Crispy Southern Fried Tofu

Posted: June 8, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Asian Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Crispy Southern Fried Tofu

(Becky, the Butter Lovin’ Mama)

When Rachel and I pitched our new book we described it as Alicia Silverstone meets Paula Deen.   This fried tofu recipe is the perfect mingling of a young vegan chef with an older southern cookin’ mama.

Say the word “tofu” to non-vegans and vegetarians and wait to see how quickly they respond with some form of the words “yuck,” “spongy,” or “blah.”

What I’ve discovered about tofu is that it is indeed “yucky, spongy and blah” until you cook it correctly.  I now love and often prefer it to meat, as long as it is sautéed or baked in a coating until caramelized, or…. fried. Let’s be honest:  frying is not the healthiest method of cooking anything. However, as a treat, it is one of the tastiest ways to cook anything.

My 5 year old  grandson Georgie is staying with us this week,  and had never experienced  Kentucky Fried Chicken. He laughed and laughed when I told him we were going to get “chicken in a bucket” for dinner.  (At the end of a week with a five year old, this Nonny was losing touch with her normal cooking groove.  Lack of sleep and  uninterrupted thoughts will do this to a person, as adorable as he may be!)   But one taste of KFC chicken leg and he started humming happy “mmm…mmmm…MMM’s” and saying things like, “I can’t stop eating this!” and “This is the best chicken I ever had.”  He had three pieces before he finally paused to lick every finger on his hands.

Georgie chowing down on his first piece of southern fried chicken, Colonel Sanders style

Granted, a roast chicken is much healthier, but now and again, there’s just nothing like a good ol’ southern friend chicken.  Or tofu.

Rachel and I were together in Phoenix  this past fall, when we both ordered the crispy tofu and noodles dish at an Asian restaurant.  When we took a bite of the tofu and it actually went “crunch,” it was a revelation.  Tofu can crunch?  Not only that, but the inside of the crunchy coating was a pillow of silken perfection.   I had to duplicate it. This recipe below turned out at least as good as that lovely crunchy tofu in Phoenix.  It’s a wonderful “gateway recipe” to get people who are afraid of tofu to give it a try.

Becky’s Southern Fried Tofu

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

1/2 block tofu, diced in squares about the size of a dice (little more than 1/2 inch squares)

1/4 c. teriyaki sauce

1 t. sesame oil

1 T. thai chili sauce

canola or coconut oil for frying

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/2 t. sea salt

/3 c. toasted sesame seeds

More teriyaki and chili sauce for coating and dipping, if desired (to personal taste)

2 slices fresh lime

1/4 c. chopped green onion

Directions:

Fill a medium sized  sauce pot with oil until it is one and one half to two inches deep. Heat oil at medium high. (Or use a fryer.)

Use medium saucepan filled 1 1/2 to 2 inches with oil

Mix teriyaki sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce in a shallow bowl.  Use a spoon to toss and coat the pieces of tofu lightly.

Next, toss the tofu  in a shallow bowl of cornstarch mixed with 1/2 t.  salt.

Tofu marinated, tossed in cornstarch. After frying you will roll in the bowl of sesame seeds.

Carefully place tofu in small batches  in sauce pan or fryer. Using a heat proof slotted spoon, turn the tofu until it is golden brown on all sides and remove with the same spoon (tapping to drain off oil) to a shallow bowl with sesame seeds.   Gently toss the tofu in sesame seeds.  Taste and if needed sprinkle with a very light dusting of sea salt.

Can use as an appetizer just like this, or coated in a bit more teriyaki sauce with a side of edamame.

Variation: Delicious also served with a variety of Asian sauces (such as teriyaki, black bean, hoisin, low sodium soy, Thai Sweet Chili sauce,  plum sauce, hot chili sauce , lime, sesame oil, grated ginger), chopped green onions, and served with a slice of lime over a bowl of rice and steamed veggies.  A sprinkle of chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro is wonderful with this dish as well.

Southern Fried Tofu

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Crispy Southern Fried Tofu
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-oj
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Mint Chocolate Pistachio Blizzard (Dairy-Free & Soy-Free)

Posted: June 7, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

This tasty healthy summer treat is dairy-free, soy-free, only five ingredients, and done in five minutes.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

This summer my husband is coaching a select summer baseball team with a rigorous schedule. Since he’ll be so busy, I thought it might be fun for me and Jackson to come along with him for a few of his tournaments. We could check out a new town and spend some family time together between games.

As it turns out, the cities he plays in are a little hard up for entertainment. In my internet search of one town, the highlighted “Family Activity” was a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream. Sorry honey, we’ll just see you in July when you’re schedule let’s up.

