Summertime is Grillintime

I love grilled vegetables. When Alex and I moved out of apartments, I bought a cheap gas grill to celebrate, like a housewarming thing. For me. And it’s just perfect for summer vegetables.

Everything I grill is my favorite. I love corn, portabellas, onions, and bell peppers. Yellow squash and zucchini are good, too. And I have okra coming in my farm bin Wednesday – it’s going on the grill, and it’s all mine.

Typically, I’ll cut the veg into chunks, toss it in some canola, and season with one of those shakers with a variety of pre-mixed seasonings. It’s my shortcut – I’m not endorsing it, and I can’t remember when or why I bought it. Sometimes, though, I plan a meal.

I recently grilled kale, sweet potatoes, and Field Roast smoked apple sage sausages. I love sweet potatoes and kale together, and grilling them worked really well. I used these instructions for pre-cooking and seasoning the sweet potatoes, and I just rubbed the kale with canola and put it right on the grill.

Some of it got a little charred, but that’s okay. It was delicious.

I bought one of those vegetable trays for my grill, and I just take it inside and scrub it after each use. It’s been in heavy rotation this summer.

In other news, I’m still waiting to hear back on the job, and honestly that’s been all I can think about lately. Sometimes I try to think about what to do for my first give-away, and here’s the problem: I learned so much about how to eat by blogging and “meeting” other bloggers. Seriously. I was eating tofu and black beans and had no idea what to do way back when. So what can give my teachers? A “best teacher” coffee mug? I am going to make a decision this week – promise. And a night with my wall-scaler Alex is still a possibility.

Callaloo–what?

Wow, where did summer go? I wore long sleeves all day today and was chilly. I talked to my mom – she says it’s cooler in her area, too, because it’s not 90. Oh.

I went back and forth on trying this new recipe. Turns out, I picked a perfect day for it. This recipe caught my eye in the Moosewood Restaurant cookbook I picked up at a used bookstore recently. It’s called callaloo, which apparently is both a green and a dish.

Unable to find callaloo (possibly because I only went to my mainstream grocer), I used red kale. This dish is most like a soup, but it’s made with lime juice that brings a summery flavor to it. This soup is made with onions, garlic, ginger, spices (turmeric, coriander, thyme, allspice), sweet potatoes, kale, okra, and tomato. All that simmers in broth, then it’s finished with coconut milk and lime juice.

Yep, the okra and sweet potato combo both intrigued and disgusted me. In the end, though, this was a tasty soup. I thought it needed some heat, though, and I wish I’d cut my grape tomatoes (like the recipe suggested).

Since that soup is not too pretty, I thought I’d leave you with a cute photo. Now that winter is over, the cats are out of their cat beds and taking over a chair. I’m glad they’re sticking to one – I don’t like to sit in fur. Anyway, sometimes they take turns, but often, in this cooler weather, they pile on top of each other.

Still Spring Soup

April is almost over, and I’m not sure it feels like spring yet. It seems like for the past two weeks, it’s been both rainy and stormy every day. And it’s been cold. So I took the opportunity to make soup. I considered making cookies, but soup won out.

I pieced together a few recipes for minestrone, and of course I did not measure. But this soup was perfectly delicious. Besides all the goodies in it, I think it’s the broth (Better Than Bouillon and pesto). This soup is made of:

• Onion, Carrot, and Celery
• Potatoes
• Green beans
• Cannellini beans
• Spinach
• Macaroni
• Diced tomatoes in sauce
• Better than Bouillon
• Amore Pesto Paste
• Maybe some other stuff I forgot to mention

Part of what I’ve been doing lately is kind of a pantry challenge, using up stuff I’ve had on hand for way too long. Sometimes those are interesting to read about, but mine seems a little scary.

The green beans were the last of a bag of frozen beans I’ve had a while, and I think the pesto paste was a Christmas gift year before last. Thanks to blog, I can tell you the macaroni was left over from November when I made mac and cheeze. I have been eating this soup for a week and I haven’t been sick. I think I have pretty good judgment when it comes to expired food.

