Recipe: Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Food & Wine Magazine, Aug 2021, p.32

5 stars

Best veggie burger ever! This took a LOT of steps and a while to make, but to me, it was worth it for its fresh flavor. I wish the burger patty stayed together a little better -- it needs a binder (like an egg) and perhaps if it was fried before baking, it would be even more amazing and stay together more but then not healthy.

Patty Ingredients: pearl barley, carrots, beets, chickpeas, button mushrooms, panko, walnuts, whole-grain or Dijon mustard, bay leaf, ground cumin, smoked paprika, soy sauce or tamari, olive oil, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper

The rest of the burger: hamburger bun, mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles, red onion, sliced tomato, cheese

Recipe: Farro Salad-Stuffed Avocados

Farro Salad-Stuffed Avocados

Better Homes and Gardens, Sept 2021, p. 78

4.8 stars

We didn't stuff the avocados but instead diced them as part of the "salad." Great flavor for a Greek-like salad and really easy for a nice weeknight meal.

Ingredients: avocados, farro, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, vegetable broth, harissa paste, dill, lemon, shallot, garlic, smoked paprika, feta, Greek yogurt

Tips:

• Had jarred harissa sauce instead of paste; thinking the paste would be more concentrated, we used more sauce than needed and it ended up being too spicy!
• Left out the dill
• Used cherry tomatoes
• Had plant-based Beyond Sausage on the side but actually falafel would be a perfect accompaniment next time!

Ask Martha: Difference Between 3 Hard Italian Cheeses

I'm saving this as a reminder of the difference between Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano! (Source: Martha Stewart Living Magazine, September 2021, p.48)

Recipe: Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Tofu)

Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Tofu)

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2021, 

4.9 stars

What caught my eye on this recipe was this blurb beneath the recipe, "These simple noodles are designed to empty out your entire crisper drawer in one fell swoop, from slightly droopy carrots and celery to scallions on their last legs and that random onion half."

It sure did as we had all of the above in our vegetable drawer including green cabbage from another dish that we needed to use up. This was so delicious -- I can't wait to eat the leftovers.

Ingredients: wavy ramen noodles, chicken, green cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, scallions, serrano or Fresno chile, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine or medium-dry sherry, sesame oil, sesame seeds, grapeseed or vegetable oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Made this vegetarian by using tofu instead of chicken
• Used jalapenos (we have plenty in our herb garden!) instead of serranos
• Used up the shallot we had
• At the table, added a little more soy sauce and added chile crisp for additional heat
• Served with vegetable spring rolls

Recipe: Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burger

Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burger

Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021, p. 98

5 stars

There's no missing of meat here! The flavor overall and crunch of the panko was perfect -- I definitely prefer this over a regular burger!  The ingredient list and recipe are pretty simple for this flavorful, plant-based burger.

Ingredients: buns, portobello mushrooms, provolone, arugula, all-purpose flour, egg, panko, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used regular sesame buns that we had instead of brioche buns which the recipe called for
• Make sure to use/find the LARGEST portobellos as the portobellos shrink
• Didn't butterfly the portobello and put the slices of provolone in the middle -- the portobellos were too thin (instead, we put the provolone directly on the bun in the burger)
• Used regular mayonnaise vs. making the garlic-vinegar mayonnaise the recipe called for
• Served with a side salad and sweet potato fries

(Find paper recipe under: Salad - Winter Cobb Salad)

Recipe: Pesto-ish Risotto

Pesto-ish Risotto

Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2021

4.8 stars

This was a super interesting risotto recipe that involved a turmeric/pine nut/oil topping. Flavorful and good enough to serve at a dinner party!

Ingredients: basil, arborio or carnaroli rice, vegetable broth, pine nuts, turmeric, grated Parmesan, lemon, unsalted butter, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, ground pepper

Tips:

• Served this with Beyond Sausage which we had for the first time that was pretty good!

Recipe: Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower

Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower 

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2021, p. 66

5 stars

In reading the title of the recipe as well as the ingredients themselves, this doesn't sound like it would be good, but it was delicious. The tofu, miso and shallots (yes, use all 3 shallots) created a gravy-like sauce for the dish with the shallots adding an unexpected depth of flavor.

Ingredients: rice, cauliflower, shallots, silken tofu, white miso, garlic, jalapenos, lemon juice, cilantro, vegetable oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• There was a lot of what I'm calling "gravy" so double the amount of cauliflower as well as the jalapeno topping
• Served this with spring rolls

Recipe: Peach-and-Blueberry Tart with Cream Cheese Filling

Peach-and-Blueberry Tart with Cream Cheese Filling

Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jul/Aug 2020, p. 101

4.8 stars

I've always been one that hates waste all around, and now even more so after reading an article about food waste in Bon Appetit Magazine last month. 

We had made a dish recently that resulted in 6 oz of cream cheese left over, and for some reason, every time we have leftover cream cheese, it spoils in the fridge. I was determine to find a recipe to use it up and found this pretty easy tart dessert. Really nice and refreshing on a summer day.

Ingredients: peaches, blueberries, cream cheese, unsalted butter, heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Need to make sure the tart bottom isn't super thick and don't overbake as it was super thick and hard to cut through with a fork when eating
• Because the fruit was so sweet, used less granulated sugar
• Make sure to read the recipe carefully as the lemon juice and Kosher salt are divided between multiple steps