I’m not knocking DQ. If you were raised in a small town in Texas, like I was, you probably do have lots of memories at the local Dairy Queen. I can recall several trips as a child, stopping on our way home from ball games. I remember our high school cross country coach always treated us to Blizzards when the season was over. After months of getting up at 5:00 am to run around a cold dark track and spending our Saturdays running through muddy trails, we’d go celebrate. We lined up and one-at-a-time placed our order, then waited eagerly to be handed an upside down cup filled with thick ice cream blended with our favorite mix-ins.

Now that I don’t eat dairy, being treated to a DQ blizzard is a thing of the past, but with Banana Soft Serve “Ice Cream,” my days of enjoying delicious cool treats with tasty mix-ins are far from over. In just minutes, frozen bananas blended up in the food processor turn into a thick creamy cold treat, just like soft serve ice cream. I combined two of my favorite ice cream flavors, Mint Chocolate Chip and Pistachio, for this sweet, salty, cool combination.

I wouldn’t recommend flipping your cup upside down, but I would totally recommend sticking a spoon in and chowing down. With banana as the main ingredient and healthy mix ins like pistachios and dark chocolate (antioxidants, hellooo!), it’s practically health food.

This soft serve “ice cream” is simply frozen bananas and pistachios blended together, garnished with a mint chocolate swirl and a cherry on top.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 bananas ~1 cup (chopped and frozen)*
1/4 cup pistachios, roasted and salted
1 t. sugar
3 squares of a mint dark chocolate bar (I used the Endangered Species brand–it’s vegan & delicious)
2 t. coconut cream (~1 t. non-dairy milk would work too)

Optional Garnishes: chopped pistachios, cherries dipped in the chocolate sauce & cooled, fresh banana slices, sprig of mint

Directions

In a food processor, blend bananas until they whip together like soft serve ice cream, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Add in pistachios and sugar and blend again until pistachios are chopped up.

In a small bowl, combine chocolate and coconut cream. Microwave for 8 second intervals, stirring between, being careful not to let the chocolate burn.

Pour half of the pistachio soft serve into a pretty glass, top with half of the chocolate, then repeat, gently swirling the chocolate at the top. Garnish with chopped pistachios and a cherry on top (optional). Fresh banana slices between the layers of soft serve are good too.

Serve immediately.

Note: This doesn’t re-freeze well.

*Freeze bananas that are ripe, but not overly ripe for this recipe. The ones that are really soft and ripened are great for baking and smoothies, but not for this recipe.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Mint Chocolate Pistachio Blizzard (Dairy-Free & Soy-Free)
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-o5
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Confetti Rice Pilaf Stuffed Avocados (with Feta, Cranberry, Walnuts)

Posted: June 6, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , | 5 Comments

One of my prized possessions is a postcard with a handwritten note from the late marvelous, hilarious, one-and-only Erma Bombeck.  I wrote her a fan letter, telling her I was praying for her health. To my shock and surprise she took time out of her day (and dialysis) to send this encouraging note to me right after I got my first book contract.

One of my favorite columns by Erma was called “The Leftover Food Syndrome.”  It began, “I have never known a woman who can look at a mound of leftover food….and throw it away –the first time around.”  Erma then describes the leftover ritual known (genetically) to all women. After you wrap the left over in a container of your choice (“no leftover is too small to occupy shelf space”), you put it in the fridge and then over the week, each member of the family takes turns opening up the container asking, “What IS this?”

The object of this game is to never throw away the leftover as long as you can still recognize it. “It is not thrown away until it recognizes you,” Erma quipped.

What I love about this recipe below is that it uses up all those little bits of leftovers before they recognize you!  The savory, sweet, nutty, colorful rice makes a great side dish, or with the addition of extra nuts and cheese or little bits of ham or chicken — a wonderful light lunch or dinner.

Confetti Rice Pilaf Stuffed Avocados

Confetti Rice Pilaf Stuffed Avocados

Serves Six

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive

1 Tablespoon Butter (or Earth Balance for vegans)

2 cups cooked rice, any combination you like or have leftover (I had brown, jasmine and wild rice on hand)

1/4 cup dried cranberries (raisins or other chopped dried fruit can work as well)

1/2 cup chopped cooked veggies, any combo, whatever you have leftover (I had carrots and edamame today)

1/4 cup toasted nuts (walnuts were on tap for this recipe)

2 T. crumbled feta or goat cheese  (skip this or use a vegan cheese substitute if you are vegan)

3 avocados, cut in half, seed removed

Directions:

In a large skillet, melt butter and oil. Toss in rest of the ingredients until warm and heated through.  Salt and pepper if needed.  Just before serving toss in cheese and stir.  Fill avocado halves with mixture, letting some of the rice fall around the avocado on the plate as well.  One avocado makes a nice side dish, two make a meal in itself!

