Thai Peanut Quinoa Squash Veggie Burgers

Thai Peanut Quinoa Squash Veggie Burgers

Admittedly, I was experimenting when I made these so I didn't pay close attention to measurements. I'm going to try to remember the best I can since these were so DELICIOUS! You will want leftovers or to freeze. I have had so many yellow squash from my garden this summer that I have tried many new things to expand cooking with them. This one is a definite keeper.

Ingredients

For the Burgers:

2 yellow squash

1/2 sweet onion

1 1/2 bella mushrooms

1 red bell pepper

3 cups quinoa

1 cup cauliflower rice

sesame oil

1/3 cup natural peanut butter (the type you have to stir the oil in)

tamari sauce to taste

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

tablespoon cumin powder

2 fresh garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons arrowroot

Follow package directions for the quinoa. While it is cooking:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place squash, onion, garlic, red pepper and mushroom into a food processor. Pulse until it has the same consistency of the cauliflower rice.

Using either a wok or cast iron pan, put vegetable mixture into hot pan with heated sesame oil. Only use enough oil to stir fry your veggies. 

When the quinoa is done (about 15 minutes) add the peanut butter and mix it with the quinoa. Add tamari sauce and nutritional yeast. Add and mix the veggies and arrowroot to the quinoa mix. Add cumin. Adjust spices to your palate. 

Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper. Make your veggie burgers and bake until golden brown. Carefully turn them over and cook until this side is golden brown.

I served over a simple red cabbage salad. 

Red Cabbage Salad

Ingredients for the Salad

1 cup of thinly sliced red cabbage

1/4 small sweet or read onion, thinly sliced

1 small apple

Fresh cilantro and purple basil (optional)

Thinly slice red cabbage (the amount is up to how much salad you want).

Thinly slice red or sweet onion.

Julienne slice a small apple. 

Top with fresh cilantro and purple basil.

Drizzle with Peanut Thai Sauce

Thai Peanut Sauce

For the Sauce:

Gluten free tamari sauce (soy sauce)

peanut butter

minced ginger (I keep a squeeze bottle of ginger in the fridge)

prepared chili garlic sauce (can be bought at most grocery or asian markets)

dash onion powder

agave

water

In a small bowl or blender add:

1. 1/3 cup peanut butter

2. squeeze 1/2 lime juice into the bowl

3. 2 - 5 tablespoons of tamari (depends on your salty preference. I actually use low sodium)

4. 1/4 - 1 teaspoon ginger

5. 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (can add more or less if you wish)

6. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon agave

7. onion powder

Mix together and slowly add teaspoons of water until you have desired consistency.

* If you prefer cashew butter instead of peanut butter, it is equally tasty. 

Summer Squash Fritters

Yellow Squash Fritters with Peanut Chili Garlic Sauce

This year I have a plethora of yellow squash, so I have been trying to expand ways to cook with them. I think this one is a keeper! 

Pictured here are most of the ingredients:

You will need a food processor, a pan to bake in (I used cast iron), and I used cheesecloth to squeeze excess liquid from the squash. 

For the Fritter:

4 yellow squash

1 fresh jalapeno

1 fresh banana pepper

1 small to medium sweet onion

1/3 to 1/2 package of firm tofu (depends on your taste)

1 tablespoon of arrowroot (I used as a thickener, but if you don't have it I think it will be fine)

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

*fresh parsley if you desire, or you have it as an edible garnish

salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray (I use olive oil spray) into your cast iron pans.

1. Slice the squash in half and salt it generously. This is to draw extra water out of it. Let it rest.

2. Take your tofu and pat dry it and squeeze it to get excess water out of it.

3. Cut squash in cubes and put into food processor. Pulse it until the chunks are no longer. Careful not to make it mushy. Remove and put it in the cheesecloth and squeeze it until you are no longer getting much water out.

4. Put squash into a bowl along with crumbled up tofu.

5. Slice both peppers and onion and put into the food processor and pulse until it is the same consistency as the squash.

6. Add the pepper and onion, arrowroot, garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper to taste to your squash-tofu mixture.

7. Add two tablespoons of Just Egg (vegan).

8. Mix well. Roll into desired sized balls then flatten and put them into the cast iron pans.

Bake until golden brown. While they are baking, make the Peanut Chili Garlic Sauce.

