Black Bean Burgers

It had been a while since I had made any type of bean burgers. Why? I don’t know. It is probably because I am like a little who plays with one toy for too long and get stick of it. But if I rotate the toys (the food), maybe take a few away for a while (eat what is in season), once I get back to it, well it is just the best. So yeah, just like a little. Huh?

Black bean burgers. These are super simple with not a whole heck of a lot going into them. I used to make these with a lot more veggies but the mr really seems to like them more with less. I’ve got it down to just beans, onion, oats, and spices. Simple but very effective in both taste and in texture. One of the things thatI love about these burgers is that they don’t completely crumble apart when you bite into them so if that is an issue you have with your burgers, welp, hopefully this recipe will solve that. And will solve any food boredom rut you might be in. And solve the issue of being hungry because obviously you are going to be at some point. Hence the bean burgers.

Now to the burgers!

The stuff. Black beans, oats, an onion and a couple cloves or garlic. Then there is ground flax seeds. cumin, chili powder, and paprika, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and salt and pepper.

Start by cutting up onion and rough chopping garlic.

Place it into a hot skillet with the spices and some water or oil. Cook on medium heat.

While the onions are sweating, blend up oats into a course oat flour.

And once onions and spices are fragrant and soften a bit, add in beans, tomato paste, and vinegar. Stir around and cook for a few minutes or until everything has melded together.

Dump the bean mixture and flax seed into food processor with oat flour and pulse until everything is incorporated and smooth(ish).

Scoop into a bowl and refrigerate so mixture has time to set up.

Once mixture is set, divided into 6 equal portions and place on a baking sheet (lined or greased). With wet fingers, pat down into patties then pop them into hot oven. Bake until browned and crispy.

And that is it. Now get to eating cause that is why you made them!

-C

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Black Bean Burgers

makes 6 burgers

• 2 cups cooked and strained black beans

• 1 small onion

• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cumin (higher amount if you really like cumin… ME!)

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 heaping cup of old fashion oats

• 1 tablespoon flax meal

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoon tomato puree or paste

• salt and pepper

• Serving suggestions are Avocado, salsa, pickled onion on cornbread or regular bread or whatever!

Start by chopping up the onion into small pieces and slicing up the garlic (don’t mince) into a few small pieces. Place into a good sized skillet with the cumin, paprika, and chili powder, and a good splash or water or a little oil (I used water) and place on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes or until fragrant and onion has started to soften a bit.. Add a splash more water if it start to dry out to fast. Once slightly cooked, dump in beans, add tomato paste and vinegar and mix around. Keep on heat and cook for another 5 or so minutes until everything had melded together. Remove form heat and let cool for a few minutes.

In the meantime, place oats into a food processor and blend unit until it forms a course flour. It doesn’t need to be super fine and a few whole pieces is fine. Once bean mixture has cooled just a bit, dump into the food preocessor on top of oat flour. Add in the flax and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until completely incorporated, stoping to scrap down sides if needed. Some chunks are fine and don’t blend more then it needs to be.

Once blended , scrap mixture into a bowl and place in fridge for 15 miutes- /2 hour so the mixture has time to set. (Can also be left in fridge (covered, for a few days)

Preheat oven to 400.

Once the mixture has been set up, scoop into 6 equal sized portionsl and place on a pan with parchment, a mat, or has been ightly oiled. With wet fingers, smoosh each ball into a patty. Place burgers into hot oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping half way through. They are done when they are nice and brown and crunchy on both sides.

Once baked, remove form oven and eat them like you want. I suggest eating with salsa, avocado , pickled onions and if you want a bun, do a bun. I served mine with cornbread cause that is what I had and it was not hated at all.

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Pomegranate, and Walnuts

We have been eating a lot of cauliflower the past couple weeks. Cauliflower because who doesn't love it? But also because I froze a shit ton of it and found the stash in the deep freezer.

This is just a little something something that I have thrown together a few times and really enjoy. Basically a roasted cauliflower salad with yummy things and those yummy things are pomegranate arils, capers, and walnuts. It is fast, simple, and super delicious. A very satisfying and healthy salad situation. Perfect for winter.

Now to the cauliflower and stuff.

The stuff. Cauliflower (use fresh or frozen) pomegranate arils, capers, walnuts, a lemon, a splash of olive oil, and salt and pepper. There should also be a clove of garlic…where did it go?

Chop cauliflower into bite sized pieces.

Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place into a preheated oven.

Rough chop walnuts and mince garlic while cauliflower is roasting.

Once the cauliflower is nice and roasted, pull pan out and toss on the garlic, walnuts, and capers, and pop the pan back into the oven for a few more minutes to slightly cook the garlic and toast up the walnuts.

And then you pull it out of the oven, dump it all into a big bowl, toss in the pomegranate arils, squeeze some lemon on top, and add pepper and a pinch of salt if you need it.

That is it. Now eat it.