Variation:  Use leftover grains instead of rice, such a quinoa or bulgur

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook

The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com

The Title: Confetti Rice Pilaf Stuffed Avocados

The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-nA

© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Pasta Arrabiata with Roasted Garbanzos & Kale Chips

Posted: June 5, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

One of our staple vegan meals: Roasted Garbanzo Beans and Kale and a Spicy Arrabiata Sauce served over whole wheat pasta with a side of extra roasted veggies and whole wheat garlic toast. Satisfies every time.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

My husband had a few hours off this afternoon, so as I wrote a post for my literary agency’s blog, The Wordserve Water Cooler, Jared kept an eye on Jackson and helped out around the house. He was folding a load of laundry at the kitchen table with Jackson at his feet, and though Jackson can barely reach the table, he managed to grab a corner of one of the piles and pulled half of the folded clothes onto the floor. Looking up from my laptop, I knowingly grinned and said “I’m so glad you get to experience a little piece of my life every now and then.”

The other day, Jared came home and, for what seemed like the 100th day in a row, I was rocking our crying teething baby in the same clothes I was wearing when he left for work, the house a total mess, and no dinner on the table. I told him “Just once, I’d like for you to come home and me to be bathed & dressed, the house to be clean, blogs to be finished, my word-count to be completed, and dinner to be ready. I can usually get a couple of those done on any given day, but I think it would be a miracle to fit it all into one day and be present for our son.”

Here’s what cooking with Jackson looks like on a good night. Veggies are chopped, every piece of tupperware is on the floor. Next up, Arrabiata sauce and emptying the pots and pans drawer.

Never trust a tupperware container from the house of a toddler. It surely has been discarded onto an unswept floor, then thrown back into the cabinet without so much as a rinse.

I know Jared works VERY hard. In fact, I would probably cry every day if I had his job of taming teenagers in the classroom, followed by practice and games most nights and weekends. But it’s nice to know he understands that being a work-at-home mom is not all tickles and giggles either.

On this night, my house was a wreck and the closest I got to showering was sticking my feet in the tub while Jackson bathed and dotting my neck and wrists with a little “perfume” of coconut oil while I cooked. But dinner was on the table and it was delicious. And my husband kindly overlooked the yoga pants and tank top I was trying to pass off as an outfit and the ponytail I was trying to pass off as an intentionally messy updo.

I like to put the kale chips on the side and then crumble them into a tasty crunchy kale dust between every few bites. Jared loves his as chips and just eats them on the side. To each his own.

Pasta Arrabiata with Roasted Garbanzos

This makes a lot of sauce, enough to fill about 2 pasta sauce jars. You can easily freeze leftovers or store them in your refrigerator for up to a week.

Arrabiata Sauce

Ingredients

3 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t. salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. Tomato Paste
1 28 oz can of whole peeled San Marzano Tomatoes
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup red or white wine
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped & divided

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Add onions and salt and saute until translucent. Add garlic, saute for 2 more minutes. Add tomato paste and stir. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and break them up with a fork until nice and chunky. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup of fresh parsley before serving.
Roasted Garbanzos & Kale Chips

Makes enough to top 3-4 bowls of pasta

Ingredients

1 cans of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 c. kale, washed, dried very well, and torn into pieces
3-4 t. olive oil, divided
4 t. Italian seasoning, divided
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes, divided

Preheat oven to 325.  Coat a large cookie sheet with a little olive oil or cooking spray. In a bowl, toss garbanzos in half the olive olive oil until all are lightly coated. Add half of the Italian Seasoning & crushed red pepper flakes and toss again. Pour onto half the cookie sheet. Repeat same steps with the kale, making sure to massage the olive oil into the leaves. Bake for 20 minutes, shaking the pan half way through. They are done when the kale chips are light and crispy and the garbanzo beans have a slight crunch.

Serve Arriabiata sauce over pasta and top with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, chickpeas and kale. I actually like to put the kale chips on the side and crush them over the top as I eat them.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Pasta Arrabiata with Roasted Garbanzos & Kale Chips
The URL: http://http://wp.me/p1UwM9-nm
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Vegetarian Reubens

Posted: June 4, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Sandwiches, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

(Becky – The Butter Lovin’ Mama)

My Aunt Hazel once asked me if I’d like to know her theory of how a grandparent should discipline their grandchildren.  “I’d love to hear,” I said.  She leaned onto the kitchen table, her eyes twinkling over the cup of coffee she was sipping.  Then she set the coffee cup down and told me, flatly, “Give them everything they want. Never tell them ‘no.’”