I’m in spring cleaning mode – I’m also clearing out my closets. Cleaning out the pantry is more fun, though. I am too young to have so much junk I don’t want to think about. Have a great weekend, everyone!

I like what others don’t like–or do I?

I know I’ve been writing about eating out lately, but I have been cooking at home. It’s just not as exciting! I’ve made some real flops (keep reading), but I did make one recipe that was unexpectedly delicious.

I’ve been trying to use up things in my pantry and freezer. In this recipe, I used some lentils I’ve had for a while, as well as some frozen artichoke hearts. I found the recipe on the Whole Foods Market recipe app, and you can view it here.

The recipe is Linguine with Spinach, Artichokes, and Red Lentil Sauce. I ate a heaping helping on a salad plate, and I even finished the leftovers for breakfast. This was delicious, and one of my favorite new discoveries. The sauce starts with mustard seeds, onion, garilc, and lentils, and finishes with lightly cooked spinach and artichoke hearts. Add some lemon juice, salt and pepper and whole wheat pasta, and you’re good to go. 

I was surprised to look up the recipe online and see that it only got 2 of 5 stars. I mean, people who wouldn’t like the ingredients wouldn’t choose to make this, right? To state the obvious, I used spaghetti, not linguine. Maybe that’s why I liked it better – no, that’s a stretch.

I really started to question my taste (or, the rating system) when I checked out another recipe I tried, Quinoa Loaf with Mushrooms and Peas. That recipe earned 4 of 5 stars.

This was not great, but I took lots of photos, so I’ll share. This is how you know I don’t lie to you: this looks good, so I could rave about this and trick you all! Don’t worry, I would never do that. Plus, even though the star rating is high, most of the comments agree with me. And I didn’t write them all. Actually, I didn’t write any. Maybe 4 of 5 stars is a poor rating, and 2 of 5 is a good rating?

Alex and I both thought it was bland, which is strange because it’s packed with flavorful ingredients, including quinoa, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion. These goodies were bound with a paste of pureed chickpeas and oats, plus some green peas and parsley.

After baking for a long while in a loaf pan, this sliced pretty easily. Alex enjoyed his with ketchup, and I doused mine with sweet onion mustard (not pictured). This looks good, served with a baked potato and brocolette, so trust me when I say it was bland.

In eating this, I was really puzzled about why my preferences were nearly opposite the online ratings. I guess I’m glad I didn’t see them ahead of time! How about you out there – do you like what everyone else does? Do online ratings inform your choices?

Culturally Schizophrenic

I committed last time to share the results of my experimentation in the kitchen, and I’m tickled to announce that things turned out super tasty!

Behold, my Middle Eastern Inspired Taco.

I had some frozen baked falafel, and I made hummus with cilantro, garlic, and “taco” seasoning and wrapped it all up in a whole wheat tortilla. I use these spices in my taco seasoning: chili powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Now, I didn’t have many frozen falafel. Alex admitted that he sometimes takes a ball from the freezer and eats it cold. I don’t know if that’s flattering or not. Anyway, we had more than enough food.

The reason there was so much food was because I made baba ghanoush, too. (When everyone spells things differently, how do you decide what to use? Just pick one and stick with it?)

Lately, I’ve had a hankering for baba ghanoush and decided to go for it when I saw a Food Network chef make it on television. Sometimes, that’s all it takes (thanks, Aarti Party!). I was tempted to buy some ready-made from the grocery store, but it was chock-full of mayo (really, Sabra?).

Instead of making regular baba ghanoush, I riffed from the Horizons cookbook recipe for Mexican baba ghanoush. The recipe included roasted eggplant, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno. It actually called for pumpkin seed butter, which sounds really good – but I didn’t buy (or even look for) any. Instead, I used tahini but tossed in some pepitas for good measure.