-C

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Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Pomegranate and Walnuts

• small head of cauliflower (or a lb of frozen)

• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils

• 2 tablespoons capers

• a handful of walnuts

• olive oil

• a clove of garlic

• salt and peper

• juice from half a lemon

Preheat oven to 450

Chop cauliflower into bit size pieces and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and then place in oven and roast until nice and brown, usually about 25 minutes.

While roasting, roughy chop walnuts and mince garlic.

Once cauliflower is roasted, remove pan form oven and toss in the minced garlic, chopped walnuts, and the capers. Pop back into oven for about 5 more minutes just to slightly cook the garlic and toast and warm up the walnuts and capers. After those 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet and transfer everything into a bowl. Add in the pomegranate arils, squeeze in the juice of the lemon , and season with salt and pepper.

Then eat it.

Spinach and Mushroom Lentil Bake

A week out to the big holiday!

How are you doing? Are you making all the cookies and cakes and all the things? Are you getting all the cookies and cakes and things given to you? And are you eating all the cookies and cakes and things?

That is cool because that is what is suppose to go down right now. But one thing we all need to do is make sure we are eating some decent food (not cookies and cakes and things) as well.

Like lentils with some veggies. You really can’t go wrong with lentils because they are the best and don’t you dare say otherwise. This bake here is packed with lentils, mushrooms and spinach, is creamy and crispy, hearty and warming, and tastes so freaking good. A no fuss, easy peasy meal that can be thrown together fast and when you are eating it, you are feeling good. And once you start eating it, you probably won’t be able to stop (that was me anyway…)

So make yourself something nice to go along with all the cookies, cakes, and things. You need it.

To the lentils!

The stuff. Red and green lentils, a few big mushrooms, a couple handfuls of spinach, an onion, crushed tomatoes. dill, thyme, sage, and red pepper flakes, chick pea flour, a couple cloves or garlic, water, oil, and and pepper.

Start with the lentils. Just dump them all into a pot with the water. Place on stove and bring a boil.

Now chop up onion into small bits, mince garlic, and slice the mushrooms thinly and in half.

Add a splash of oil to a large oven safe skillet and place on stove on medium heat. Once skillet is hot, add in the garlic, onions, and mushroom. Start to cook, adding in all the spices once they start to sizzle. Cook until the onion starts to become fragrant and translucent and fragrant and the mushrooms are slightly browned.

Once the lentils come to a boil, let cook for another minute or two then remove from heat. (If there is a bunch of foam on top of pot, just scape it off.) Add in the chickpea flour, the tomatoes, and all the spinach. Season with sat and pepper too.

Dump the lentil mixture into the skillet with the mushrooms and onion and mix everything all around until its all incorporated. Level off top and then stick the whole thing into the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes then remove cover, give the whole thing a (careful, it is hot) good stir, re-level off the tope, and keep baking for another 30-35 minutes or until the top of the lentils are nice and crispy ans the inside is nice an creamy.

The crispy top lentils are everything.

Scoop into bowls, add some fresh chopped something of another if you want ( I had fresh dill and parsley) and eat away.

What is not pictured here is the yellow mustard I had in waiting. Mustard on this… AMAZING!

-C

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Spinach and Mushroom Lentil Bake

feed 3-5 people

• 3/4 cup each red and green lentils (or 1 1/2 cups of either)

• 1 cup crushed or diced tomatoes

• 1 small onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (can sub with cornmeal or oat flour)

• 1 teaspoon each dried sage, thyme, and dill

• 2 large handfuls spinach (about 3 cups)

• 2-3 large white or cramini mushrooms (about 1 1/2 chopped)

• 2 1/2 cups water

• splash of olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400

Dump lentils into a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let cook for a minutes or two then remove from heat. If there is a bunch of foam on top, just scrap it off. Mix in the chickpea flour, tomatoes, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper

While lentils are cooking, chop onion into small pieces, slice mushrooms in half, then the halves into thin pieces and mince garlic. Place a large oven safe skillet on stove on medium heat. Add a small splash or oil and once heated, dump the onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the hot skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms start to brown and the onions and garlic are fragrant. Add in the spiced and stir around.

Take skillet off heat and carefully dump in the lentils mixture and mix around with the mushroom and onions. (if you don’t have a large enough oven safe skillet just dump it all into a casserole dish) Level off mixture and place in the oven, covered for 1 hour, removing cover 1/2 way through and giving he whole mixture a mix ad re- leveling it off.

Once baked and nice and crispy (the longer you bake it, the crispier it gets) remove from oven and serve immediately. Toss some fresh dil and parsley on top if you have it. Also mustard as a condiment goes amazingly with this!

Pickled Ginger Dilly Sprouts

What are you even doing if you are not pickling Brussel sprouts?