Tragically, Aunt Hazel would lose her only son before he could marry and have children, but I have never forgotten her advice.  Now that I am a grandmother of five little boys,  I have found that if you are truly creative with grandkids, and stay one step ahead of them, you really almost never have to use the “no” word.

When I was a new driver, I used to avoid left turns at intersections, preferring to take three right turns instead.  The same method works for the grandkids.  I try to find three ways to say a “yes” to avoid one “no.”  So tonight when my grandson Georgie asked to stay up and play and it was time for bed, I didn’t say, “No.”  I just said, “Yes, you can play with toys in the bathtub. And then you can play a Sesame Street game on the computer for ten minutes in bed, right after you get your PJ’s on. Then Nonny will read you three books. Won’t that be fun?”  I managed three “yes’s” instead of one “no” and Georgie was delighted to comply. And fell asleep in no time.

The “Three Yes’s” to “One No” always works great with food psychology.  I’ve learned that no matter what your special diet, whether imposed or chosen, it is much more pleasant if you give yourself lots of yes’s instead of a no.  “Can I have a milkshake?” you asked yourself.  Your Inner Nonny can answer, “Yes, of course you can have a shake! You can totally enjoy almond milk and a frozen banana, some strawberries and a little ice and agave whirled in a blender. It will be delicious.”

I’ve decided to try cutting back on meat, especially processed meat like cold cuts.  But as I was making my husband a classic Reuben with pastrami, my mouth started watering. How I wanted a Reuben, too. Then I thought of the flavors in pastrami: garlic, peppercorns, something salty and a little bit sweet. Something smokey. Within a few minutes I’d made my own “vegan pastrami” and was enjoying one of the best Reubens I’ve ever had.  I didn’t have to say “no” to pastrami, just yes to all the flavors in pastrami — infused into tofu.

Vegetarian Reubens

Becky’s Vegetarian Reubens 

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Tofu Pastrami

1/3 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos (available at health food stores, or substitute lite soy sauce)

1  t. brown sugar

1/2 t. smoked paprika

1 grated garlic clove

1 T. crushed peppercorns

6  thin slices (about 2 by 3 inches) of firm to very firm  tofu

3 T. olive oil

1 T. butter (Earth Balance for Vegans)

1/3  c. Ranch Dressing or Mayo or  Greek Yogurt (Vegan Ranch or Veganaise if you are vegan)

2 T. Catalina Dressing (or your favorite French Dressing)

4 slices pumpernickel or rye bread

4 T. sauerkraut

2 slices Swiss cheese (vegan swiss cheese if you are vegan)

Directions:

In shallow bowl, mix first 4 ingredients.  Lay tofu (sliced as thin as you can) in the sauce and let marinate about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle one side of each slice with some of the crushed peppercorns and press into tofu.

Tofu marinating in “pastrami sauce”

Make dressing for sandwiches by mixing ranch dressing or mayo with the Catalina in a small bowl.

Put 2 T. olive oil in a skillet (preferably iron skillet)  and turn heat to medium high.  Cook the tofu in the skillet until golden brown, turn, and do the same thing on the other side.   Set aside on a plate. Rinse and wipe out the skillet and add 1 T. oil and 1 T. butter, and turn heat down to medium.

About to assemble vegetarian Reuben for me, a classic one for my husband.

Put vegetarian Reuben sandwiches together by spreading four sides of dark pumpernickel bread with the sauce.  Put a slice of swiss on two of the slices.   Lay 3 slices of cooked, marinated tofu “pastrami”on each of two slices of bread.  Top the swiss cheese slices with 2 T. sauerkraut, each.

Carefully put Reubens together and lay in melted oil/butter in pan, cooking on medium heat on both sides until the sandwiches are golden on the outside and the cheese is melted on the inside.  Cut in halves or quarters and serve.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook

The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com

The Title: Vegetarian Reubens

The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-n3

© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing

Posted: June 1, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Gluten Free, Sauces and Dressings, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing

(Becky — The Butter Lovin’ Mama)

When my five year old grandson Georgie was about three and a half, my husband Greg (“Poppy” ) took him fishing with my son, Georgie’s Uncle Zeke.  The thing about Zeke is this:  he is the most optimistic person in the universe.  So he over-estimates the fun and “ease” of everything, while disregarding things like obstacles, mileage, gale force winds, the limits of the human body, gravity, and reality.

