Homemade Veggie Burgers

Nothing beats a homemade veggie burger, especially when it's easy to prepare, vegan and above all, delicious.

Serves: 8-9 patties, freezes well

Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 10-40 min

Total:  30-60 min

Ready to be cooked or frozen

Ingredients

1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 1/2 tbsp. ground flax
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup oats, processed into a coarse flour
1 cup grated carrot
1 tin black beans, drained, rinsed and coarsely mashed
1/3 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir ground flax with water. Set aside for 10 minutes, allowing it to form a gel.
2. Prepare other ingredients and combine in a large bowl.  When flax mixture is ready, add and mix very well.
3. Using your hands, shape into patties, about 1/2 cup of mixture per patty.
4. Cook burgers by frying in a skillet with oil (10 minutes), brush with oil and grill on the barbecue (15 minutes) or bake in the oven (35 minutes at 350F) until the outside is crispy. Alternatively, freeze burgers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for later.
5. Serve with a bun and garnished with your favourite toppings.

Lightly adapted from ohsheglows.com

Green Beans with Lemon, Garlic and Walnuts

Fresh steamed beans with butter, garlic and lemon juice are an easy to make, healthy side dish.

Serves:  2-4

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 8-10 min

Total: 15 min

Ingredients

2 large handfuls fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put water in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat.
2. Add beans and cover with a lid, allowing them to steam for 4-5 minutes until they are bright green and tender.
3. Remove beans from pan and drain water. Set beans aside.
4. Melt butter in pan and add garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
5. Add beans, lemon juice and walnuts, and gently stir to coat.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately, as a side dish for meat or fish.

Dreaming Into the Future

Dreaming Into the Future. Mixed media collage, 2012.

Coconut Lime Macaroons

Lime is a perfect pair for coconut macaroons. Make these for an easy on-the-go snack.

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Total:  20 min

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites

1 tsp. lime zest

1 tbsp. lime juice

Directions

1. In a small pot, combine coconut, ground almonds, salt and egg whites.  Mix thoroughly.
2. Over medium-low heat, stir mixture constantly for about 5-8 min. When mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, remove from heat and stir in lime zest and juice. The mixture should be stick, not dry and pasty.
3. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Scoop spoonfuls of macaroon mixture onto the baking sheet. Roll into balls, or other shapes with wet hands.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool completely. 

Make-Ahead Roasted Vegetable, Tofu and Rice Bowl

Assemble this healthy and filling lunch by simply reheating the various components and adding some greens!

Serves: 1

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 3 min

Total:  10 min

Ingredients

1 portion roasted root vegetables, premade
1 portion fried tofu or baked tofu bites, premade
1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa, premade
1 handful baby spinach
1 handful carrot matchsticks
crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Reheat roasted root vegetables, tofu and rice in the microwave.
2. Assemble in a bowl, including baby spinach and carrot matchsticks.
3. Garnish with goat cheese and serve immediately.

View of the Prize

View of the Prize. Mixed media and found object collage, 2012.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasted root vegetables make a colourful side dish for meat or fish, or can be eaten over top baby spinach or arugula.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Total:  40 min

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 large red beet, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1-2 tsp. dried basil, oregano and thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
crumbed goat cheese or feta, to garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl toss vegetables with oil, herbs, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
2. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 30 minutes, until vegetables are fully cooked. Stir once or twice while cooking.
3. Serve immediately, garnished with crumbed goat cheese or feta cheese.

Creamy Carrot, Apple and Fennel Slaw

Raw fennel gives this salad a light licorice taste that balances well with sweet carrots, apples and a yogurt dressing.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 0 min

Total:  10 min

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, stems removed and thinly sliced into matchsticks
2 carrots, thinly sliced into matchsticks
1 apple, cored and sliced into wedges or matchsticks
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk yogurt, vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Combine fennel, carrot and apple matchsticks, and optional raisins in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
3. Serve immediately.

Lightly adapted from marthastewart.com

Take Flight

Take Flight. Mixed media collage, 2012.

Fried Tofu

Serve up fried tofu on skewers with a dipping sauce or add to a vegetable stir fry or rice bowl.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Total:  20 min

Ingredients

1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed to drain excess liquid
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
peanut sauce or other dipping sauce
toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions

1. Slice pressed tofu into squares, about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high, and arrange tofu pieces so that they lie flat. 
3. Fry for about 7-8 minutes until crispy, then flip to cook the other side, for another 7-8 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve on a skewer with a dipping sauce or add to a vegetable stir fry or rice bowl.

Baked Eggplant Roll-Ups

Grilled eggplant slices stuffed with a cheese and spinach mixture make a filling vegetarian main dish.

Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 25 min

Cooking Time: 35 min

Total:  60 min

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 packaged frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and pressed to remove excess liquid
2 cups tomato sauce, plain, herb or spiced
250g smooth ricotta cheese
1 tbsp. dried oregano or basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese, to garnish
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cut eggplant lengthways into slices about 1 cm thick and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Place slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 20-30 minutes. Flip slices about half way through to allow the other side to brown.
2. While the eggplants are grilling, heat remaining oil in a frying pan and saute onions and garlic until browned. Set aside, allowing to cool.
3. In a bowl combine ricotta cheese with onions, Parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Spread half the tomato sauce over the bottom of a medium size casserole dish.
5. To assemble, place a large scoop of cheese mixture onto the end of one grilled eggplant slice and roll up firmly. Place eggplant roll seam-side down into prepared dish. Repeat and until all of the mixture has been used and eggplant rolls fit snugly into dish.
6. Spread remaining tomato sauce over top all of the rolls, and garnish with grated mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for an additional 5 minutes until cheese has melted.
8. Serve immediately with a side of green salad, brown rice or garlic bread.

Adapted from Vegetarian Bible (2008), p. 185.

Beet, Walnut and Baby Spinach Salad

The incredible colours and flavour of this salad are sure to impress anyone!

Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Total:  40 min

Ingredients

2 medium red beets, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
5-6 cups baby spinach
1 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. In a large bowl toss beets with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 20-30 minutes, until tender and caramelized.  Using a spatula, rotate beets half way through the cooking time
2. Allow beets to cool to room temperature.
3. Prepare a bed of baby spinach and garnish with beets and toasted walnuts. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese and serve immediately.