Ok, I get that you might have some other stuff going on in your life right now so I won’t judge you, but you all really need to get on getting some sprouts in the next few weeks while they are good and seasonal and pickle yourself some. They are truly some kind of amazing. Crisp and crunchy. Vinegary with all the flavors of dill and ginger and the slightly sweetness of the sprouts themselves . Oh jeez, they are just so good. And they are refrigerator pickled so you don’t have to do a hot water bath which means you really have to excuse to not make them.

And while you are at it you might as well just make a bunch of jars to give to people this holiday season. Think about it, wouldn’t you love a delicious jar of deliciousness instead of another stupid whatever or what not? You will be the coolest person with your jars of sprouts. Guarantied!

Now to the pickled sprouts!

The stuff. Brussel sprouts , vinegar, fresh dill, chunks of fresh ginger, mustard seeds, peppercorn, red chili flakes, and salt.

Nice and clean spouts. Cut them in half.

Cut up the dill into smaller pieces and as for ginger, I minced a little and cut some up into larger chunks.. I like to eat chunks of pickled ginger too.

Vinegar and water go into a pot with the ginger, salt, peppercorn, pepper flakes, and mustard seed and brought to a rapid boil.

Once boiling dump in sprouts and dill and keep on heat for about 3 minute so the sprouts tenderize a little.

Then dump it all into a clean jar. And that is it. Yes you can eat one, but really, you should wait like a day or two. And after a week.. Perfection.

So yeah, once you got them in a jar, let them cool to room temperature, top with a lid, and place in the fridge.

If you are wise you will make multiple jars because these sprouts will not last.

-C

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Pickled Ginger Dilly Sprouts

makes 1 quart sized jar

• about 20 good sized Brussel sprouts

• 2 cups white vinegar

• 2 cups water

• 3-4 sprigs fresh dill

• inch of fresh ginger root

• 1 teaspoon pickling or kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more for spicer)

Clean and halve all the sprout. Stick them all into a clean quart sized jar to make sure they all fit then dump them out.

Grab ginger and rough chop it. Cut dil up into smaller pieces.

Dump the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorn, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and salt into a pot. Bring to a rapid boil. Add in the halved sprouts and ginger and toss around. Keep on heat for about 3-4 minutes just to give the sprout a little bit of time to soften just a bit. Remove pot from heat and carefully dump all the sprouts and everything in the pot into the clean jar. Pack sprouts down with a wood spoon and make sure they are completely submerged in liquid. If all the liquid doesn’t fit, just dump into a smaller jar and use for a salad or something.

Let sprouts cool to room temperature then stick a lid on jar and place in fridge. Sprouts are good eaten whenever, but are at their best after a few days in the fridge.

They will keep for a month or so but who are you kidding, there is no way they will last that long.

Winter Squash, Beet, and Avocado Toast

I don’t know about you but this weekend I just want to keep things simple. And easy. (That applies to life and food.) And I’m pretty sure that I am not the only one.

Which brings me the toast, or fancy toast as some people call it. Simple in it’s own right of being a piece of bread cooked until lightly crunchy and toasty. Piled on with stuff, almost like a sandwich, but it left opened faced because, well just because. This particular piece toast is piled on with stuff is what I have been eating all week (roasted squash, beets and avocado) and am pretty sure is my new favorite food combination.

So for lunch, wanting to share my favorite flavors, I toasted a nice big piece of my homemade sourdough, grabbed the stuff (some people call left overs which you might have bunch of but I just call it ready to eat food) and made the mr a fantastic, beautiful, and delicious piece of goodness that we call toast.

The mr, well he was a little spectacle at first but one bite and he was in. Might just be his new favorite food combo too.

Gosh he is lucky I have such good taste. HA

Now to the Toast!!!

The stuff. A good add piece of bread. (or rolls, or baguette.. whatever you have). Also need mashed winter squash (I used mashed butternut and there is also sweet potato in there too). Roasted and sliced beet, 1/2 an avocado, a little red cabbage, salt and pepper, a splash of vinegar, and red pepper flakes.

How it’s done. Step 1. Toast bread to preferred toasted-ness. Step 2. Cover entire side (right to the edges) with mashed up winter squash. Step 3. Add on sliced roasted beet. Step 4. Layer on avocado then mash it up. Step 5. Add on shredded cabbage Step 6. Drizzle on vinegar and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Last step. EAT IT!

-C

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Winter Squash, Beet, and Avocado Toast

makes one great piece of toast

• a few slices of roasted or steamed beet (cold or warm)

• about 1/3 cup mashed winter squash and or sweet potato (cold or warm)

• 1/2 an avocado

• 1 big piece of good bread

• salt and pepper

• teaspoon red or white wine vinegar

• a small little handful of shredded cabbage (optional)

• red pepper flakes

Grab great bread and toast it to your preferred toastedness. Once toasted cover with mashed squash then add on the sliced beet. Now grab avocado, place on top of beets and mash with a fork, Top with shredded cabbage and drizzle the top with the vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake.

Eat.