Zeke with his youngest son Titus, trying to “fish”

Zeke told Greg that there was a great fishing hole “just a little walk down the road” where they could let Georgie and Zeke’s two little boys (Nate and Titus)  wet a line. Knowing Zeke as he does, Greg should not have been surprised when Zeke’s definition of a “little walk” would turn out to be at least a mile long hike (each way). This,with three preschool boys in tow, not to mention poles and tackle boxes.

Georgie and his Poppy “fishing” — which means mostly throwing in the line and “untangling”

George and his cousin Nate (Zeke’s eldest) fishin’ on a mountain lake

In the end Greg carried Georgie the mile back home on his shoulders, and both of them arrived after their “evening of fishing with Uncle Zeke and cousins,” at our house, exhausted and famished.  Little Georgie disappeared into the kitchen pantry, then came out dragging an enormous warehouse-purchased bag of tortilla chips that was at least as tall as he was.  Tugging the bag over to his Poppy with his last ounce of strength, Georgie sighed and declared: “I want ALL of dem.”

I know how Georgie feels.

Last night for some reason, I was especially craving fruit salad.  On a lark, I whirled some dried cantaloupe I bought a local health food grocery store, with about a cup of creamy coconut milk in my Vitamix blender.  The result was more than I bargained for: it was perhaps the best fruit salad dressing I’ve ever tasted.  I poured this gorgeous pastel orange cream over a small bowl of berries and kiwi, and it was so good, I ate it all, and had another bowl. Then another.  Yes, I ate “ALL dem” berries and kiwi because the creamy dressing was just that scrumptious.

I bequeath this easy delicious two ingredient recipe to you.  If you are like me, this will be your new favorite topping for everyday and holiday fruit salads.  Though I am also an optimist at heart (Zeke’s outlook doesn’t fall very far from his Mom’s personality tree), I promise you I’m not exaggerating.   And if you want to get your kids to eat their fruit, this is a great way to get them  to eat “ALL of dem.”

Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing

Becky’s Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk (not “lite”)

1/3 cup chopped dried fruit (cantaloupe, apricots, papayas, or mangoes recommended)

Dried cantaloupe  You can also use dried apricots, papayas, or mangoes in this recipe for similar results.

*If the fruit is particularly hard, or your blender not particularly powerful, try soaking the fruit in hot water for about 5 to 10 minutes, then draining water off before blending

Pinch salt

The two main ingredients for Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing

Directions:

Into powerful blender or food processor, put coconut milk and chopped dried fruit.  (If you can find the dried cantaloupe, I loved it in this recipe.  I found mine at Sunflower Market.) Start it on low and then move to most powerful setting and blend until the fruit is completely emulsified and the “dried fruit cream”  has no grainy pieces in it.  Add pinch salt (about 1/4 t. or less) and blend again.  It tends to thicken up in the fridge as the coconut milk gets cold.  I like it fresh from the blender and also from the fridge.  Delicious both ways.

Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing (Made from coconut milk and dried fruit)

Arrange fruit on pretty plates and drizzle on dressing.   A beautiful side dish, snack or summertime dessert. Coconut oil and milk has some impressive health benefits. Click here for peer reviewed research.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad Dressing
The URL:  http://wp.me/p1UwM9-mz
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Posted: May 31, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers with grilled pineapple and corn on the cob, hits the spot after a day at the pool.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

This morning at 5:30 am, Jared hopped out of bed and yelled “Rach, come on, we’ve gotta go!”

“Where? What? What’s going on?” I asked in a bit of a frantic haze.

“To the bathroom. We have to take cover.”

In seconds, I threw the comforter off of me, jumped out of bed and started heading to grab Jackson, when I thought to ask, “How do you know a tornado is coming?!”

“I hear the wind” he responded, “but I guess I should check the weather.”

I paused and quickly checked the local weatherman’s Facebook page to see that the storms were not severe.

“You mean to tell me, you woke me up from my deep sleep and asked me to go wake my soundly sleeping baby so we could take refuge from wind?”

“Sorry, the wind sounded like a freight train. I really thought it was a tornado. In hindsight, I guess it could have actually been the freight train that runs through town.”

To his credit, we did get the car into the garage before it was pelted with a hail storm that came through shortly after and we were scary close to a bad tornado not long ago, so his heightened awareness was not completely displaced.

Texas weather is just crazy! Just a couple of days ago, we were grilling up some corn on the cob and pineapple and I was whipping up a batch of these sweet potato black bean burgers to enjoy on the patio after an afternoon at the pool. Today, we were pelted with hail and are on alert for more severe weather this evening. Thankfully, we have leftovers and so even though it’s windy and rainy outside, it’s summer inside!

