Monday, March 12, 2012

Sweet Potato Burgers -- Thank you Pinterest!


OMG.  That's all I have to say about tonight's dinner.  This is seriously one of the best meals I've made in a long time and I have Pinterest to thank for it.  THANK YOU PINTEREST!!  I've talked about www.pinterest.com before but in case you missed it, you need to go check it out.

Like now!  On second thought, not yet, finish reading first..then go go go!



This is the kind of food I crave and can't get enough of.  Whole, fresh ingredients,  all natural, home made, satisfying, delicious and not to mention good for you!

Don't take my word for it...go get in your kitchen and try this!!  Even if you're unsure about the ingredients...do it!!!



I would try to describe it to you but it wouldn't do any justice.

You can find the original genius of a recipe here.

Sweet Potato Burgers


1 Large Sweet Potato
2 cans of white beans
2 Tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon maple or agave syrup
1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
Few dashes of cayenne
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of flour
Breadcrumbs to coat the burger

Burger toppings *
Whole wheat bun
Your favorite mustard
Sliced onion
Finely chopped hot pepper
Spritz of olive oil (I use my handy misto)
Pepper
Lettuce of choice

Instructions


1.  Bake then peel sweet potato, add to large bowl. *
2.  Add 2 cans of drained white beans to bowl with the sweet potato and mash together.  *
4.  Add in all remaining ingredients until mixed together well.  The mixture will be extremely moist.  You can add more flour or add breadcrumbs or dried rice but I just worked with it.  Although it was very sticky I was still able to make a patty.
5.  Heat oil of choice in pan while you start to form your patties
6.  Get a shallow bowl or plate and layer with breadcrumbs
7.  Form patty and generously coat with breadcrumbs on each side, then drop in the oil.  Cook on both sides until well done.
8.  Assemble burger and devour!!!



**Tips
- For baking sweet potato spritz with olive oil misto and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until soft.
- I found it easiest to "peel" the potato by cutting in half and scooping out the flesh.  It pulls away from the                  skin easily while hot.
- I again found it easiest to use a fork to mash together the white beans and sweet potato.  This might sound funny but I started with an outer ring and smashed the mixture up against the side of the bowl.  I used my right hand to smash while I twirled the bowl around with my left.  I kept going until that "ring" was all smashed, then I would bring in more beans from the mixture until everything was mashed while I continued to twirl around the bowl.
- These toppings are just what the original called for.  There are so many other variations so feel free to experiment and use what you have.  The original also called for avocado which I would have used if the one I bought from the store wasn't rotten on the inside.  It was still great without it though!  A nice sliced tomato would have been great on this too but I didn't have any.
-  I also made a "dip" or condiment to go with the burger of ketchup and sriracha.  Heavenly!
- My stove top is tiny along with my cookware.  So I had to cook one burger at a time.  If you find yourself in the same predicament I turned the oven off after baking the sweet potato but it was still warm so I stuck the cooked burgers in the oven to keep warm while the others cooked.



I'm also really excited about this recipe because it's SOO adaptable.  I already have a million other ideas I want to try with this recipe:

--- Making smaller bite size to make them like "nuggets".  Great kiddie food!!
--- BBQ them on the grill with sweet BBQ sauce and grilled corn
--- Use these for my all time fav burger toppings, grilled pineapple, jalapeƱos, red onions and teriyaki sauce
--- The list goes on....

The recipe made about 7-8 patties.  Since it's just me and my husband I didn't need that many.  I cooked about 3 and am freezing the rest.  Hopefully they keep well!  This is an easy recipe to follow and even easier to use after frozen for a quick meal on the run.

I know I'm sure you're all happy to see me on two days in a row!!  I have to admit life has been slowly settling down.  I still have a lot on my plate but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I can feel I'm going to make it through which has been amazing for my stress level, and by the looks of it, my blog!

Plus my problems don't compare to so many out there suffering.  If you ever want to watch a great inspirational video to put life into perspective watch this video made by Artists for Haiti, "We are the World".

So stay tuned, I hope to come back with more yummy recipes!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Sunomono Salad & Trader Joe's Gyoza


When I was a younger I was a very typical child.  I disliked all vegetables.  When I say all I mean ALL. 

A lot has changed since then.  Who would have figured I would end up being vegan and have a diet full of vegetables.

Cucumbers was one of those vegetables that I despised and I've only recently come to love.  With that love came Sunomono salad.  If you're going to eat cucumbers this is the way to do it!  It's so simple and easy.  It's a japanese salad made of thinly sliced cucumbers and a vinegar dressing. 

If you've ever had Sunomono salad at Mikuni's this recipe tastes JUST like it!  I found the original here



Sunomono Salad

1 Large cucumber
1 Teaspoon of salt
2 Tablespoons of Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 drop of soy sauce

Directions

1.  Thinly slice the cucumber
2.  Sprinkle the slices with salt and let sit for a few minutes
3.  Mix the vinegar, sugar and soy sauce and mix well
4.  Add the dressing on top of the cucumbers and serve!

It goes without saying I love my mom!  She isn't vegan like myself but is always looking for recipes/products that i can eat.  Her most recent find was a great one.  Trader Joe's Thai vegetable Gyoza.  They come in the frozen section.  Serve with sweet chili sauce.  I love Trader Joe's.  They always have great products.  Why I don't shop there more often is beyond me. 

These were the perfect addition to my Sunomono Salad and fried rice.  'Till next time. 

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!