Helen’s veggie burgers

helens_veggie_burger
These yummy veggie burgers were created by a student in Sue’s vegetarian nutrition class. (Helen gets an A+ for this recipe.) They are super-healthy, high in protein and fiber. TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. Helen suggests using frozen TVP crumbles to make shaping the patties easier. We used Amy’s organic lentil soup in the recipe, but you can substitute tomato for a different flavor.

This recipe makes a lot of veggie burgers. After you have shaped all the burgers you need for your meal, you can put the rest into a meatloaf pan and bake it for 25 minutes. Freeze the loaf for another day, and then slice and serve the reheated loaf with pasta sauce and linguini on the side. Add a green salad and a glass of red wine, and voila! Easy weeknight meal.

1/2 medium onion, diced
1 portobello mushroom cap, gills removed, finely chopped
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 10-ounce bag TVP
1 12-ounce package soft tofu
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and mashed
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning blend
1 15-ounce can lentil soup
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper and cayenne pepper

Sauté onion and mushrooms in oil until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside. Chop nuts in a grinder or blender, and then place in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Shape into patties. Cook in an oiled pan on medium heat until browned. Turn gently. Or cook on the grill for a couple minutes per side. Serve on a bun with lettuce, a slice of tomato, and vegan mayo, ketchup, or brown mustard.

easy weeknight vegetables in curry sauce

There’s no need to serve an uninspired meal after a long day at work. This dish is super fast, and the tasty sauce easily rivals one from your local ethnic family restaurant. The bonus of eating at home: You get to personalize it with your favorite veggies. We included more ingredient ideas below the recipe.

vegetables in curry sauce
Rice or udon noodles

1 14-oz. can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and paprika

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, chopped
16-oz. frozen stir-fry vegetable blend (ours included edamame, carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots), thawed
14-oz. can baby corn
Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Start preparing rice or udon noodles according to package directions. While the water boils or the rice cooker heats up, prepare the veggies.

2. In a small pot, combine coconut milk and salt, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and paprika. Heat on low while veggies cook, stirring occasionally.

3. Heat the canola oil in a large pan or wok. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add mushrooms and zucchini; cook for 3 minutes or so. Add thawed frozen vegetables and canned vegetables at the end; cook until heated through.

4. Serve veggies over cooked rice or noodles, and spoon curry sauce over the top. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro leaves.

More ingredient ideas: Sliced kale ribbons, a handful of fresh spinach, tofu or tempeh cubes, canned water chestnuts or straw mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, diced chili peppers, fresh ginger, tomato

bbq veggie chili

Savor the smoky barbeque taste in this veggie chili. The Portobello mushrooms add a nice “meaty” taste.

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs. mustard
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (more if you prefer a spicier flavor)
1 Tbs. molasses
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs. vegan Worcestershire sauce (we used Annie’s)
1 15-oz. can chili beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 large Portobello mushroom caps, chopped

1. Heat canola oil in a large stewpot over medium heat. Sautè onion, garlic, and celery until onion is translucent. Add vegetable broth and tomatoes, and stir to combine.

2. Add next nine ingredients (mustard through Worcestershire sauce), and stir to combine. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add chili beans, pinto beans, and chopped Portobello mushrooms. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Beer Batter Bread.

“chicken” mushroom enchilada casserole

My corn tortillas weren’t cooperating. I had envisioned a beautiful pan of tightly rolled enchiladas smothered in sauce, but despite being dipped in sauce and allowed to soften, my tortillas were cracking and slowly unfolding. I changed course and sliced the tortillas, layered the ingredients, and then smothered with the sauce. The resulting casserole was much quicker than rolling enchiladas, and it tasted great.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 10-oz. package of your favorite chicken substitute, thawed and chopped
1 8-oz. package baby Portobello or button mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 8-oz. can green chilies
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
2 15-oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 dozen corn tortillas, sliced in half
Hot sauce to taste (optional)
Vegan cheese and salsa for topping (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sautè the onion until translucent. Add garlic, chicken substitute, mushrooms, and spices. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. (Add some vegetable broth or water if the pan becomes too dry.) Stir in green chilies and sour cream. Remove from heat.

3. Empty remaining enchilada sauce into a large bowl. Dip half the tortilla slices into sauce, coating thoroughly. Line bottom of pan with tortilla slices. Spoon “chicken” and mushroom mixture over tortilla slices. Cover with remaining tortilla slices, and spoon remaining enchilada sauce over slices. Top with vegan cheese if using. Cover pan with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 5 minutes. Top casserole wedges with salsa and fresh cilantro, if desired. Side dish idea: fiesta beans and rice.