10-month old Jackson LOVED these burgers. In fact, he ate an entire patty with avocado. Here he is with just a few crumbs left. Baby approved.

I think Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers are this little man’s new favorite. He cleared his tray.

I think the key to a good veggie burger is getting them a little crispy on the outside and cooked until firm on the inside. I’ve found that if  I only cook them on the stove, they are too mushy on the inside unless the patty is very thin, but baking them alone doesn’t give them the outside crunch that I personally really like. If you don’t have time to do both, you can certainly just bake them, but I would probably skip the bread crumb coating if you do it that way.

I love the crispy outside and the moist, yet firm inside of these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers. The key is coating them in bread crumbs, pan-frying, then finishing them off in the oven.

Rachel’s Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Makes 8-10 patties

Ingredients

1 sweet potato, chopped and boiled until fork-tender
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup oats, coarsely ground (see picture in directions)
1 cup Panko bread crumbs (whole wheat if you can find it), divided in half
1/2 cup corn, fresh, frozen & thawed, or canned & drained
2 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. cayenne (if you like spice–omit for little eaters)
olive oil

Directions

Heat oven to 350 F. Either spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

In a large flat-bottomed skillet (cast irons are great), saute onions and carrots on medium-low heat with a little olive oil until onions have a nice golden color. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mash one can of drained black beans (a fork, potato masher, or your hands will do the job), then add the other can of drained black beans and just lightly mash them, leaving some whole. Add the sauteed veggies and all the other ingredients, except for 1/2 of the bread crumbs, and mix well, mashing some of the sweet potatoes to help bind the mixture.

Put the remaining bread crumbs on a small plate or pie pan.

Pulse oats in a blender, food processor, or coffee bean grinder once or twice until they are coarsely ground like this.

The mixture should be thick and slightly sticky. This looks a little gross, but let’s be honest, ground raw meat doesn’t look much better! 🙂

Form the patties. Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup, slightly over-filled, to measure out each patty. Patties should be about 1 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.

In the same pan you cooked the veggies, add just enough oil to lightly coat the pan and turn the burner back to medium low. Dip the patties into the panko crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the patties. Add panko-crusted patties to the pan (2-4 at a time depending on the size of your pan), letting them get lightly golden brown, then flipping. The first side browns quicker.

Transfer the patties to the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve on hamburger buns with your choice of toppings. Avocado, tomato, roasted red pepper, lettuce, chipotle mayo (just blend a chipotle pepper with 1/2 cup of mayo), are all great with these.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-mj
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Pina Colada Shrimp Kabobs

Posted: May 30, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Seafood/Shrimp, Vegan Options | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pina Colada Shrimp Kabobs

(Becky — The Butter Lovin’ Mama)

Those who know me well know that I have a tough time remembering where I put things.  It isn’t early onset dementia, unless it set upon me at age thirteen. For me, the arrival of puberty came with an extra dose of ditziness that has never gone away.  So if I ever do slip into true senility, I’m not sure  anyone will actually notice. 

Just this past week I was serving lunch to some girlfriends and confessed, “I’ve lost my kiwi.” 

“Is that a euphemism for ‘you lost your marbles’?” one gal asked.

“No,  I wanted to serve you all a special dessert with strawberries and kiwi, but I have no clue where I put the kiwi.  So strawberries it is!”

The mystery kiwi showed up a few days later, nestled near the  small potatoes in the pantry.  As my husband was searching in that very same pantry a few hours later, he hollered, “I found a glass of tea on a shelf in here!”  I lose glasses of tea and cups of coffee so often that I rarely bother looking for them.  I just make another cup or glass, sure that eventually the missing ones will show up.  But who knows where? Or why?  

This week I bought an entire bunch of celery and believe it or not, also lost that.  Three days later I found it: in my computer bag.  The stalks were a little limp, but still salvageable.  (Just don’t tell my daughter I said that.) How it got there?  No clue.  The things I do unaware, astound even me.

Functioning with a brain like this is a bit of a challenge, some days more than others. On days when I’ve “lost my kiwi” (speaking metaphorically now), I sure don’t need a long complicated recipe for dinner.  This recipe for pina colada shrimp is one of my new favorite go-to meals for otherwise complicated days.  It is super fast, just a few ingredients, incredibly easy and so yummy, you’ll want to lick the platter clean.  Sweet/salty, rich and creamy…it will take you to Hawaii in your mind.  It pairs perfectly with a side of rice pilaf and a bright green veggie like broccoli or asparagus. (Just make sure you store your green veggies in the crisper and not in your computer bag.)

