Kitchen Sink Veggie Burgers + Grain-Free Flax Bun

This recipe is way, WAY overdue. I made these veggies burgers back in December and completely forgot about them…better late then never I guess! It’s one of those that slipped through the cracks but I couldn’t help but share.

Also, I want apologize to the fabulous Cara for making her wait so long for this one. She mentioned veggie burgers were one of her favorite things and I’ve since deprived her for 5 months…shame on me! I hope it was worth the wait

This recipe was born out of desperation. I was without a car for a week after first moving to Montana and I was too much of a baby to walk to the store in the middle of a winter storm.  Instead of being lazy and snacking on brownies + chips and salsa, I decided to be creative on a healthier approach while using up a few leftover veggies and canned beans. Thank goodness I did, these were delicious!

I had just made my orange-scented cranberry sauce the day before and this was the perfect topping for these veggie burgers. Along with a generous smear of Vegenaise, fresh spinach leaves and sprouts, this burger was a hearty and satisfying meal. These patties are actually on my to-cook list this week…it’s about time I whipped up another batch!

Kitchen Sink Veggie Burgers 

Patty Ingredients

1 egg or flax egg for vegan (1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1/2 cup small diced onion
1/3 cup green or red bell pepper, small diced
1/4 cup celery, small diced (can omit or increase the bell pepper if desired)
2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp coconut oil, butter, ghee, or Earth Balance, melted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (I used roasted for extra flavor but raw is ok too)
1 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce, Bragg’s liquid aminos or tamari

Spice-Binding Mixture
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 to 1 tsp paprika
3/4 to 1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp celery salt
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into a flour
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal

coconut oil/butter/ghee/Earth Balance/olive oil for pan-sauteing

For Serving
Flax bun below OR your favorite gluten free bun or sandwich bread
Vegenaise or mayo
Alfalfa sprouts
Orange-Scented Cranberry Sauce  (this completed the meal! or use a sweet and tart chutney)
Fresh spinach leaves or leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the spice mixture.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg/flax egg and beans. Mash beans with a fork until chunky (I left some whole beans but this helps keep the patty together).
3. Add in remaining patty ingredients and stir to incorporate well.
4. Sprinkle in the spice-binding mixture and stir again to combine and evenly distribute until the batter comes together.
5. Divide into 6 balls and flatten into patties about 2/3 inch thick and lay on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat large skillet (preferred) over medium heat or oven to 350F.
For Skillet Method: heat a small amount of oil/butter in pan and saute for 5-6 minutes on each side until slightly crispy and lightly browned
For Oven Method: Bake patties at 350F for 14-16 minutes on each side until lightly browned (this method results in a slightly drier patty but is lower fat)
7. Assemble the burger by spreading Vegenaise or mayo on bun/sandwich bread. Top with spinach leaves, patty, sprouts, cranberry sauce and enjoy!

As for the flax bun, this was an experiment that needs a little tweaking. This bun is a little crumbly…ok, a lot crumbly due to the lack of eggs or gums. While very yummy, this one is a work in progress if you are looking for a “typical” bread that holds up well. I wound up eating this burger with a fork and knife but I enjoyed every last bit!

Vegan, Grain-Free Flax Bun 

Ingredients

1/3 cup + 2 tsp flaxseed meal
dash of sea salt
1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp seasoning to taste (italian, cajun, southwest, etc)
1 Tbsp chia seed meal (I ground white chia seeds)
1 rounded Tbsp chickpea flour (could sub oat flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp + 3-4 Tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp olive oil/coconut oil/ grapeseed or Earth Balance melted

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients until incorporated.
3. Spread mixture into a circle onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes, cut in half horizontally carefully, top/fill and enjoy!

Makes 1 bun

Pizza Inspired Lentil Pulp “Bread”

I finally bought a juicer! I received it in the mail a few weeks ago…and while I was and am really excited to start juicing, I’ve also kept it on my counter lookin’ all pretty and clean.

When I buy a new appliance, new jeans or a new gadget, I tend to place them on a shelf to sit there for a while…I guess I like admiring my new purchase since I can be pretty frugal with money. Plus, I don’t want to dirty the item…even though that’s why I bought it for that intention in the first place. Does anyone else do this same thing?

My first juicing experience involved apples + carrots + celery (yummy and sweet) while my second was a bit more savory involving cauliflower, carrots and celery. Juicing creates a ton of pulp…while some may throw this away, I wanted to throw it into a recipe for kicks.

