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Homemade Veggie Burgers

January 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

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Trying to make a veggie burger from scratch has been on my to-cook list for months. I pulled a recipe at least six months ago and have been telling myself I need to make it probably since then. The problem is that it’s a food processor recipe, and sometimes, cleaning that thing takes the fun out of using it!

I finally wrote down what I needed to buy, made hummus so the food processor was already dirty, and got to work on the burgers last Sunday.

The recipe made 9 small-ish burgers, and I plan to eat some this week and freeze them to take for lunches.

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I really liked the texture and spices, and am very glad I finally tried them! No need to buy the frozen version when homemade is so much better, and you can freeze them to use one at a time. Really, these made my lunches so much better!

While this may look like a long ingredient list, it’s actually a lot of pantry items and spices that you might already have as a kitchen staple.

I also had one for dinner with sauteed veggies and some rice.

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Homemade Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C old-fashioned oats, processed into flour
  • 1.5 C bread crumbs
  • 1 C carrots
  • 1 C black beans, rinsed and mashed
  • 1/4 C parsley
  • 1/3 C cashews (or any nut like almonds, pecans, etc)
  • 1/3 C sunflower seeds
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  • In a food processor, pulse together carrots, garlic, onion. Add about 3/4 C of the black beans and pulse again. You want the consistency to be mashed but not mushed.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the remaining 1/4 C unblended black beans.
  • Remove food from processor and add to a mixing bowl.
  • Add almonds and sunflower seeds and pulse to a fine chop. Add to mixing bowl.
  • Add oats to the processor and grind to a flour. Add to mixing bowl with bread crumbs.
  • In mixing bowl, stir to combine, then add egg, EVOO, soy sauce, and all spices.
  • Stir to combine.
  • The mixture should hold together in your hand when you try to squeeze it. Before you try to add water, form a burger and see if it holds. I thought mine might need more liquid, but it held together as a burger, so I didn’t add anything.
  • Form mixture into patties and lay on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or cooking spray.
  • Bake at 350* for about 22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Remove when burgers are starting to brown.

 

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Homemade Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Homemade Veggie Burgers
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ white onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C old-fashioned oats, processed into flour
  • 1.5 C bread crumbs
  • 1 C carrots
  • 1 C black beans, rinsed and mashed
  • ¼ C parsley
  • ⅓ C cashews (or any nut like almonds, pecans, etc)
  • ⅓ C sunflower seeds
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse together carrots, garlic, onion. Add about ¾ C of the black beans and pulse again. You want the consistency to be mashed but not mushed.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ¼ C unblended black beans.
  3. Remove food from processor and add to a mixing bowl.
  4. Add almonds and sunflower seeds and pulse to a fine chop. Add to mixing bowl.
  5. Add oats to the processor and grind to a flour. Add to mixing bowl with bread crumbs.
  6. In mixing bowl, stir to combine, then add egg, EVOO, soy sauce, and all spices.
  7. Stir to combine.
  8. The mixture should hold together in your hand when you try to squeeze it. Before you try to add water, form a burger and see if it holds. I thought mine might need more liquid, but it held together as a burger, so I didn’t add anything.
  9. Form mixture into patties and lay on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or cooking spray.
  10. Bake at 350* for about 22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  11. Remove when burgers are starting to brown.

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , ,

How to make brussels sprouts taste good

November 2, 2011 by 2 Comments

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I understand that many people think of brussels sprouts as one of the worst vegetables ever. It had a bad rap when I was growing up, and my mom never made them. So I assumed they were a boring vegetable until I became more adventurous. I actually like these sprouts that look like mini cabbages. They are easy to cook, versatile, and really healthy. You just have to dress ‘em up right. They just need a little PR makeover or someone to stand up for them.

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Recently, I read a recipe on Eat Live Run that added some sugar to the sprouts. Well that must be good. She cut them into ribbons, but I like the bite and crunch of just splitting them in half. I generally followed her recipe, but added a little more salt and pepper.

Sweet and Crunchy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb brussels sprouts (can use less and adjust other measurements)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • Approx. 3 tbsp brown sugar (start with 2 and add if you need more)
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

  • Cut the bottom off the sprout, and then slice in half. Don’t worry about leaves that fall off.
  • Heat the olive oil over medium high in a large skillet and saute the garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Add the brussels sprouts and continue sauteing for another 4-5 minutes, until bright green and tender.
  • Add the sea salt and brown sugar and toss together.
  • Finish by adding the toasted nuts.