I’ve been enjoying this in pitas for lunch the past two days, stuffed with more cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and onion. I can tell you for sure I’ll be making more homemade baba ghanoush.

The beginning of winter and the end of Thanksgiving leftovers

You really can make anything into a patty. Getting patties to hold together was a serious challenge for me in the past, but now? Easy. Maybe I’ve finally learned how to be gentle.

When I read about the sweet potato and white bean patties Jenny was making, I knew I needed to give them a try. That, and I had six large sweet potatoes on the shelf and leftovers from Thanksgiving in the fridge. I needed a way to use up what I had and get some variety at the same time.

I used mashed sweet potatoes, cannelleni beans, bread crumbs, and some sauteed diced onions and garlic. I seasoned the mix with salt and garam masala and ate my patty with leftover collards. Alex ate his with ketchup.

We got our first snow this weekend, and I made homemade tomato soup for the first time. Tomato soup + sweet potato patties doesn’t sound like a lot, but it was a great meal on a cold night.

Southwest Stir Fry

I decided to try this as a different way to cook some of my favorite foods (black beans and corn). Then I decided to search the web to see if I was unknowingly copying someone else’s idea of a southwest stir fry. The first few results were very different, so I’m in the clear. Actually, I’m so far into the clear that maybe I should come up with another name for this.

This dish isn’t too different from times I make black beans and rice, and it’s not terribly different from a Chipotle burrito bol. This is just another chance for me to put together some of my favorite foods. I think it’s better than either one.

We started by frying the tofu cubes, cooking the rice, and cooking the collards (for some reason I wanted these as a side dish). After that is done, this is super easy.

My stir fry is onion, green bell pepper, mushrooms, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes and green chiles (canned, like Ro-Tel).

Oh, yes, and I made a little dressing to go on it. I really like making my own dressings because I like them so thin.

This was simply a spoonful of Vegenaise cut with the juice from the canned tomatoes and ranch-style seasoning. Right now, this means garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, and a little cumin. And lots of black pepper. I’m still working on my favorite ranch proportions, but I love how easy it is to mix up a little batch just as I need it.

My Thanksgiving

This is a typical Thanksgiving, for me. For the past seven years or so, I’ve pretty much done small Thanksgivings, either by myself (yes, really) or just with a few other people. This year, there were four of us - my parents, Alex, and me, at my house in my tiny kitchen.

It’s good when the plate is loaded with a variety of tasty eats, and this is one time of year that I don't mind my foods touching. I made many of the things my family typically enjoys, with a few changes to accommodate Alex’s requests, and of course everything was vegan. Clockwise, starting at 12:00 on the plate, we had:

• Cornbread dressing, made with cornbread, biscuits, celery, and onion
• Paula Deen’s corn casserole with vegan analogs (Better Than Sour Cream, Earth Balance, no cheese)
• Broccoli Casserole with a Daiya cheeze sauce similar to what I used as the macaroni and cheeze base, with cashew cream in place of soymilk
• Roasted sweet potatoes with maple and pecans
• Roasted Brussles sprouts
• Tofurkey with vegetables accompanying it during the roast (onion, carrot, celery)
• Cranberry relish
• Mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and mushroom gravy

All four of us enjoyed the meal. My parents even enjoyed the Tofurkey – my dad went back for seconds! I had offered to get some (pre-cooked) turkey for them, and thankfully they declined.

The cats are not enjoying the company; they’ve hidden themselves out of sight and are keeping each other warm in a bed built for one and have only come back into the open now that my folks have returned to their hotel:

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving, or a wonderful Thursday. I’ll share the details on the Derby Pie tomorrow – it was delicious! Right now, I have a lot to be thankful for, but on a lighter note - I’m thankful I’m not a Bengals fan. Cincinnati sports teams have broken my heart one too many times.