For my fourth post during Pizza Week, I made a pizza-inspired lentil “flatbread”.  I had to idea to jazz up my original red lentil flat bread, and I was really happy with the results!  But really, how could I not be when pizza is involved?

As a disclaimer, this lentil “bread” is not a typical bread. It has a socca-like texture that does not bend or spring-back like a normal bread would. This bread serves as a dense crust…it transforms into a “pizza” with the mixture of tomato paste and melted cheese on top…yum!

Pizza-Inspired Lentil Pulp “Bread” (Adapted from my Lentil Bread)

Ingredients

3/4 cup uncooked red lentils (or other lentils)
2/3 cup veggie pulp (from a juicer – I used a combo of cauliflower, carrot and celery)*
2 1/2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt (this makes a huge difference, don’t leave out)
1 tsp garlic powder or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/8 to 1/4 crushed red pepper flakes
small pinch of stevia or 1/4 tsp coconut palm sugar, agave or honey
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional but adds a cheesy dimension in the base)
1 ripe Roma tomato, quartered
1/4 cup water + more for blending
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

For topping
shredded cheese
4 oz tomato paste mixed with 1/4 tsp honey or pinch of stevia + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar OR 2/3 cup marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a small blender with grind attachment, food processor or a spice grinder, add lentils and grind to a flour. (I use my Magic Bullet with the flat blade, it’s okay to have a few whole lentils as the red variety are quick cooking).
3. Add the lentil flour along with the ingredients veggie pulp through seasonings, and stir well to combine.
4. Blend the tomato along with 1/4 cup water in a blender or food processor. Next, add enough water to have 1 cup of liquid. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Add the liquid to the lentil mixture and stir for 30 seconds to a minute to incorporate well. It should resemble a thick but pourable pancake batter after it sits (the flax and lentils will start absorbing the water the longer it sits).
5. Then add the oil to a 9 inch springform pan** and place in the oven to warm (about 2 minutes).
6. Pour batter into the pan and spread with a spatula. Bake for 25-28 minutes until the bread is firm to touch.
7. Let cool slightly, cut and enjoy plain while warm OR spread with tomato paste mixture or marinara and sprinkle with shredded cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes (my preference).

Makes 8 slices
*If you don’t have veggie pulp, I think you could substitute 1/4 cup almond flour.
** A 8X8 or 9X9 pan can also be used.

Beluga Bread

What is “Beluga Bread” you may ask?

It’s a bread-like invention using black Beluga lentils (of course haha)! These small black lentils were on sale at the local health store and I just had to try them. I’ve professed my love for lentils previously so you can imagine my excitement when I saw a black variety to experiment with! I know these lentils aren’t extremely rare but I had never seen them in a grocery store before and couldn’t pass them up.

Bread was definitely on the to-do list since I made several versions before:

“Angry bread” and “black bread” have a more ominous tone and I was in a happy mood so “Beluga Bread” it was It had been awhile since I last enjoyed this flatbread and I was not disappointed in the least! Filling, satisfying and delicious, I ate part of the bread alongside my chicken salad-salad at lunch, slathered it with hummus for a snack and as an accompaniment to a bowl of wild rice soup for dinner…I will be making this again pronto!

Beluga Bread (Grain-free, Vegan) adapted from my Lentil Flatbread

Ingredients

2/3 cup black beluga lentils
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1 cup water
generous pinch(s) of salt (this is your main seasoning so don’t skimp)
2-3 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil, butter, Earth Balance or ghee (use oil or EB for vegan)

your favorite herbs or spices, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a small blender with grind attachment, food processor or a spice grinder, add lentils and grind to a flour. (I use my Magic Bullet with the flat blade).
3. Add the coconut oil (or oil/butter of choice) to a 8×8 or 9×9 pan* and let melt in the oven and warm (about 2 minutes). Meanwhile, add flaxseed meal, water and salt to ground lentils and blend again for about 15 seconds. It should resemble a thick but pourable pancake batter after it sits (the flax and lentils will start absorbing the water the longer it sits).
4. When oil is hot and melted, pour batter into the pan and spread with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the bread forms a crust. Let cool slightly, cut and enjoy warm!

Bread can be refrigerated and toasted to reheat if needed.

*You can make the bread thick or thin by choosing your baking dish and add herbs and spices for different flavor variations. I prefer a medium thickness instead of a pizza crust thinness because I like the slightly crunchy outsides and a middle with a slight chew. If you prefer a crisper texture throughout, baking a larger pan or divide batter into two loaf pans. You will need to reduce cooking time for thinner bread, and in turn increase cooking time for thicker (about 5 minutes).