Becky’s Pina Colada Shrimp Kabobs

Serves 2-4 depending on appetites, and size of shrimp

Ingredients

24 medium shrimp, raw, peeled. (Thread six shrimp on each of 4 skewers.)

2 slices of fresh pineapple cut in about 1 inch pieces (canned will also work, but not quite as tasty as fresh)

4 t. coconut oil

4 t.  soy sauce

1/2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 c. coconut milk (From a can, usually near Asian aisle at grocery.  Get full fat, not the “lite” kind.)

2 t. brown sugar

Directions:

Mix soy sauce and pineapple juice in a large measuring cup,  to make a marinade.  Pour 1/2 the marinade over the shrimp kabobs (in a large shallow pan) and let sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Reserve the rest of the marinade for use later in the recipe.

In a grill pan or large skillet, heat the coconut oil on the stove top to medium high. Lay marinated shrimp on skewers in the pan, alongside the pineapple pieces.  Cook shrimp until pink and turn over.  Turn over the pineapple when it gets golden brown marks on it.  Cook until both sides of the shrimp and pineapple are done.  Remove shrimp and pineapple to a plate and cover to keep warm.

In the same skillet or grill pan, add the remaining marinade along with coconut milk and. brown sugar.  Heat until bubbly and creamy. 

Arrange shrimp kabobs and pineapple on a serving plate (as shown in picture) and pour sauce over all.  You can also put on a bed of rice if you like, and decorate with broccoli flowerets or other bright-colored steamed veggies around the edges.

Variations:

Skip the skewers and saute shrimp and pineapple together in a pan, mix with sauce and serve over rice. Garnish with toasted coconut and chopped macadamias or cashews.

Vegans &  Vegetarians: Alternate pieces of firm tofu or vegan meatballs or sausages with slices of red pepper and sweet onion in place of shrimp.  Marinate and proceed with recipe above. Garnish with chopped macadamia nuts.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook

The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com

The Title: Pina Colada Shrimp Kabobs

The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-m0

© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Lentil Veggie Chili

Posted: May 29, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Lentil & Veggie Chili over brown rice, a delicious, healthy, economical twist on an American favorite.

I think any of our regular readers know my affections for kale at this point. I do love that cruciferous veggie (in fact, this recipe sneaks in two cups of it), but I’ve been keeping quiet about another favorite food of mine. Possibly the the humblest legume out there, the lentil.

I don’t have a funny or inspiring story to tie into this recipe, so I’m just going to indulge in one of my favorite guilty pleasures, talking geeky about health food.

“What’s a lentil?” You ask. Well, I didn’t know either until about two years ago when I started eating a plant-based diet. I wish I had known about them when I was a college student trying to eat healthy on a tight budget. A pound of lentils costs less than $1.00 and will yield 5 cups of cooked lentils. Each cup boasts a whopping 17 grams of protein, 16 grams of fiber, folate (90% RDV), iron (35% RDV), magnesium, and much more, yet only has 1 gram of fat and 230 calories. All that, and they cook in 30 minutes (versus 4+ hours for most dry beans) with no soaking required.

Like most legumes, lentils aren’t a powerhouse of flavor on their own, but they pick up the flavors of whatever they are cooked in nicely. I use them in soups and spaghetti sauce all the time. This week, I discovered a new use for them. Instead of using canned beans or slow cooking kidney and black beans for my usual veggie chili recipe, I used lentils.

I know it’s warming up and, for some, chili is a winter dish, but I love any quick one-pot meal in the summer that doesn’t require turning on the oven or hovering over the stove for long. You can make a lot at once, and then take the next night off or easily pack up the leftovers for lunch at the office. And if you top it with a hit of diced avocado, some cilantro, and a squeeze of lime , it really brightens up the flavors and brings a bit of summer color to this warm dish.

What’s your favorite under-the-radar ingredient or food that you love to tell your friends about?

Lentil Chili served over brown rice and topped with avocado, cilantro, and lime.

Rachel’s Lentil Veggie Chili

Ingredients

1 onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. grated ginger
1 T. cumin
1 t. cayenne
1 t. salt
2 serrano chilies, whole
1 sweet potato, chopped
14 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup (1/2 lb) dry green lentils, sorted for dirt & rocks* & rinsed
6 cups water
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed
2 cups kale, removed from stem
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional for an extra spicy kick)

Other: Brown Rice and/or crackers, avocado, cilantro, & lime

Directions

In a large pot, heat a little bit of olive oil and saute onions and carrots with a pinch of salt on medium heat until soft.  Add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 more minutes. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and salt. Add serrano chilies, sweet potato, tomatoes, lentil, and water. Cover and bring to a boil, lower to a simmer for 30 minutes with the lid tilted, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid. Add corn and kale & optional red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 more minutes. If you want a thicker soup, continue to simmer uncovered until you reach the desired consistency.