For the Sauce:

Gluten free tamari sauce (soy sauce)

peanut butter

minced ginger (I keep a squeeze bottle of ginger in the fridge)

prepared chili garlic sauce (can be bought at most grocery or asian markets)

agave

water

In a small bowl add:

1. 1/3 cup peanut butter

2. squeeze 1/2 lime juice into the bowl

3. 2 - 5 tablespoons of tamari (depends on your salty preference. I actually use low sodium)

4. 1/4 - 1 teaspoon ginger

5. 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (can add more or less if you wish)

6. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon agave

Mix together and slowly add teaspoons of water until you have desired consistency.

Once the bottoms of your fritters are toasted brown (do not flip), then broil for 2 - 4 minutes (watch this- some ovens will brown faster than others).

Top with drizzled peanut chili sauce and fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Mock Chicken Salad

I hesitate to call this a Mock Chicken Salad since I really don't want to relate my food to meat; but, this is seriously a great mock up! It only takes minutes to make and is easily catered to your individual tastes.

Ingredients

1 20 oz can JackFruit (I use Trader Joe's packed in brine) Rinse thoroughly.

1 15.5 oz can Garbanzo Beans (Chick-Peas) Rinse thoroughly.

1 small Sweet Onion

1 stalk of Celery

Vegan Mayonaise or vegan sour cream to your desired consistency (I've used both and honestly do not have a preference).

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Optional:

1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast

1/4 cup nuts (I have used both almonds and cashews)

4 drops of liquid smoke

1/4 cup raisins (I prefer golden)

juice of 1/4 fresh lemon

1/2 t smoked paprika 

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Process to your desired consistency (it will be the consistency of chicken salad).

MIX in veganaise or sour cream

If desired, add sliced grapes

Serve on your choice of leafy greens

Garnish ideas:

diced apples (really yummy)

sliced almonds or nuts of choice

diced onion or green onion

grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

raspberries

This also makes yummy sandwiches and wraps! Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup

This Red Lentil Soup is more like a hearty stew than just a soup. It can be spiced up, adorned or made more creamy. It can be a side dish or the main dish.

Ingredients

2 cups dry red lentils

1 sweet potato diced

1 large sweet onion chopped

5 fresh garlic cloves diced

2 celery stalks sliced thinly

1 cup of chopped carrots

2 cans Italian spiced tomatoes, one can blender pureed

2 cups (or more if desired) vegetable broth

4-6 cups water

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin 

smoked salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

smoked sweet paprika to taste

1. Rinse lentils and remove impurities

2. cook sweet potato in the microwave for 3 minutes.

3. Add all prepared ingredients into a pot. Add diced sweet potatoes.

4. Season to taste.

5. Cook until all ingredients are tender.

Serve with sliced avocado if desired. Add a dollop of vegan cream cheese or vegan cheese if desired. If a spicier stew is wanted, then add red dots or jalepenos. 

Pad Thai

First, I want to thank the internet for having this picture. This is a dish that I have never taken the time to photograph. The reason is simple, we are too busy eating it! Carbs are not a huge part of my diet, but these rice noodles mixed with tofu and peanuts for protein, broccoli and edamame for fiber and nutrients is a comfort food in my home. The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility to add or take away the vegetables as you please.

Ingredients:

Peanut Sauce:

*garlic clove

*3 tablespoons sesame oil

*5 - 10 tablespoons natural peanut butter

*2-3 teaspoons fresh grated or squeezable ginger

*4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*3 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce (soy sauce can be a substitute)

*brown sugar (or your favorite sweetener) to taste

*2 - 4 tablespoon tomato paste (can use ketchup as a substitute)

*tablespoon of rice vinegar

*3-6 tablespoons of water (add more if needed)

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Start low on the water and add until desired consistency is achieved.

Main Dish:

1 block of extra firm tofu., drained and chopped into cubes 

8 oz. (more if you need more) rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles (both are gluten free)

1 carrot, julienned

4 green onions chopped/ plus the rest of the bunch for topping

1 -2 cups broccoli flowerets

1- 2 large zucchini spiraled or chopped

*mushrooms if desired

1- 2 cups edamame, if frozen run through water to defrost and mixed with the sauteé

1/2 cup red pepper julienned

Olive oil to sauteé the vegetables 

Topping

1 bunch of cilantro

1/2 cup of chopped peanuts

remainder of chopped green onions

sesame seeds

lime wedges

Heat a large pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and brown.

Prepare the noodles as listed on instructions.

Remove and set aside the todu. 

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat. 

Sauteé vegetables and garlic until softened, but not mushy.

Drain the noodles and mix with the vegetables. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and green onions. If you have sesame seeds, sprinkle with the seeds and add lime wedges to the side

Pad Thai

First, I want to thank the internet for having this picture. This is a dish that I have never taken the time to photograph. The reason is simple, we are too busy eating it! Carbs are not a huge part of my diet, but these rice noodles mixed with tofu and peanuts for protein, broccoli and edamame for fiber and nutrients is a comfort food in my home. The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility to add or take away the vegetables as you please.

Ingredients:

Peanut Sauce:

*garlic clove

*3 tablespoons sesame oil

*5 tablespoons natural peanut butter

*2-3 teaspoons fresh grated or squeezable ginger

*4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*3 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce (soy sauce can be a substitute)

*brown sugar to taste

*2 tablespoon tomato paste (can use ketchup as a substitute)

*tablespoon of rice vinegar

*3-6 tablespoons of water 

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Start low on the water and add until desired consistency is achieved.

Main Dish:

1 block of extra firm tofu., drained and chopped into cubes 

8 oz. (more if you need more) rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles (both are gluten free)

1 carrot, julienned

4 green onions chopped/ plus the rest of the bunch for topping

1 -2 cups broccoli flowerets

1- 2 large zucchini spiraled or chopped

*mushrooms if desired

1- 2 cups edamame, if frozen run through water to defrost and mixed with the sauteé

1/2 cup red pepper julienned

Olive oil to sauteé the vegetables 

Topping

1 bunch of cilantro

1/2 cup of chopped peanuts

remainder of chopped green onions

sesame seeds

lime wedges

Heat a large pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and brown.

Prepare the noodles as listed on instructions.

Remove and set aside the todu. 

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat. 

Sauteé vegetables and garlic until softened, but not mushy.

Drain the noodles and mix with the vegetables. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and green onions. If you have sesame seeds, sprinkle with the seeds and add lime wedges to the side

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Easter Dinner! Roasted stuffed Acorn Squash with Pesto!

This year, 2016, Easter was low key with only two us in town. I am used to cooking for large groups that I had to think about what would be good for just the two of us. This was a definite winner!

*When I cooked this, I did not have my blog in mind- so bear with me as I don't have exact measurements.

Ingredients:

1 Acorn Squash (save the seeds and drizzle with olive oil and roast them for the pesto)

The Filling

Broccoli Slaw (3 cups pulsed in the food processor)
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 Sweet Onion
1/8 cup diced fresh herbs (I used basil and rosemary)
A hand toss full of  slivered Almonds
One pouch of Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice

Topping

One small container of mixed Mushrooms
Olive Oil
Smoked Sea Salt

Pesto

1 Cup Fresh BASIL
1 Cup Sundried Tomatoes (I used oil packed and rinse them)
1 Cup Pinenuts
1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste
*I use bourbon smoked citrus pepper

Step One:
Cut Acorn Squash in half. Discard stringy pulp and keep seeds. Fill baking pan with 1 inch of water turn squash cut side down and bake until tender. Roast seeds at the same time.

Step Two:
Pulse the broccoli slaw, onion and garlic in food processor. Sautee´in olive oil. Toss in almonds to toast. Add fresh herbs

Step Three:
While Step One is cooking arrange washed and dried mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked sea salt  and roast/broil until crispy.

Step Four:
Microwave Quinoa & Brown Rice pouch for 90 seconds

Step Five:
Mix fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, pinenuts, roasted seeds, nutritional yeast and garlic cloves to taste in a high speed blender. Add water as needed.

Step Six:
Mix all of the filling  together. Empty the water out of the pan of squash and turn the squash cut side up. Spread a spoonful of pesto on the bottom. Fill with the filling mixture. Add a dollop of pesto on top and spread the roasted mushrooms around the pesto.

Step Seven:

Bon Appetit! Enjoy!