With the roasted red pepper hummus on top, it could definitely pass for a Halloween bread – don’t you think?

Bread Pudding Solution!

Do you ever have an issue with overly dry baked goods? Maybe you baked a batch too long and it tastes good but it’s too crumbly? Or do you have an older batch of muffins or quick bread that you can’t bear to toss out?

I just may have a tasty solution for you!

At times gluten free baking seems to be more like voo-doo science than anything else. The air could be too humid or too dry outside and your recipe doesn’t rise correctly. It can be tricky. It could be that you’re cooking only for yourself and a dozen muffins simply can’t be consumed without them going to waste? (This is not the case with me,  I am “an eater” as my husband says, but I know some people struggle with baked goods becoming stale too quick).

I can’t stand throwing out expensive ingredients just because a recipe fails or you may so many batches trying to reach a better result that you are left with 4 dozen muffins or donuts Mmmm…what to do?

Make some BREAD PUDDING!

While trying to come up with my black and white hazelnut donuts, I wound up with two batches, one being too dry for my taste. I was thinking about ways to use up the crumbs and pieces and “bread pudding” kept coming to mind.

It worked beautifully! I made both a egg version as well as a vegan version with scrumptious results. The vegan version was slightly more moist, but that may have something to do with the fact I was running low on almond milk…

You don’t have to have dry donuts hanging around to try this though – any dry and/or near-stale muffins or quick breads would all be delicious here! You might have to tweak the amount of sweetener depending on the sweetness of the baked good you are using, but I am pretty sure a variation on this would work and be pretty flexible.

I actually preferred the vegan version of this pudding over it’s egg-included counterpart. It was incredibly moist, which might be due to the fact that I was running low on non-dairy milk and used 3 Tbsp less in the egg version but both versions were very delicious! Pictured is the vegan version…I was impatient and ate the non-vegan version that night for dessert. It was too dark to take a photo so I had to patiently sit on my hands and not eat the vegan version until the next day so I could take some pictures

Egg-Free Vegan Bread Pudding for One

Ingredients

For pudding
1 donut (I used one of my B&W hazelnut donuts), cubed or 1 cup of leftover muffin/quick bread/cake*, crumbled
1/2 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (or other nut)
1/2 tsp coconut oil or Earth balance
3 shakes of ground cinnamon (1/8 tsp)
1-2 tsp palm/coconut sugar or a drizzle of agave, optional depending on how sweet you want
Optional: 1-2 Tbsp of dried or fresh fruit would also be delicious here as well (raisins, berries, etc) if desired

For glaze
2 Tbsp plain coconut milk or yogurt
a few drops of pure vanilla extract
drizzle of agave or maple syrup

chopped nuts and ground cinnamon for garnish, optional

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine all pudding ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes to let donut/muffin/quick bread absorb the liquid ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a small ramekin with coconut oil or Earth Balance.
3. Add soaked mixture into prepared ramekin and baked uncovered for 45-50 minutes until cooked through (will still be soft though). Let cool for a few minutes while preparing glaze. In a bowl, mix together glaze ingredients and spoon glaze over bread pudding and serve!

Bread Pudding for One

Ingredients

For pudding
1 donut (I used one of my B&W hazelnut donuts), cubed or 1 cup of leftover muffin/quick bread/cake*, crumbled
1/3 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1 egg white, whisked
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (or other nut)
1/2 tsp coconut oil or Earth balance
3 shakes of ground cinnamon (1/8 tsp)
1-2 tsp palm/coconut sugar or a drizzle of agave, optional depending on how sweet you want
Optional: 1-2 Tbsp of dried or fresh fruit would also be delicious here as well (raisins, berries, etc) if desired

For protein glaze
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp vanilla protein powder
drizzle of honey, maple syrup or agave, optional if protein powder is unsweetened

chopped nuts and ground cinnamon for garnish, optional

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine all pudding ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes to let donut/muffin/quick bread absorb the liquid ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a small ramekin with coconut oil or Earth Balance.
3. Add soaked mixture into prepared ramekin and baked uncovered for 40-45 minutes until cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes while preparing glaze. In a bowl, mix together glaze ingredients and spoon glaze over bread pudding and serve!

*If your leftover donut/muffin/cake/quick bread is overly moist, this may not work. You can always dry out the baked good like you could a typical bread pudding (as long as the texture isn’t already gummy) by cubing the item and placing it in an oven for 15-20 minutes or so until dried out.