Serve over brown rice or with crackers. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

*Before cooking any dried legumes, pour them onto a solid surface, like a paper towel and sort through them looking for sticks, little rocks, or clumps of dirt. Please don’t skip this step. I find something in probably 50% of my dried beans. You don’t want you or your guests to bite into a rock!

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Lentil Veggie Chili
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-lR
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Salted Caramel Banana Nut Shake (Healthy)

Posted: May 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Beverages and Smoothies, Breakfast Foods, Cocktails, Desserts, Gluten Free, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Salted Caramel Banana Nut Shake

I’ve always loved a perfectly ripe banana for a quick snack. On hectic mornings, I’d often grab a banana,  a spoonful of peanut butter, a swig of milk and call it breakfast.  Once,  when my four kids were young, we all headed in a crazed mass exit toward the car where I would drive them to school.  Realizing I’d forgotten to eat, I instructed my then-thirteen year old son, Zach, to “run back in the house and grab me a banana.”

I watched, perplexed. as he ran to the front door of the house then took an odd pose, his head slightly to the right, his arms to his side, and then ran back to the car in this weird position. “What are you doing?” I asked.  He answered in all seriousness, “I thought you told me to go to the house and then run like a banana.”

I swear, when puberty hits our children their hormones start eating their brain cells.   But I digress.

Back to bananas for breakfast.  As some of you know, I’m determined to eat my way to lower blood pressure.  One of the ways to do this is to eat more potassium rich foods.  And a banana is loaded with potassium.  In fact,  I read that a bite of a banana has more potassium than most potassium tablets.   Almonds, too, are praised for all sorts of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure.

Another new food craze I love is salted caramel anything.  So I combined a simple banana smoothie with almonds and unsweetened almond milk (only 35 calories a cup!) then added a touch of caramel and sea salt. (Sea salt does not raise blood pressure the way iodized chemically produced salt does, and you need less of it to flavor your food since it so rich in minerals.) There is only 2 teaspoons of caramel syrup (about 40 calories) in each shake, but because you use one of the teaspoons to rim the glass and as a decoration on top,  you get the feeling that it is much sweeter as you get a tiny taste of the pure caramel with each sip.

This new smoothie/shake is the breakfast of my dreams.  I’m hooked.  It also makes a wonderful mid-afternoon snack or a bedtime treat, since the ingredients also relax you for a good night sleep.  It could be a fluke, but I have noticed my blood pressure has lowered since having one of these banana and almond treats per day.

Served in a martini or margarita glass not only adds more elegance but allows you to rim the glass in a bit more caramel and sea salt, and gives you more surface area to garnish the top with the same.

Salted Caramel Banana Nut Shake

Becky’s Salted Caramel Banana Nut Shake (Healthy)

Serves Two

Ingredients

1 rounded T.  roasted almonds (salted or unsalted both work)

1 banana, peeled and chopped into 2 inch slices   (preferably frozen)

1 ½ c. unsweetened almond milk

4 t.  caramel syrup, divided (There are several non-dairy alternatives for vegans, including caramel agave nectar,  or google recipes for vegan caramel. )

½ c. ice

Sea salt – couple of tiny pinches

almond milk, roasted almonds, a frozen banana, caramel syrup and sea salt makes an amazing and potassium rich treat

Directions:

Into a blender put almonds, banana, and almond milk,  2 t. caramel syrup,  ice and small pinch sea salt. Blend until smooth and almonds are just specks.

Pour about a teaspoon of caramel syrup around a plate, approximately the size of the rim of a martini glass. Sprinkle this circle with a tiny pinch of  sea salt, lightly.  Dip the rim of the glass into the syrup and salt, twisting and turning to coat evenly.  Do this twice to prepare two martini glasses.

Create a circle of caramel syrup, lightly sprinkled with sea salt, on a plate,  to rim the glasses

Pour half the smoothie/shake into each glass.   Squiggle a bit more of the syrup (about 1/2 t.) to garnish the top of the drink, and sprinkle with one more tiny pinch of sea salt.   Prepare to fall in love.

Variations:  Add protein powder to buff up the protein and drink the whole recipe to make a complete breakfast smoothie. 

Add liquor (rum, coconut or vanilla vodka) to turn this into a yummy frozen cocktail. 

Try it with coconut milk instead of almond milk.  

In a  hurry? Skip rimming the glass. 

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →