup to the pot. Reheat to simmer and then add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar to taste. Add salt to taste.

[Luna]

Great thread idea!

I recently found this recipe online. . . it's AWESOME . . .use fresh tomatillos if you can find them (I couldn't )

White Bean Chicken Chili

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds diced, cooked chicken meat
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth (or chicken stock!)
2 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
2 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles (I used 1 1/2 fresh jalapenos)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (15 ounce) can white beans
4 ears fresh corn
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, sliced
cilantro

Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

[Otterella]

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

I made this the other night, and it was awesome. I adapted it from a traditional Scottish recipe I have that was waaay too much for two people.

1 lb chicken breast meat, diced in 1” cubes (approx 4 small breasts)
4 strips streaky bacon
3 medium-2 large leeks with the darkest green sections removed
5-6 prunes
4 cups chicken stock or broth
Parsley, thyme, bay leaves
Salt and pepper

In a dutch oven, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Cook the chicken in the bacon drippings until no longer pink. Add the salt and pepper. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the leeks by cutting in half lengthwise and chopping into 1/2” wide slices. Rinse and strain the leeks after chopping. When the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, add the stock, leeks, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the leeks are tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. Chop the prunes and cooked bacon, add to the soup and simmer 2-3 minutes more. Serves four.

[Jenny]

Talapia Fish Sticks

4 servings

2 fresh tilapia fillets (~ 1 lb. total)
2 cups milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs that make for an especially light and crispy coating. Look for them in the Asian section of your grocery store.)
oil for oiling sheet pan
dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Cut fish fillet lengthwise at the seam to separate it into a thicker piece and a thinner piece. Cut the thicker piece crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Lay the slices on their sides and cut them in half lengthwise to form 2-inch x ¼- inch thick sticks. Cut the thinner piece of fish crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.

Combine fish with milk and garlic and chill, covered for 20 minutes.
Put a lightly oiled sheet pan in the oven to heat. Combine flour, salt and paprika in a shallow bowl. Put crumbs in second shallow bowl. Remove fish from milk and pat it dry on paper towels. Dip it in flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Dip it again in the milk, and then finally in the panko breadcrumbs, coating it well.

Remove hot sheet pan from oven and arrange fish in one layer in pan. Return to middle shelf of oven and bake 6 minutes. Turn fish over and bake and additional 5 to 6 minutes or until it is just cooked through. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Makes about ½ cup

¼ cup lowfat mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbs finely chopped dill pickle
1 tsp pickle juice
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add salt to taste.

[Living4Him]

Talapia Fish Sticks

4 servings

2 fresh tilapia fillets (~ 1 lb. total)
2 cups milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs that make for an especially light and crispy coating. Look for them in the Asian section of your grocery store.)
oil for oiling sheet pan
dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Cut fish fillet lengthwise at the seam to separate it into a thicker piece and a thinner piece. Cut the thicker piece crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Lay the slices on their sides and cut them in half lengthwise to form 2-inch x ¼- inch thick sticks. Cut the thinner piece of fish crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.

Combine fish with milk and garlic and chill, covered for 20 minutes.
Put a lightly oiled sheet pan in the oven to heat. Combine flour, salt and paprika in a shallow bowl. Put crumbs in second shallow bowl. Remove fish from milk and pat it dry on paper towels. Dip it in flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Dip it again in the milk, and then finally in the panko breadcrumbs, coating it well.

Remove hot sheet pan from oven and arrange fish in one layer in pan. Return to middle shelf of oven and bake 6 minutes. Turn fish over and bake and additional 5 to 6 minutes or until it is just cooked through. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Makes about ½ cup

¼ cup lowfat mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbs finely chopped dill pickle
1 tsp pickle juice
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add salt to taste.

Can you use any fish for this recipe? I've been dying to try it but I can't eat the tilapia. Thanks Jenny!

[Peach]

Chilled oatmeal

1 C oatmeal flakes
1 C nectar
1 C yogurt
1 C frozen fruit

Mix and store in freezer overnight. To serve, top with fresh fruit and granola. I use all organic ingredients and you could easily add some flax to taste. Easy and yummy!

[Jenny]

Talapia Fish Sticks

4 servings

2 fresh tilapia fillets (~ 1 lb. total)
2 cups milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs that make for an especially light and crispy coating. Look for them in the Asian section of your grocery store.)
oil for oiling sheet pan
dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Cut fish fillet lengthwise at the seam to separate it into a thicker piece and a thinner piece. Cut the thicker piece crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Lay the slices on their sides and cut them in half lengthwise to form 2-inch x ¼- inch thick sticks. Cut the thinner piece of fish crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.

Combine fish with milk and garlic and chill, covered for 20 minutes.
Put a lightly oiled sheet pan in the oven to heat. Combine flour, salt and paprika in a shallow bowl. Put crumbs in second shallow bowl. Remove fish from milk and pat it dry on paper towels. Dip it in flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Dip it again in the milk, and then finally in the panko breadcrumbs, coating it well.

Remove hot sheet pan from oven and arrange fish in one layer in pan. Return to middle shelf of oven and bake 6 minutes. Turn fish over and bake and additional 5 to 6 minutes or until it is just cooked through. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Makes about ½ cup

¼ cup lowfat mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbs finely chopped dill pickle
1 tsp pickle juice
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add salt to taste.

Can you use any fish for this recipe? I've been dying to try it but I can't eat the tilapia. Thanks Jenny!

I don't see why not. We love tilapia and it's cheap

[austin hope]

These bread recipes look great if you have all the ingredients...

https://www.bobsredmill.com/recipe/category.php?cid=1

[austin hope]

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)

2 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced

4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken, vegetable stock, or water

Chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish

Method:

1. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter.

2. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

3. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

4. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil.

5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

6. Puree soup in batches in processor or using an immersion blender until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish and serve.

[Musickitty]

Quinoa Salad

2 cups quinoa
2 tomatoes - diced
1 carrot - grated
1 avocado (cubed pieces)
salt, pepper
olive oil



I posted igrediants but I think you can just add what you want to it but I usually make a big batch of quinoa that you cook like rice (2 cups of water for each cup of Quinoa). I salt the water but not as much as I do for rice. I usually don't have to drain it as it absorbs all the water (just make sure it doesn't burn). Then I let it cool, it takes a while though so sometimes I'll make the quinoa at night ands put the veggies in in the morning. I chop up an avocado, grate a carrot, dice up a tomato or two, and put salt, pepper & olive oil on it. I used to serve that to the ladies in my playgroup. One of them was a vegetarian & they both loved it. I'll bet a little cilantro would taste good in it, too. Maybe some chopped celery, too, & whatever seasonings you want. You could probably make it smaller with 1 cup of quinoa. I just like to make a big salad & eat it over the next couple days.

[stash]

Chicken Pear Stew
Not so much a recipe as "instructions"

I cook a chicken in stock (or water, but I have a load of frozen stock I need to use), take it out, let it cool, skim the fat off the stock, and then reduce the stock until it's yummy. I take all the meat off the chicken, chop it up, throw it back in with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, salt, pepper, potatoes and chunks of unripe pear. Cook until everything's tender. Sometimes I puree a little of it and put it back in to thicken it up a bit.

[Musickitty]

Does anyone have an easy chicken pot pie recipe? I used to have one that a friend sent me and I taped it to the inside of my dish cabinet but forget it there when I moved. I remember at the time I used boullion cubes to make chicken stock (cuz I rarely have any real stock) but I don't do MSG anymore so that would be out. Though I do have organic veggie boullion cubes.

[amylove]

This is a recipe I modified to make it organic and meatless. It is a kid friendly recipe also. My kids stuff the shells and assemble. They love it!

Easy-to-stuff Manicotti

1 package manicotti noodles (I like Garden Time Organic Semolina)
1 lb ground beef *can substitute 1lb of turkey or diced chicken 2-3 cups of cooked veggies (we use peppers, zucchini, & mushrooms)*
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce
14 pieces of organic string cheese
1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese (shredded)


Cook manicotti according to package directions.
In a skillet cook beef and onion over medium heat until longer pink. Drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce.
Spread half of the meat/veggie sauce into a greased 13 X 9 baking dish.
Drain manicotti; cool.
Stuff each shell with a piece of string cheese.
Place stuffed shells over meat sauce.
Top with remaining meat/veggie sauce.
Cover and bake on 350 for 24-30 minutes or until heated through.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Bake, uncovered for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

[haydensmom]

From Stacy:

Paneer with tomatoes and peas
Paneer is an indian cheese that you make by bringing a gallon of whole milk just to a boil, turning it off, adding 4T lemon juice, stirring until it curdles and pouring through cheesecloth. Once drained, you press it flat into a patty and weight it in the fridge for an hour or so, still in the cheesecloth.

Cut the paneer into cubes, toss lightly in flour and fry in a little bit of oil until brown. Set aside. In a wok, saute onion and garlic until brown. Add garam masala and a bit of spicy chile (I use new mexico chile) salt and pepper. Add a can of chopped tomatoes, some peas and a cup or two of cooked red lentils (I was cooking them for soup for the next day and decided it looked yummy).

Add paneer at the end and serve over rice.

Eggplant Portabella Bake
Cube two portabella mushrooms and one big eggplant. Brown in batches in the wok and set aside. Saute onion and garlic until brown. Add basil, a can of chopped tomatoes, some tomato paste, salt and pepper, some water to thin. Add veggies back in and simmer until thick and yummy. Cook a pound of quinoa pasta (I used shells). Drain and mix all the stuff together. Layer in a pan with mozzarella and parmesan and bake until brown and bubbly on 375 for about 30 minutes.

[Fuzzball]

Hands down best oatmeal cookies ever


INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup ground flax seed
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t cardamom

½ cup (1 stick) organic butter – room temperature
½ cup natural cane sugar
2 organic eggs
½ cup honey
1 t vanilla extract

1 small apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup goji berries or raisins
½ cup chopped dates or apricots
1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
1 ½ cups coconut
3 cups old fashioned organic oats
1⁄4 cup applesauce

INSTRUCTIONS
Stir together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and spices).
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars. Add in honey, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in dry mixture and beat together. Stir in oats, applesauce, coconut, fruit and nuts.
Drop spoonfuls onto baking sheet.
Bake 12-14 minutes at 350.

Enjoy

[EvandAl]

I started a thread with this in it but wanted to also add to the sticky

Eggplant Rolatini Casserole

Eggplant:
3 eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 medium eggplants

Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can no-sugar-added diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can no-sugar-added tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cheese Filling:
15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
Topping:
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano

Equipment: 9 by 13-inch baking dish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the Eggplant: Whisk together the eggs, Parmesan, water, salt, oregano, and garlic powder in a bowl.
Trim the ends off each eggplant and, using a peeler, peel off 2 large swaths of skin on 2 sides. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into 6 slices about 1/2-inch thick. (If you end up with more than 12 slices, just pick out the best ones.) Dip each slice into the egg mixture and transfer to a vegetable spray-coated baking sheet with sides. (If the baking sheet seems crowded, divide the slices among 2 baking sheets.) Pour any remaining egg mixture over the eggplant and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before carefully loosening each slice from the pan with a flat spatula.

Turn oven down to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile make the Tomato Sauce: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Make the Cheese Filling: Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. To assemble the Rolatini: Place two tablespoons of cheese filling in the center of each eggplant slice and roll them up. Place the rolls in a single layer, seam side-down, in the baking dish, and pour the tomato sauce over the top. Cover the rolatini with the topping ingredients. Bake for 25 minutes until cheese starts to brown on top and filling starts to ooze out of the rolls. Remove and serve garnished with basil.

[mrswilson]

I have been meaning to try these for ages. They are simple, fast, and very good. I cooked mine in a cast iron skillet with a little olive oil. If you are familiar with Bittman's recipes, he always has tons of variations, so I included them as well for you. I went easy on the spices for DD.

The Simplest Bean Burgers
--Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 20 minutes with cooked beans

This is the way to go when you want a burger and have neither the time nor the inclination to fuss. When made with chickpeas, they're golden brown and lovely; with black beans, much darker; with red, somewhere in between. Lentils give you a slightly grainy texture.

There are, of course, an infinite number of ways to jazz these up (see the variations, as well as “13 Ways to Build Delicious Burgers”), but this has good flavor and texture and is excellent served on a bun with the usual fixings.

If you start with beans you've cooked yourself—especially well-seasoned ones—the results will be even better, and you can put the bean-cooking liquid to good use (I usually don't use the liquid from canned beans, which often has a tinnier taste than the beans themselves). Like almost all veggie burger mixtures, these will hold together a little better if you refrigerate them first (ideally you'd refrigerate both before and after shaping, but that's only if you have the time).

2 cups well-cooked white, black, or red beans or chickpeas or lentils, or one 14-ounce can, drained
1 medium onion, quartered
1/2 cup rolled oats (preferably not instant)
1 tablespoon chili powder or spice mix of your choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
Bean-cooking liquid, stock, or other liquid (wine, cream, milk, water, ketchup, etc.) if necessary
Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, as needed



1. Combine the beans, onion, oats, chili powder, salt, pepper, and egg in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed, adding a little liquid if necessary (this is unlikely but not impossible) to produce a moist but not wet mixture. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if time allows.

2. With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and again let rest for a few minutes if time allows. (You can make the burger mixture or even shape the burgers up to a day or so in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring everything back to room temperature before cooking.) Film the bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the patties. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned.

3. Serve on buns with the usual burger fixings. Or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Simplest Vegan Bean Burger. Many options: Omit the egg, obviously. Add 1/2 cup Mashed Potatoes; or 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal or short-grain rice (white or brown); or 1/4 cup miso or 1/2 cup tofu.

Bean-and-Cheese Burger. As a flavor-adder, cheese can't be beat, plus there are two bonuses: You don't have to mess with melting cheese on top of the burger, and—for the most part—it acts as a binder. Add 1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Jack, mozzarella, or other cheese to the mix (you can omit the egg if you like).

Bean-and-Spinach Burger. Of all the veggies you can add to a burger, I like spinach. You can leave it uncooked and just shred it if you prefer (figure about 2 cups), but this gives better results; it's great with a little garlic added: Squeeze dry and chop about 1 cup cooked spinach (you'll need about 8 ounces of raw spinach to start, or you can use frozen spinach); add it to the mix and proceed with the recipe.

Bean-and-Veggie Burger. Many options, but don't overdo it or the burger will fall apart: Add up to 1/2 cup carrots, bell peppers, shallots, leeks, celery, potato, sweet potato, winter squash, zucchini, or a combination. Cut into chunks as you do the onion and grind with the beans or shred or mince and add afterward.

High-Protein Bean Burger. The soy gives it just a little boost: Instead of rolled oats, use rolled soy (soy flakes).

13 Ways to Build Delicious Veggie Burgers

There are more ways to vary the burgers in this section than I can imagine, but here are a few ideas. The basic rules are to make sure the mixture is neither too dry nor too wet (if you find yourself in the first situation, add a liquid ingredient; in the second, add some oats, ground rice powder or flour, cornmeal, flour, bread crumbs, or the like). But as for flavors, the sky's the limit.

1. Fresh herbs. You can almost not go wrong with fresh herbs, as long as you don't use overwhelming amounts. Add up to 1/2 cup parsley, basil, or dill leaves; somewhat less of mint, cilantro, or chervil; a tablespoon of oregano or marjoram; or only a teaspoon or so of fresh thyme, tarragon, or rosemary.

2. Dried herbs. Use by the pinch; to really get the seasoning right, taste and adjust it (you can cook a little bit first if you don't want to taste it raw).

3. Spices. The spice mix—chili or curry powder, for example—is an easy way to go, but you can combine fairly small amounts (usually 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) of various spices as you like. Try, for example, smoked paprika, cumin, and ground chiles; coriander, cumin, ginger, and cardamom; or anything else that appeals to you.

4. Garlic. Can't go wrong, really. Add 1 teaspoon or more minced garlic to the mix, or a tablespoon or more Roasted Garlic, with a little of its oil.

5. Chiles. For heat, you can simply add cayenne, hot red pepper flakes, or the like. But if you want some texture, you might include 1/4 cup or more roasted (or canned) green or red chiles.

6. Soy sauce or miso. Just a tablespoon or so of soy sauce, but up to 1/4 cup of any miso; you can omit the egg if you like.

7. Ketchup, salsa, or mustard. Up to 1/3 cup of ketchup or salsa (both of which are pretty good); 1 tablespoon or so of Dijon or other mustard.

8. Nuts or seeds. The nice thing about nuts is the crunch. Add 1/4 cup or so of sesame or sunflower seeds and up to 1/2 cup nuts or pumpkin seeds toward the end of the processing so they don't become too powdery.

9. Lemon, lime, or orange zest. The slight acidity brightens the taste.

10. Tomato paste. A tablespoon or two will give the burgers nice color and a more complex flavor.

11. Mushrooms. Add a tablespoon or so of dried mushrooms, soaked and cooked, as you would any other vegetable (see number 12). Or use up to about 1/2 cup raw, trimmed and added along with the oats and beans.

12. Cooked veggies. Milder flavor, softer texture than raw veggies: Add up to a cup of cooked vegetables— onions, greens, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, zucchini—whatever you like. If you use potatoes and add them to the food processor along with the beans, you can omit the egg and oats.

13. Cooked grains. All-grain burgers tend to be mushy and uninteresting, but adding a bit of grains to other burgers results in a terrific light texture. Feel free to add up to a cup of cooked grains, along with the beans. Omit the oats and, if you like, the egg.

[sprinke]

Okay, I am a little embarrassed to post this because it's so simple. The key is getting the right ingredients.

First of all, you want to buy a good miso. You want "white" (shiro) miso that does NOT have dashi in it. You'll have to scan the ingredients to check. Obviously you want to avoid MSG, etc. Basically it should contain soybeans and not a whole lot else.

You may also want some wakame (seaweed). I usually buy this dried in a resealable bag.

You also want to buy some good tofu. You MUST get silken tofu or, if you can't find it, get extra soft or soft. Firm tofu does not cut it!

Put 4 cups of water to boil. Slice one spring onion very fine (so it makes rings), including both the green and the white parts of the onion.

When the water boils, throw in a small handful of the wakame if you have it. Add the miso paste one tablespoon at a time, but don't just dump it in. Put one tablespoon in a ladle or large spoon and dip it into the boiling water, and use a chopstick to stir the paste in the ladle to help it dissolve. Depending on the strength of your miso, add 3-4 tablespoons total. Add the spring onions. Turn down the heat to simmer.

Then you can add the tofu. Cut tofu into cubes of desired size ... anywhere from 1 cm to 1/2 in. Add the tofu (gently!) and simmer for just a bit to warm up the tofu.

[heatherlee]

So around here we have a major surplus of wild black berries around this time of year...here's how I handled that:

Blackberry Muffins:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt*
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup veg oil (I used olive oil)
1 egg
2/3 cup of brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350
Mix dry ingredients, including berries, in a large bowl
Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl
Combine dry and wet ingredients, mix until just moist
Spoon into muffin tin and cook 20-30 minutes or until muffins separate from tin.

* You can use all yogurt, no milk, just make it 1/2 cup of yogurt, or vice versa all milk no yogurt, same deal, 1/2 cup

Then I made a yummy pie with the left over berries:

Crust (super easy recipe and really yummy):
2 1/4 cups flour (I used all purpose, but you could try whole wheat)
1 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of veg. oil (in this case I didn't sub. olive oil, it would be to savory and too heavy)
1/3 cup of milk

Mix flour and salt in a bowl
Mix milk and oil in separate bowl, stir only slightly
Add oil and milk mixture to flour and salt
Mix with wooden spoof (or kneed until doughy)
Roll out on smooth surface between sheets of wax paper

Filling:

In a large bowl mix lots of blackberries (sorry, I didn't measure) with sugar to taste. I use turbinado sugar. If the berries are especially tart use more sugar, if they are sweet, use less. Blackberries tend to be tart. Sprinkle in some flour to coat the berries and drop in a couple pats of butter. Mix it all up and pour it into your pie crust.

I baked it at 375 for about 30 mins, or until the crust is golden brown and your whole house smells yummy.

[haydensmom]

bump

[pants]

I find this recipe to be the best chicken salad. It makes enough for about 5-6 sandwiches.You can always 1/2 the recipe and it makes about 3 sandwiches. I like to put this on homemade white or wheat bread with lettuce and sliced garden tomatoes. I have also put this on just lettuce for a healthier meal or I make it for a party and put it out with crackers. You really can't go wrong.

• 4 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (I have used leftover chicken from the previous nights dinner..either grilled chicken, baked chicken). I find that using a blend of the dark and white meat creates a better flavor.
• 1-2 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 cup homemade mayonnaise (if you don't have a recipe to use you can use the one below)
• 2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Mix together and chill.


_____
Homemade mayo

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 3/4 cup canola oil, divided

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using 1/4 teaspoon measure and whisking constantly, add 1/4 cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Cover and chill. Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.