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Don’t be scared of the sprout, just learn how to make them right!

Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: ,

Hukuna Frittata

October 24, 2011 by 3 Comments

For a recent Sunday night dinner, eggs were on the menu. Instead of scrambling like we usually do, we made our first frittata. Last December, we bought a Le Creuset cast iron skillet at an outlet store in Florida. The thing probably weighs ten pounds, but we wanted to try the cast iron method of cooking meat, and on sale was a good way to try it.

Only special pans can go from the stovetop to oven, and Le Creuset makes their products special for that. Eggs are also a great food to start on the stove and finish in the oven.

The frittata turned out to be a fun way to eat vegetables and eggs in a pie shape. We loved it! So many ideas of how to alter the ingredients to make this again. I had mine with a little salad of lettuce and tomato and a bagel on the side. And we shared some bacon.

The best part was the leftovers for lunch! I ate it cold twice for lunch during the week with a salad.

We loved the potatoes and egg together, and bacon would have been great in the frittata too. Can’t wait to make more frittatas!

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Vegetable Frittata

Makes 8 wedges

Ingredients:

  • 3 baby yellow potatoes, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt {divided}
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 C grated Pepperjack cheese, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 scallions, chopped

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a cast-iron skillet (important), drizzle with 2 T EVOO and let heat up. Cook diced potatoes and garlic for about 8 minutes until tender.
  • Add chopped bell pepper for last 3 minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs with salt, pepper, milk and cheese.
  • In the skillet, spread vegetables evenly so they don’t overlap. Pour eggs on and don’t stir.
  • Let sit for about 3 minutes, until sides are getting geled and inside is still wet.
  • Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is firm and starting to brown.
  • Remove from oven and add scallions and more cheese for melting.
  • Cut into wedges, and it should remove easily.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , ,

Sweet Potato Vegetable Stoup

October 21, 2011 by 1 Comment

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This is a hearty and healthy vegetable soup. Rachael Ray coined a great word–a stoup–which is thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew. It’s a stoup. I roasted some sweet potatoes in the oven, and at the same time, started cooking the soup on the stove. The soup was a thick mix of sweet potatoes, onion, mushrooms, kale, and white beans with broth. It was a veggie-ful soup good when you are craving something clean and healthy.

I jazzed it up with guacamole and tortilla chips on top to make it kind of tortilla soup-like.

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Sweet Potato Vegetable Stoup

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 1 pack mushrooms, sliced
  • 1.5 medium onions, diced (too much)
  • 3 gloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch kale, washed and trimmed
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1 can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
  • spoonful guacamole
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

To Prepare:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cube the sweet potatoes into evenly sized pieces.  Toss with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper, and spread evenly onto a sheet pan.
  2. Roast for 45 minutes, or until browned and tender, stirring once halfway through cooking. Add mushrooms to sheet pan with about 15 minutes remaining.
  3. Once the vegetables are done, sauté the onions and garlic over medium high heat in a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) until soft and starting to turn brown.
  4. Add roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, and spices and bring up to a simmer.
  5. Fill pot to the top with kale (washed and torn), and cover for at least 10 minutes so that the kale will wilt and steam.
  6. Check kale for tenderness after 10 minutes.  Once ready, add rinsed beans and stir well to heat through.
  7. Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve with guacamole and tortilla chips for extra crunch.

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Have a nice weekend!

Filed Under: Vegetarian · Tagged With:

Squash and Farro Salad

October 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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Besides pumpkin, the other flavor that makes me think of Fall is squash. I had a giant butternut squash and used half in a Yom Kippur dinner dish, and used half for this dish. I based if off of a Daily Garnish dish and then made it my own with what I had on hand.

My grain of choice was farro. I used 1.5 cups of uncooked farro and it made a huge bowl. Since I was the only one eating this, most was wasted unfortunately after a few days. I would cut this back a whole lot, even to have leftovers if it’s just for you! Farro is a chewy grain that I like when I want something different. You can use rice, quinoa, cous cous, millet, etc. Any grain will work.

I love the squash and cranberry combo, and it would also be great with an herb like parsley or a nut like slivered almonds. A really hearty salad. Serve atop mixed greens for a balanced lunch!

