Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta!

This is healing. This is nourishing. This is comfort food.

Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta:  The perfect supper for a chilly autumn evening.

Here's the recipe from Post Punk Kitchen.  Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta

You're gonna love that website. I promise. The recipes and the photos are amazing.............

The Best Lentil Almond Burgers Ever!

photo from Eatingwell.com

I must be honest and confess-- I  keep a package of veggie burgers in my freezer.  They're convenient to have on hand when I don't have time to cook.  In the summer, one of my friends is always having an impromtu BBQ so if I don't have a supply of homemade burgers,  I'll toss a couple of veggie burgers in my purse. I wrap them in foil to cook on the grill along with all the hamburgers and hotdogs. 

I am not a huge fan of the pre-packaged, frozen veggie burger, but it can be quite a life-saver on those days I just don't have time to prepare my own.  I prefer homemade burgers made from beans and grains. They're obviously healthier and they taste so much better.  

Here is my favorite burger recipe made from lentils and almonds. These are so delicious. I put them on whole grain hamburgers rolls and serve with all the regular fixings.

This recipe comes from Eatingwell.com.  I've adjusted it slightly to make it vegan.  These burgers are  delicate so flip them gently in the pan when you cook them. They will most likely fall apart if you grill them so my advice is not even try. You can wrap them in a bit of foil, however, and re-heat them on the BBQ, if desired.

Lentil and Almond Burgers

• 6 cups water
• 1 cup brown lentils or green French lentils (see Ingredient note)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ,divided
• 3/4 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk) (about
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer mixed in 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

 

1. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until very tender and beginning to break down, about 25 minutes for brown lentils or 30 minutes for green lentils. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, shallots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add almonds, thyme, salt and pepper; continue cooking until the almonds are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor; add 1 cup of the cooked lentils. Pulse several times, scraping down the sides once or twice, until the mixture is coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the remaining lentils. Let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in egg replacer and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour

3. Form the lentil mixture into 5 patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn gently and continue to cook until lightly browned and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Ingredient Note: French green lentils are smaller and firmer than brown lentils. They cook more quickly, too, about 20 minutes. They can be found in natural-foods stores and some larger supermarkets.

I Served My Husband A Tofu Sandwich!

Many years ago, when I was a brand-new vegetarian, I decided to make breaded tofu for my carnivorous husband. I took a block of firm tofu, pressed it between two plates to remove the excess water, and cut it into thin slices. Then I did what any good Italian would do.  I dipped the slices into a bowl of lightly beaten egg and then covered them with seasoned bread crumbs. I tossed my breaded tofu slices into pan with a bit of olive oil and fried them up until they were golden brown.

I thought this was ingenious. It tasted pretty good, too. At least I thought so. It resembled fried mozzarella- crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. I was so proud of how it all turned out that I piled the tofu on a hero roll, added a few slices of cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato, and sent my husband off to work with a healthy lunch.  By the way, he's my ex-husband now--this COULD be the reason why! :)

Later on that day, he opened the lunch lovingly packed by his adoring wife. I can see it now....my ex-husband sitting with his co-workers, looking forward to eating what looked like chicken cutlets on a hero roll. YUMMY!!! Smacking his lips, he takes the first bite of his delicious sandwich and......

WHAT THE HELL?!!

He called me later on that afternoon and it wasn't to thank me for a healthy, delicious lunch. Nope. He was not happy. Not at all.  Instead, he screamed into the phone: "Don't ever give me a tofu sandwich again! What is the matter with you?"

I made it up to him later by serving pot roast and gravy for dinner that night.

This was long before tasty meat alternatives ever existed. Everything I made, I made from scratch. There were no packaged veggie burgers, Tofurky slices, or frozen patties that looked and tasted like chicken but weren't actually chicken. Honestly, I am not a big fan of that sort of stuff. If you really want something that looks and tastes like meat, perhaps you should just have meat. I do have veggie burgers in my freezer, however. They are a quick convenience food for the nights I just don't feel like cooking and they're perfect for a BBQ when everyone else is eating grilled hamburgers. I just don't make a habit out of them. Not mention they're not very economical. It's much cheaper to make them myself.

Never again did I give my ex-husband a tofu sandwich but I did keep experimenting with all sorts of healthy, vegetarian recipes. And I must admit, for remaining years we were married,  he was a pretty good sport and willingly sampled just about everything I cooked: tofu chili, "chocolate cream" pie made with carob powder and tofu, baked lentil burgers, Fettuccine Alfredo-No Alfredo (this was homemade spinach noodles tossed with a sauce made from tofu, soy milk and soy cheese) and a whole variety of other strange concoctions. Some dishes were a hit (he really liked the fettuccine) and others were complete failures. It was all trial and error. This is how I learned what worked and what didn't........

In order to inspire others to eat healthier and incorporate more "meat-less meals" into their diet, I have to give them something that actually tastes good. I happen to love tofu and I can eat it straight from the container. I can't expect everyone else (especially meat-eaters) to do the same. This is why I work so hard to bring you delicious recipes every day.  Delicious, healthy, wholesome food you will enjoy and want serve to your family or even to guests.

Here is one recipe that was always a "hit": Baked Lentil Burgers.  They're tasty, easy to make, and healthy.  You can put them on rolls and add cheese or serve them up with mashed potatoes and vegan mushroom gravy. Bake it in a lightly oiled loaf pan, or roll them into tiny lentil balls. You can get crazy and add other things to the mixture as well: chopped, sauted onions, some dried sage--the possibilites are endless. I love them topped with a bit of pepper jelly or mango chutney. These freeze really well, too. You might enjoy these so much, you'll never buy another veggie burger.

Lentil Burgers (makes 4 burgers or 6 small ones)

1/2 cup lentils

1 egg yolk or Ener-g Egg Replacer

dash of dried thyme

1 tablespoon bread crumbs

Cook lentils until soft so they mash easily with a fork, about one hour. Drain any excess. When the lentils are cool, add the egg or egg replacer, bread crumbs, and thyme. Shape into patties and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve warm.