Veggie Burgers

I tried experimenting with veggie burgers....... to torture my husband (bwah haha) - and he liked them. And I think they are pretty good too, so we will be making these often. Another great thing about these is you can add in some other veggies you have on hand and need to use up as well. A handful of mushrooms would go good if you like them. I don't, but I'm going to try putting them in next time because maybe it will mask the texture for me!

They also freeze great and if you don't have left over buns they make good left overs on top of a whole wheat tortilla.......(with sriracha sauce on top too, MMmmmm!)

Here's my recipe:
(Adapted from 100 days of real food)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup garbanzo beans
• ½ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels (no need to thaw the frozen ones)
• 2 scallions, or 1/2 a small onion, coarsely chopped
• ½ red (or green) bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
• 1 small raw sweet potato, peeled and chopped into big chunks
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• ¼ cup carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup bread crumb
• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese (or whatever cheese you want)

Instructions

1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the corn, scallions (or onion) and bell pepper. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
3. While those veggies are cooking put the peeled and cut potato into a food processor (with the regular slicing blade, it is not necessary to use the grating blade) and chop it up into fine little pieces.
4. Scoop the potato out onto an old, clean dish towel and twist it tightly over the sink to squeeze all the liquid out of the chopped potato. (I didn't actually do this and it was fine without it.)
5. Meanwhile, add the garlic, cumin and cayenne to the veggie mixture on the stove and cook for 30 more seconds.
6. Remove the pan from heat and add the chopped spinach which should wilt slightly.
7. Next, add all of the vegetables to the food processor as well as the egg, bread crumbs, garbanzo beans, and cheese. Process until all items are blended together well (scrape the sides as needed.)
8. Use your hands to scoop up some of the mush, then form it into the shape of a burger. Place them on a plate lined with sheets of wax paper until you are ready to cook and/or freeze them.
9. Using the same non-stick skillet, heat 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the burgers on both sides until brown (being gentle when turning them over).
10. Toast hamburger buns if desired and serve! Goes well with zucchini chips or baked potato cubes drizzled in olive oil and garlic.

Hope you enjoy!

Spinach and Walnut Stuffed Manicotti

Spinach and Walnut Stuffed Manicotti

This was a recipe I made up using two other recipes. My husband really likes meals to have texture, even when there is no meat- and adding the walnuts to this made it even more enjoyable- for us at least. If you're worried just let your family and friends know to expect the crunchiness and then it tastes pretty good. 

This is super easy to make, especially since you don't have to cook the noodles first- although you do want to plan on some extra prep time for stuffing those shells. I'd say give yourself 20 extra minutes just in case. It also works well to double this recipe and then put one of those casseroles (not yet baked) in the freezer for another busy day when you can just pop it in the oven! So yummy! Goes well with a salad and some fresh veggies or fruit.

Ingredients

• 1 package manicotti noodles
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 (15) ounce carton ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz.)
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (4 oz.)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup chopped spinach 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (26) ounce jar thick and chunky pasta sauce (2-3/4 cups)
• 1/4 cup water

 Directions

1. In a large bowl stir together the eggs, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the walnuts, spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
2. Combine one cup of the spaghetti sauce and a quarter cup of water together. Spread evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
3. Now preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Using a teaspoon or clean hands, stuff each shell with equal amounts of the cheese mixture until it is almost falling out of both sides. Place stuffed manicotti into baking dish. Pour remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the top of pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Easy Whole Wheat Tortillas

This month I've been experimenting quite a bit to make more things that I normally buy at the stores, in order to cut out more of the overly processed, sugar, and preservative filled foods. One thing we use often at our house is tortillas. For tacos, burritos, wraps, pb&j "sushi"- if there aren't some tortillas somewhere in our kitchen we just might not make it through the week! But buying the healthier whole wheat choices of tortillas at the stores is just more expensive and I can't even be sure when they say "100 % whole wheat" that it really is- not to mention, they aren't always nearly as tasty as the white tortillas.

I've wanted to learn how to make some good tortillas for a long time now but haven't been able to find a recipe where the tortilla actually folds like a torilla is supposed to. And I also wanted something that wasn't an insane amount of work- I mean, I'm already going to be making dinner and I do have kids to take care of too.