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Squash and Farro Salad

  • 1.5 cups dry farro (could sub any grain–rice, quinoa, etc.)
  • 3 cups water (do the proportion for your grain)
  • 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • dash of salt and pepper
  • (Emily’s recipe used a little Dijon, but I didn’t have any. I would probably add that in because the dressing was strong in orange juice taste, which was fine, just strong.)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cube a large butternut squash. Then toss with olive oil and salt and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Pop it into the oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
  • While the squash is roasting, cook your farro according to package.
  • In a small dish, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
  • With everything ready, add farro, squash, and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Add dressing and stir well to combine all ingredients.

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Squash and Farro Salad
 

Ingredients
  • Squash and Farro Salad
  • 1.5 cups dry farro (could sub any grain–rice, quinoa, etc.)
  • 3 cups water (do the proportion for your grain)
  • ½ large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup dried apricots
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the dressing
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • dash of salt and pepper
  • Emily’s recipe used a little Dijon, but I didn’t have any. I would probably add that in because the dressing was strong in orange juice taste, which was fine, just strong.)

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cube a large butternut squash. Then toss with olive oil and salt and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Pop it into the oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
  2. While the squash is roasting, cook your farro according to package.
  3. In a small dish, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
  4. With everything ready, add farro, squash, and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Add dressing and stir well to combine all ingredients.

Filed Under: Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Falafel Burgers, Round 2

September 21, 2011 by 2 Comments

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Quite a while ago, I made falafel burgers. We enjoyed them ok, but thought they were a little dry, and basically tasted like baked hummus. It wasn’t bad, just tasted like hummus. Then I saw a recipe recently that added some jalapeno, and more spices, and also cooked them on the stovetop instead of in the oven. Worth a try! I love falafel, and remember liking that the burgers lasted me for lunch for many days.

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We really liked these, but thought they needed a good sauce! What goes with falafel? Tzaziki. I don’t have that in a jar in the fridge. These falafel were much more flavorful, and stovetop method was really good too. I added some shredded carrot to help keep them juicy, and liked the addition of an onion and jalapeno. I also changed the spices from the original recipe because I didn’t have them and didn’t want to buy more spices. It’s all about using what you’ve got.

Falafel Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 red onion, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1/3 C shredded carrot
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 3 T plus 2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 C Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg white
Instructions:
  • In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add cumin and paprika and mix well.
  • Add onion mixture and carrots to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.

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We also had some sliced, roasted carrots as a side, and roasted potatoes. The carrots were cut like fries and roasted with EVOO, salt and pepper at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. The potatoes included rosemary, garlic powder, EVOO, salt and pepper, and were roasted at 400 for about 30 minutes.

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We served our falafel over a salad of lettuce and tomato. Delicious and healthy meal!

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Print
Falafel Burgers
 

Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ½ red onion, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • ⅓ C shredded carrot
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cumin
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 3 T plus 2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ C Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg white

Instructions
  1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add cumin and paprika and mix well.
  3. Add onion mixture and carrots to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: ,

High Protein Granola

July 21, 2011 by 3 Comments

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Granolas can be a little risky to have in your pantry because they are usually high in sugar and fat. I like to live on the edge, but I also like to find a better-for-you alternative.

One of my favorite sites, Oh She Glows, made this lightened up granola a few days ago. What intrigued me about it was that it didn’t have any dried fruit, and it used millet. She also didn’t use any oil, which adds calories fast, and used simple things I had at home. I did make a few substitutions for what I had at home.

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I subbed quinoa for the millet because that’s what I had, and added raisins after it came out of the oven, I learned that trick a few batches ago when the raisins burned while cooking with the granola. And I don’t make my own nut butter. I tried once and flopped.

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Lighter Granola

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup almonds, I mixed some slivered and some whole
  • 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 T ground flax meal
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • heaping 2 T applesauce
  • 1/4 cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • 3 T peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick mat.
  • In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.In a medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (except for the  extracts). Microwave for about 60 seconds. Now stir in the extracts until combined.
  • Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated.
  • Scoop onto baking sheet, spread out.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. Makes about 5 cups. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 months.
  • Add raisins after it comes out of the oven if desired.

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This granola was super crunchy and crispy. It had plenty of clumps too. I like adding raisins because they are like the little prize that you hope to get in each scoop, but it’s not necessary. If you thought quinoa in granola was strange, it’s no big deal. Just adds more protein and crunch.

If you’ll notice from the ingredients, there are a lot of superfoods. From the quinoa to flax meal to chia seeds to oats and peanut butter, there’s a lot of power for energy. Lots going on in this recipe! Added with yogurt or milk, it’s a great combo of protein and carbs, necessary every time you eat.

If you are unfamiliar with brown rice syrup, it is very sticky and has a distinct flavor. If you find you don’t like the flavor of the finished product, you could sub maple syrup.

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So are you going to give it a try?

Print
High Protein Granola
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 5 cups
 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup almonds, I mixed some slivered and some whole
  • ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 T ground flax meal
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • heaping 2 T applesauce
  • ¼ cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • 3 T peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick mat.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.In a medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (except for the  extracts). Microwave for about 60 seconds. Now stir in the extracts until combined.
  3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated.
  4. Scoop onto baking sheet, spread out.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. Makes about 5 cups. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 months.
  6. Add raisins after it comes out of the oven if desired.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Protein-Packed Square Meal

July 12, 2011 by 1 Comment

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I have been on a recent kick of making a one-pot dish on Sundays to take for lunch during the week. Packing lunch is one of my least favorite chores and eating out of Tupperware is never appetizing either. I started making a dish ahead of time that can stand alone as a dinner side dish, or be added to a salad for lunch.

This dish is simple and healthy with protein from three different sources. The base is a grain (lentils and farr0) that are both high in protein. Quinoa would be another idea. The second part are vegetables. I used an orange bell pepper, a yellow squash and kale. The third layer is kidney beans for even more protein.

And because everything is better with cheese, and since cheese has protein, I added feta.

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Protein-Packed Square Meal

Ingredients:

  • 1 C green lentils
  • 1/2 C farro, rinsed
  • 3 C water
  • 1 medium yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 C kale, chopped
  • 1/2 C feta crumbles

For the dressing:

  • 3 T EVOO
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions:

  • In a sauce pan, add lentils and farro to 3 C water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook about 25 minutes, until most of the water dissolves and grains are fork tender.
  • In a separate skillet, heat garlic for a few minutes, then add kale, squash and bell pepper. Let cook until soft. Remove from heat.
  • Drain grans once cooked and place back in the sauce pan.
  • Add vegetables to the farro/lentil bowl and stir to combine. Add kidney beans and stir.
  • In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Pour on top of dish and stir to combine.
  • Add feta once cooled.

The whole dish made plenty for the whole week of lunches. When I prep my lunch the night before, I just add lettuce, a tomato and some carrot sticks and spoon about 1/3-1/2 C of the dish on top. Serve with fruit and crackers and there’s lunch!

Over the last few months, I have been eating vegetarian sources of protein for most lunches because I find it easier to plan than prepping meat. It’s more affordable, and there are plenty of options. This dish could be subbed out many different ways with varying grains, vegetables or beans.

Print
Protein-Packed Square Meal
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6-8
 

Ingredients
  • 1 C green lentils
  • ½ C farro, rinsed
  • 3 C water
  • 1 medium yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 C kale, chopped
  • ½ C feta crumbles
  • For the dressing:
  • 3 T EVOO
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, add lentils and farro to 3 C water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook about 25 minutes, until most of the water dissolves and grains are fork tender.
  2. In a separate skillet, heat garlic for a few minutes, then add kale, squash and bell pepper. Let cook until soft. Remove from heat.
  3. Drain grans once cooked and place back in the sauce pan.
  4. Add vegetables to the farro/lentil bowl and stir to combine. Add kidney beans and stir.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Pour on top of dish and stir to combine.
  6. Add feta once cooled.

Filed Under: Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Summer Gazpacho

June 28, 2011 by 2 Comments

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Talk about a healthy soup. This is raw. Vegan (if you exclude Worchestershire sauce). Full of fresh and seasonal vegetables. And my husband ate it too! It’s summertime gazpacho, one of the easiest and quickest soups making it perfect for summer. No stove or oven needed.

This is my mom’s recipe, which is probably my grandmother’s too. I used to help chop vegetables because I used to enjoy that when I was a youngin’ just like I do now. This soup is extra tasty with toasted bread with hummus and feta cheese on top to make it a full meal. I recommend it. Also perfect for lunch or dinner, or a refreshing afternoon snack. It’s full of veggies, you can’t go wrong.

Summer Gazpacho

Ingredients

  • 24 oz tomato juice
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce (not vegan, has anchovies, who knew?)
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1/4 C onion
  • 1/2 C red bell pepper
  • 1/2 C cucumber
  • 1/2 C celery
  • 1/2 C corn kernels (I used from a frozen bag)
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp chives

Instructions

  • Chop all vegetables and add to large bowl or container.
  • In blender, combine tomato juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, chives, worchestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and one tomato. Blend until combined.
  • Pour on top of vegetables in  large serving bowl.
  • Refrigerate and serve cold.

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Gazpacho can come in so many variations. There are fruity ones like watermelon or canteloupe. There are green ones, pureed ones, etc. I really like this one best, probably because it’s a family recipe! But I also like textured soups more than a puree. I don’t like a soup to be like drinking a smoothie. There is a time for smoothies and a time for soups. Keep your soups chunky.

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What a difference a year makes! I made this soup last July, which is the last time I made it. I had just started to blog, and here’s the post from then. What a newbie I was…I didn’t even photograph on place mats.

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What a nice little cup of soup.

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Summer Gazpacho
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

Ingredients
  • Summer Gazpacho
  • Ingredients
  • 24 oz tomato juice
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ tsp Worchestershire sauce
  • 2 tomatoes
  • ¼ C onion
  • ½ C red bell pepper
  • ½ C cucumber
  • ½ C celery
  • ½ C corn kernels (I used from a frozen bag)
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp chives

Instructions
  1. Instructions
  2. Chop all vegetables and add to large bowl or container.
  3. In blender, combine tomato juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, chives, worchestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and one tomato. Blend until combined.
  4. Pour on top of vegetables in large serving bowl.
  5. Refrigerate and serve cold.

 

Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , ,

Weekly Prep

June 26, 2011 by 1 Comment

I write often about prepping ahead for breakfasts like overnight oats and muffins, but I haven’t written about lunches and dinners.

Last Sunday, we came home from vacation, and after unpacking, going to the grocery and starting laundry (my husband did that one), I was in the kitchen getting ready for the week. I decided to roast a lot of vegetables, make hummus, make a salad dressing, and bake tofu. Eating those in different combinations took care of Sunday’s dinner, and a few packed lunches during the week.

Here are the steps:

First, I made the hummus. I added basil from our garden and this will keep about 5-6 days.

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I rinsed out the food processor and decided to make a salad dressing. When I am working with my food processor, I try to make two recipes because cleaning it is a pain. I don’t use store salad dressings, but sometimes lettuce is just too dry, even with hummus. I wanted to make a red wine vinaigrette and just played around with it.

Simple Salad Dressing

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Ingredients:

  • 3 T EVOO
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1.5 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped

Instructions:

  • Whirl all ingredients away in food processor. Store in airtight container. Shake before use.

 

Roasted Vegetables

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On two baking sheets, I roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, tofu, carrots and asparagus. I ate part for dinner on Sunday, and refrigerate the rest to add to lunch salads with lettuce, tomatores, and whatever else you want.

Instructions:

Prep all vegetables (I peeled 5 big carrots and 2 sweet potatoes, trimmed a bunch of asparagus, chopped 2 heads of broccoli).

Lay on Pam’d baking sheet. Drizzle with 4 T EVOO, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Roast on 400* for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Roasted Tofu:

I actually have not made tofu in months. Sometimes it sounds good, sometimes not. When I make tofu, I cook the whole block to have last about three meals.

I baked this one in the oven, here are the steps:

  • Slice extra firm tofu block in 6-7 pieces.
  • Lay slices on a clean towel and cover with the top half of the towel. Place something heavy on top of the tofu for about 15 minutes to press out the moisture.

Prep marinade while tofu is pressing. I did the following:

  • 2 T EVOO
  • 1 T water
  • 1 T sesame oil
  • 1 T honey
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 16 squirts Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (this is like soy sauce but less sodium. I am not a fan of the smell of it, but it accomplishes the same thing. I probably wouldn’t buy it again and use teriyaki or soy sauce instead.)

Remove block and towel.

Dip blocks in marinade and place on baking sheet.

Bake at 400* for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

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The hummus lasts many days, and the vegetables and tofu last about three lunches, which is great for me!

What do you prep ahead?

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