One More Round: Restaurant Food at Home

This goes way back to last May, when I visited The Chicago Diner. At the time, I was kicking myself for choosing a quesadilla when faced with more choices from their extensive vegan menu than I could wrap my head around. Still, it was really good. And even as I said to myself that I could make it at home, I never did. Until now.

I stuffed my tortilla with smashed sweet potatoes, steamed spinach, black beans, and grilled onions. After the photo, I added some spicy salsa. Yum! I should make this again.

Have a great weekend – I’ll be around!

Best Lunch Ever

I actually had my heart set on sloppy joes and tater tots for lunch today and went to pick up some Fantastic World Foods sloppy joe mix. I walked from my house to the library and then to the grocery store. Today was a wonderfully warm day for a long walk, but my hunger was making me a little grumpy and I can’t say I didn’t overreact in the aisle when I saw no sloppy joe mix.

Thankfully, I calmed down and decided that I could handle this. I came home, snacked a little to tide me over, and made my own joes in the time it took to cook the tots.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup TVP, rehydrated in 1 cup broth
• 15 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 3 oz. can tomato paste
• Vegan Worcestershire sauce (I used Bourbon Barrel)
• Brown sugar
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cumin
• Red pepper flakes

I didn’t measure the seasonings, but I used lots of garlic powder, a little onion powder, a little cumin, a tiny shake of red pepper, and probably a tablespoon of brown sugar. You may also need salt, depending on you broth. I cooked all this for about 15 minutes and tasted for seasoning.

This was slightly sweeter than the mix I normally use, but this was really good. I’m happy with what I threw together.

This was a perfect lunch with some tots and onions. I had some extra sloppy on the side and I was so ready to dig in I almost didn’t stop to get a photo. Yum! Plus, I’m proud of myself for not throwing a fit in the store.

I have two giveaways to tell you about – first, check out Vegan and So Forth where Jenny is giving away a $40 gift certificate to Vegan Essentials. Also, Noelle at Opera Singer in the Kitchen has several giveaways going on right now, including a TofuXPress. Good luck!

After Work Veggie Roast

This is one of those dinners that is so good and yet so simple I wonder whether I should share it. This meal came together really quickly and required minimal attention, so I was able to do other things while it cooked.

Yes, I ate white rice, made with this foolproof 12-minute method, mixed with chopped cilantro and (heated) frozen organic corn. Quickie confession #1 – when pressed for time, I eat white rice over brown. Hey, at least it’s not Minute Rice.

For vegetables, I used two portabella caps, sliced pretty thinly, and storebought cut veggies including red onions and orange, green, and red bell peppers. I also tossed in a few grape tomatoes. These guys went in the oven with a “grill” spice shake that I’ve for probably too long. It was mostly black pepper, but very good.

You know what, for $5 I did spend more than I would have if I’d chopped them myself, but it’s still cheaper (and tastier) than eating out. Quickie tip #2 – the pre-cut veggies seem overpriced, but sometimes it’s worth it if it means eating that instead of takeout, if you’re on a budget.

There you have it – my quick supper. Yet again tastier than some of the things I’m still perfecting, or trying out. I’m trying to choose which fail to share this Friday.

When you’re pressed for time, what do you eat?

Peer Pressure Pumpkin Chili

I’ve been seeing lots of pumpkin recipes all over. I’m sorry to say that although they all look good, I am not really a fan of pumpkin. Please don’t ban me from the blogosphere! I want to be open to trying new things, and maybe there’s a little bit of peer pressure, so I bought four cans of organic pumpkin puree. I read about people hoarding cans and stores running out, so I figured I should get plenty just in case I liked it.

I didn’t grow up eating pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. My mom would make pumpkin cheesecake. Instead of venturing into that (maybe later!), I decided to make pumpkin chili like I get at Loving Hut. Mine was much chunkier and it turned out really well. I combined so many recipes that I’ll share what I did, as I do consider it my own.