Well, I finally stumbled across a home made whole wheat tortilla recipe from a blog called 100 days of real food and not only are they super easy to make, they are super delicious in my opinion! (Actually the more recipes I try from this blog the more I love it- I will have to feature some other recipes I've tried from it soon.)

I made these tortillas with a friend who doesn't eat whole wheat as often as we do and so she was a little more suspicious that they would even taste as good- and she loved them too! So if you are in need of a good and easy whole wheat tortilla recipe too- look no further! Here it is:

Whole-Wheat Tortillas

SERVES: 12 TORTILLAS

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ cups whole-wheat flour (King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour or your favorite whole wheat flour)
• ½ cup oil (I used avocado oil)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water (heat in the microwave for 1 min)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer set with a dough hook, pour in the flour, oil and salt. Beat with the paddle until crumbly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the sides as needed. If your hand-held mixer comes with dough hooks those can be used as well.
2. With the mixer running, gradually add the warm water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. Take out the dough and divide it into 12 equal sized pieces. I do this by making the dough into a big log shape that is about 8 – 10 inches long. Then I cut it in the middle. Then I cut each of those pieces in the middle and so on until you have 12 pieces.
4. Using the palms of your hand roll each piece into a round ball and flatten it out on a baking tray or board. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to one hour.
5. Heat a cast iron skillet, griddle or 12-inch skillet over med-high heat. The pan should be fairly hot before you begin cooking the tortillas.
6. On a lightly floured board or counter top, use a rolling pin to turn each ball into a 8 to 10 inch flat circle (measure against your recipe if printed on a 8.5X11 sheet of paper). Be careful not to use more than a teaspoon or two of flour when rolling out each ball into a tortilla because too much excess flour will burn in the pan.
7. Grease the pan with a touch of oil (or  and then carefully transfer each tortilla, one at a time, to the pan and cook until puffy and slightly brown, about 30 to 45 seconds per side. Set aside on a plate to cool slightly. Eat within an hour, refrigerate or freeze.

Emily's gumbo (one pot dish)

Emily gumbo (one pot dish)

1 1/2 c celery chopped
1 1/2 c bell pepper chopped
2 c onion chopped
these 3 ingredients are called the holy trinity in the south a must have in many dishes.
1/4 c garlic minced
1 c green onions (optional)
1 lb okra sliced
1/4 c parsley(optional)
1 chicken breast
1 lb sausage (optional)
2T chicken broth (or more to taste)
3C water (may need to add more if it starts to get to dry)
creole seasoning to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
 Tabasco sauce to taste
 oil
directions:
get a pot with a heavy bottom and  to cook in.  start with cooking the chicken cook the chicken whole with some oil in the pot and a lid on top, while it is cooking cut up first 3 ingredients.
after a few minutes turn chicken over and cook other side.  When chicken is done set aside and let is cool so you can cut it up (you can cook chicken how ever you want this way is just to keep it a one pot meal).
when the chicken is out add a little bit more oil and then the first 3 ingredients let them cook till onion is clear.
then add garlic and okra
*okra cooks best when put into a hot pan so make sure the pan is nice and hot or you will get really slimy okra, the taste is the same, just less slime when put into a hot pan.

once all the veggies are cooked add meat chicken broth, and other seasonings.  At this point it could be ready or you could let it sit and simmer an hour or so to let the taste set in even more.
serve with rice or if you add a bit more water it could be a soup.

We also eat it with corn bread:
1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
1T b. powder
1/4 c sugar
3/4 t salt
1 c milk
1 egg
 1/4 c oil
mix dry ingredients then wet then mix together put in a greased  brownie pan, the kind smaller then an 9x13. Bake 400 for 20 min, until lightly brown,
tastes yummy with honey butter: 1/4c soft butter 1/2c honey mix and spread.

pita bread

 *notes
 when rolling your the pita balls make sure not to make them too thin, or they will not have the pocket, they will still be good just have no pockets.  also follow the directions well do not skip steps and they should turn out amazing, mine did.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.

Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.

Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.

Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.

Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.

Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.

Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.

Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.

Storing Pita Bread

Pita bread can be stored for up to a week in a pantry or bread box, and up to a month in the freezer. Be sure to use freezer bags when storing in the freezer.
I got this recipe here.