Beet Burgers

Served with veggie cheese on a lightly toasted sprouted 7 grain bun.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup millet, rinsed (or brown rice)
• 2 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube

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• 6 small beets, peeled and shredded (about 5 cups)
• 1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, chopped

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• 1 1/2 cups cooked beans (or 1 can rinsed and drained)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

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• 2 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 6 tablespoons water

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• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oil

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• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

METHOD:

• Combine millet, water and bouillon in pot and cook 30 minutes or until water is absorbed (cook brown rice for 50 minutes)
• Shred beets and carrots in food processor; set aside
• Combine flaxseed meal and water; set aside to gel
• In the food processor combine beans, oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, spices and 1 cup of the shredded beets, processing for several minutes until mashed; transfer to a large bowl
• Stir the rest of shredded beets, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds and cooked millet into the bean mash
• In the millet cooking pot, saute onion and garlic in oil about 5 minutes; stir into rest of vegetables
• Stir in flaxseed mixture
• Stir in flour
• Shape into twenty 1/2 cup patties and place on greased cookie sheet
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees (bake 10 minutes longer to serve without freezing)
• Cool on sheet for 10 minutes, carefully transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes longer
• Place racks in freezer for one hour or until patties are partially frozen
• Transfer patties to freezer container, separated by a piece of waxed paper
• To prepare frozen patties, broil in toaster oven for 10 minutes on each side

 

NOTES:

I tried a few different beet burger recipes and although the taste was good, in each case the burger did not hold together.  If I could get it cooked intact and transferred to a bun, it squooshed right out the other side of the bun at the first bite.  I kept trying until I came up with a burger that held together.  I also experimented with partially cooking and freezing to have burgers on hand at all times and that worked very well.  I like these so much I may never buy packaged veggie burgers again.

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Adapted from Discuss Cooking

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large head green cabbage
• 3 cups cooked black beans (or 2 cans rinsed and drained)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (cook in salted water)
• 2 carrots, finely shredded
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce

METHOD:

• Remove 10 leaves from head of cabbage, cook in boiling water 4-5 minutes until limp
• Shred remaining cabbage and place in bottom of slow cooker
• In a medium bowl mash beans with potato masher
• Add cooked rice, carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste and spices and stir until combined
• Pour 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce into slow cooker and stir to combine with shredded cabbage
• Evenly divide bean mixture among cabbage leaves, fold sides of leaf over filling and roll up
• Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of shredded cabbage
• Top with remaining spaghetti sauce
• Cover and cook on low heat for 7-9 hours or on high heat for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hours
• Carefully remove cabbage rolls and serve with the shredded cabbage

Apricot Energy Bars

Adapted from Shutterbean

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 15 Medjool dates, pit removed
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons flaxmeal
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

METHOD:

• Place apricots in food processor and process several minutes until completely chopped
• Add dates and process until ball forms; break up ball and distribute evenly in processor bowl
• Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended
• Press mixture firmly and evenly into 9 x 13 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper
• Place in freezer for 1 1/2 hours
• Remove mixture from pan and cut into 12 bars
• Cut parchment paper into smaller pieces and use to separate bars in container
• Can be frozen and individual bars removed as needed

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet Potato Topping:

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon curry
• salt

Filling:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 2 turnips, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1 daikon radish, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 vegetable bouillon cube
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans (or 1 can, drained)
• salt

METHOD:

Sweet Potato Topping:

• Boil sweet potato in water in covered pot for about 15 minutes until tender
• Drain and mash with milk, margarine and curry
• Salt to taste
• Set aside

Filling:

• Heat oil in large pot
• Add onion, leak and garlic; saute 5-6 minutes
• Add diced vegetables, rosemary and thyme; cook 5 more minutes
• Stir in flour
• Add water, bouillon cube, tomato paste and beans
• Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften
• Salt to taste

• Pour filling into casserole dish
• Spread sweet potato topping over filling
• Sprinkle with paprika
• Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping starts to brown
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving

 

Swiss Chard and Leek Pie

Adapted from Fat Free Vegan

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• 1 bunch chard
• 2 leeks, white and pale green parts, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz. organic extra firm tofu, drained
• 1/3 cup rice milk
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Spray 9 inch pie plate with non-stick spray
• Wash chard but do not dry; separate stems from leaves
• Chop chard stems into small pieces
• In a large skillet, saute leek and chard stems in oil for 5 minutes
• While leek and chard stems are cooking, chop chard leaves into bite size pieces
• Add chard leaves and garlic to the pan, cover and cook until chard is wilted.
• Spread in bottom of pie plate
• In food processor combine the rest of the ingredients and process until very smooth
• Spread over chard in the pie pan
• Using the tip of a knife, pierce the tofu mixture and fold in chard mixture slightly all around the pie plate; smooth out tofu mixture so it covers all of the chard
• Bake for 35 minutes or until center is set
• Cool for 10 minutes before serving