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 15 oz. diced tomatoes
• 15 oz. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked and simmered
• 1/2 cup dried kidney beans, cooked
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 cup water or broth, or more, for desired consistency (I used the sweet potato boiling water)
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or small amounts of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice)
• A shake of cayenne, or more if you like it hot. Chipotles or fresh peppers might be good here, too.

Method:

This was pretty simple. My beans were prepared, so I boiled the sweet potatoes and sauteed the onions, then just combined everything else and cooked until heated through and the bulgur is done.

I wanted to take photos of the cooking in-progress, but unless you need to see my chopped onions or my sweet potato cubes, this is pretty much it. This was a quick and easy chili that was delicious. I like the two kinds of beans and the sweet-heat, as well as the chunks of sweet potatoes.

So, am I pumpkin convert? Maybe. What’s your favorite thing to do with pumpkin? Or, do you fall for peer pressure?

Kitchen Cabinet and Freezer Soup

I promise I’ll get a little more excited about MoFo next week.

For now, I’m keeping up by doing two things I normally wouldn’t do: I’m telling you I’m not feeling well, and I’m posting on a day I might normally skip. I only mention that I’m not feeling well because it is very relevant to tonight’s supper.

I wanted soup, but I still don’t have much food on hand and wasn’t feeling up to shopping. So this is what I made with stuff I have on hand. This soup requires zero work and is already making me feel better. Or maybe relaxing for the first night in more than a week is helping me feel better.

After lunch, I tossed everything in my slow cooker. I used a large can of plum tomatoes, frozen cannellini beans, frozen chopped green bell peppers, an onion, a shallot, some garlic, a bouillon cube, some tomato paste, and some orzo tossed in near the end. I also used some red and black pepper, dried oregano, and some pesto paste squeezed across the top and then mixed right in.

I served this up in a big bowl wrapped in a kitchen towel and ate on the couch, while watching a movie. I think after some rest tonight and this good soup I should be feeling better soon. Want to know a secret? The frozen green peppers are coming full circle, because they were originally purchased to be an ice pack.

Normally I would say have a great weekend, but instead – see you tomorrow!

Sweet Chickpeas

Give me just a couple more sentences in praise of Trader Joe’s. Back in the day, one of my favorite convenience foods was TJ’s frozen channa masala. I liked it because it was spicy but also very sweet. I know many people make channa masala at home, but a quick web search for recipes was very, very fruitless. One recipe included ketchup and a sideways joke about authenticity. Although I appreciate the joke, I didn’t give that recipe a second glance.

I abandoned the search for simple authenticity and decided to make a sweet chickpea dish on my own without worrying about whether I can call it channa masala. I made a the Urban Vegan recipe aptly called Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Spinach, and I would have put a sweet twist on it but it already includes a teaspoon of agave!

Chickpeas, spinach, tomato, and onion over brown basmati rice

I used cherry tomatoes in addition to crushed tomatoes, and between the sweetness of the tomatoes and agave, this was a really good dish. I feel like I’ve graduated to a stage of cooking where I’m able to seek out a recipe I want to make and adapt it slightly to suit my taste. I still need the guidance, but I can distinguish good from bad advice.

I’ve only cooked from that cookbook once before and, well, kind of laid it aside as other things caught my eye. Plus, I will admit to judging a book by its cover and I get totally distracted by the Whole Foods plastic bag dispenser front and center, even blocking the author’s arm. I also wonder if anyone recognizes the woman in back coming in to work. However, this tasty dish will have me looking a little more carefully at the recipes and trying some more soon.

And you know what, I can’t even really remember what that first recipe was that didn’t turn out well for me. Who says you can’t change first impressions?

Chilly First of November

I’ve just returned from a whirlwind weekend trip to sunny California, so now the below-60 degree temperature in Cincinnati feels extra cold. This was one of those trips were I probably tried to do too much in too little time, and this was a trip that leaves me hungry rather than stuffed with good food. Hungry and cold, it was an easy choice to have soup full of vegetables for my first meal back at home.

I rehydrated dried mushrooms in hot water that forms the stock for the soup, and then I toss in the rest of my vegetables. This time I had fresh mushrooms, celery, carrots, cabbage, snap peas, green onions, and soba noodles and white miso. I tried not to put in too many vegetables because I’ve had so many soup pots and stir fries grow out of control when I keep adding everything I like. I managed to keep this to two really hearty servings.

Served with a side of baby bok choy, sauteed and seasoned with garlic and soy sauce, I feel like I’m caught up on my need for green vegetables. I’m warm and happy and just hoping I can adjust back to eastern time, get to bed early enough, and wake up and go back to work tomorrow.

Yeah, the trip? I was going to a football game with my brother and sister-in-law. We geared up in Titans wear and saw them fight it out but ultimately lose. By now, that’s nothing new as I generally choose the losing side. It’s different though, taking flack from the sore winners.

Here we are slightly sunburned but smiling after the game.

I’m also excited to participate in Vegan MoFo! Last year, I read lots of blogs but did not participate. Before that, I had no idea it existed. But I’ll be showing lots of stuff I make for myself that I don’t usually consider blog-worthy, just to show a more complete picture of regular life. I’m also going to try lots of new recipes and do something completely new at least once a week. I’m setting the bar low to guarantee success; it might be more often than that. Right now, I’m excited to see my reader fill up with great posts from other bloggers! I’ve said it repeatedly: reading blogs has been most helpful to me in finding new foods to eat and new ways to cook.

Thank you, Rachael Ray: Mushroom-Kale Shepherd’s Pie

There are a few recipes that are in the rotation, as Alex puts it. These are things we make repeatedly as tried-and-true favorites. There are many, many other things that are on the list. I find daily inspiration on blogs, in my cookbooks, and from seeing ingredients I want to use. There so many things I want to try. And there’s the third category, which (oddly enough) I can’t think of an appropriate name for. These are recipes that I am compelled to make as soon as I hear of them.

I recently came across one such recipes in the most unexpected place: on 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray. I was channel surfing and caught the beginning of an episode with her talking about making a vegetarian entree. She had my attention. Full disclosure: she had my attention because she was scraping the gills from some portabellas. I watched to see why she was doing that. In the end, she said she normally leaves them alone but some finicky eaters may want their ‘bellas gill-less.

She was making meatless shepherd’s pie with a base of portabella mushrooms and kale. Also in the soupy base is carrot, onion, garlic, and stock, plus rosemary, nutmeg, and Worcestershire. I used my Bourbon Barrel vegan worcestershire and some fresh rosemary left over from the scones I made.

The original recipe tops this with mashed starchy potatoes along with parsnips, horseradish, and sharp cheese. I gladly omitted the cheese and reluctantly omitted the horseradish. The only vegan horseradish I could find was in mustard, which might not have been that bad. All the prepared horseradish was in a mayo-style base. Does anyone have any advice on horseradish for me? In defiance, I considered using wasabi powder but restrained myself.

Horseradish or not, this was a tasty, tasty meal. We made a full 13x9 pan and ate it all. The soupiness you see in the mushroom-kale mixture was a great accompaniment to my tater topping. This dish has earned a spot in the rotation.

Must-Try Scalloped Potatoes

This is another recipe straight from a blog to my plate, courtesy of Tofu Mom. This recipe for vegan scalloped potatoes with lots of garlic looked like something I needed to try!

This dish is brought to you by my impulsively purchased OXO mandolin. I love it, even though it sliced my thumb the first time I used it.

This made short work of slicing my taters. Off they go into a sauce of blended cashews, silken tofu, milk, and garlic and other seasonings!

After baking in the oven, this dish is browned on top and full of thick, creamy, saucy goodness. We enjoyed the mild flavor of the scalloped potatoes along with some balsamic roasted green beans, red onion, orange tomato and a (brown) portabella to round things out.

This is my kind of meat and potatoes.

Between Summer and Fall

I’m enjoying both summer squash and sweet potatoes topped with smarshmallows.

I found some really gorgeous yellow squash and fried it up along with some sweet onions, and I also made some dried black eyed peas and brown rice. I love my black eyeds with some sort of pickle or relish, Pickapeppa sauce, or both. This time I had sweet onion relish that was pretty good. Eventually, I’ll want to make my own relish for my peas.

The star of the show, though, was the creamed sweet potatoes with Dandies marshmallows on top. I baked the taters, then whipped them with some maple syrup and almond milk. The Dandies went on top for a quick blast in the broiler to make them all gooey and delicious.

I’m not waiting for Thanksgiving to enjoy a treat like this. The beginning of fall, even when it’s still in the 90s, is a perfect time for me.

One cookbook, two recipes

Can you guess what it is?

azuki beans with {buttercup} squash, pg. 241

fried udon noodles, pg. 229, with napa cabbage and broccoli

The Kind Diet. I hesitated to purchase this cookbook because I figured much of the introduction wouldn’t really be useful to me. I also don’t like to fall in line with what’s hot, or what some high profile person tells me to do. (Maybe Alicia Silverstone isn’t high profile to everyone, but I was a teenager when Clueless came out and she made a formative impact on my youth.)

Every recipe that I’ve made from The Kind Diet has been marvelous, simple, and delicious. The recipes are more like instructions on how to use what might be unusual ingredients. There aren’t many ingredients and there aren’t too many steps.

I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty good cook, but now that I’m trying so many new ingredients I find myself in need of a little guidance. This book has been perfect for someone like me.

I’m not saying this is my favorite cookbook, but it’s impressing me. Actually, I only have one cookbook that’s not been worthwhile so far, and I’m still giving it more chances. What’s your favorite cookbook?

This is not the Black Bean Burger I ate tonight

But I sure wish it was.

Actually, tonight and last night I didn’t cook. Last night I served at Ronald McDonald House and put out tons of food for “make your own subs” night. I’m still struggling with what to bring to these monthly dinners, even though I’ve been going for almost three years. I bet if I’d brought these black bean burgers, it would have been a hit (although I would be able to identify the locals hollering for sausage). My contribution was from a box – two packages of Suddenly Salad. Yes, they ate every last noodle. I also brought two cucumbers and two red onions, sliced quickly and thinly on my mandolin, my new favorite kitchen gadget.

Tonight I had a meeting at a popular chain family-style restaurant that I dislike immensely. After being our summer hiatus, our monthly meetings have resumed. We see each other pretty much once a month, and I’m new to the club and I have trouble remembering names. Almost everyone orders the same thing each month, though, so I remember Hamburger Girl, BBQ Quesadilla Girl, Chicken Tenders Girl, and our newest addition, Funnel Cake Fries Girl. I guess it’s not bad that I’m Veggie Burger Girl. You are what you eat, right?

I have no problem being veggie burger girl. In fact, I’ve long been seeking the perfect veggie patty recipe. I’ve had several I’ve liked, and this one from Veganomicon is a new favorite. It’s made with black beans, wheat gluten, bread crumbs (I used panko, it was all I had and it turned out fine), cilantro and dried spices, and some garlic and onion for good measure. I’m sure it’s a classic that I’m late on trying.

But the one that gets my vote for the absolute best so far is the bulgur burger I found on Epicurious. I think those win because not only do they have beans and bulgur, but they have walnuts and cilantro. My first attempt on those was crumbly but still delicious.

Not that I’m comparing. Oh, yes I am, but I still liked these so much you’ll see them twice.

I grilled these patties in foil over the weekend along with some thick slices of onion, broccoli spears, and red bell peppers. The patties were perfect with a healthy dose of my favorite condiment, smokey sweet barbecue sauce.

For dessert, a grilled peach.