Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl

Here is another recipe I originally created for Sakara Life, that was inspired by one of my favorite brunch spots, The Farmer's Daughter. Situated in the center of town, The Farmer's Daughter brings farm to table fare to the lucky patrons of Easton, MA. Although it's a bit of a drive for those of us on the South Shore, distance doesn't seem to be a barrier for me when it comes to food. I've sampled quite a bit off the menu, and can highly recommend their "knock your socks off" banana pancakes, brioche french toast, eggs benedict, nutella belgian waffles, stonehill fried egg sandwich, huevos rancheros, farm burger, and my tried and true favorite: The Pan-Asian Salad topped with a veggie burger. I've eaten quite a few veggie burgers, and this is hands down my favorite rendition. Quinoa packed, and Moroccan spiced, this burger is typically plated between two buns (also delicious), topped with sweet tomato jam, and served with a side of AMAZING chickpea salad. If you're the normal type of person who can eat bread at a restaurant and not feel guilt, go the traditional route. But if you're more like me, the I-should-probably-add-spinach-to-that type, go for the salad. It will not disappoint. Besides the incredible food, the Farmer's Daughter is decorated impeccably. The high gloss bar and tables are drool worthy, and all the touches of brass really take this breakfast and lunch eatery to the next level. I cannot say it enough: if you live within a somewhat reasonable distance to Easton, go to The Farmer's Daughter (and bring me back takeout)!

The original version of the Pan-Asian is made with black quinoa and I get it topped with a pretty enormous veggie burger. And while I will always order this favorite when I'm visiting Easton, it can get a little carby to make all the time at home. I opted for the quinoa, and left the veggie burger for my dreams. You might notice the kale in the pictures above also. As the token health nut of the family, I have to confess, I don't love raw kale. I will never put it in my smoothies, and I'd really prefer an arugula or mixed greens salad to a kale version. Sauteed kale, totally different story. But when I'm trying to reach my kale quota for the month/year, I'll choke down a bowl or two. 

Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl 

1 serving cooked quinoa

1-2 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 carrot, peeled into ribbons

2-3 cups organic mixed baby greens

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/2 cup shelled edamame, thawed

Sweet + Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon liquid aminos

1/2 tablespoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, grated

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch of himalayan salt

Start by cooking your quinoa. I usually make a larger batch to keep on hand in the fridge for quick meal planning. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1 cup quinoa, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and a pinch of pink himalayan salt. Simmer (covered) on low heat for about 15 minutes. When the water is absorbed, and quinoa looks fluffy, remove from heat. Place a piece of paper towel over the pot, and place the cover over the paper towel. Let cool for about 15 minutes, and you will have perfectly cooked quinoa.

While the quinoa is cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce, set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl. When the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl. Pour the sauce over the quinoa and vegetables and mix well. Diced avocado makes a delicious topping, as do homemade veggie burgers. Enjoy! xx

Curried Chickpea Burgers

Did You Know? In Britain the term "curry" has come to mean almost any Indian dish, whilst most people from the [Indian] sub-continent would say it is not a word they use. In India curry simply means "sauce." Therefore, Indian foods made with sauces are all "curries."

The last time I made veggie burgers, I promised to share my favorite variation on the original in the future. Having a soft spot for Thai and Indian flavors, I wanted to incorporate some of the ingredients those cultures tend to turn to. I had also just made a batch of Curried Cauliflower Soup, and the curry craving inside me was not completely satisfied.

I also needed to create a lunch alternative that could be made ahead of time, and was easy to throw together. Which is why I immediately thought to change up my favorite sandwich. Having classes scattered throughout the day, this burger freezes wonderfully, and is sauteed to a golden brown in no time, making it perfect for a busy school day.

Spiked with red curry powder, ginger, and cilantro, the hint of sweet apple really does a wonderful job of rounding out the flavors. And like the previously mentioned, the crisp outside breaks open to a creamy chickpea center, studded with colors and flavors. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients. I can imagine lots of things would work here. Perhaps an Asian patty, with edamame, soy sauce, and ginger? Switching up the chickpeas and tossing in black beans instead. I'll be sure to post more combinations in the future. And if you have any favorites, let me know in the comments.

Curried Chickpea BurgersOriginally adapted from 101 Cookbooks

2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1 medium apple, diced (I used golden delicious)
10-12 baby carrots (about 1/2 cup, grated)
1/2 tablespoon red curry powder
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or cooking spray

Pulse the carrots in a food processor until finely grated. Add in the chickpeas, eggs, salt, and curry powder. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a slightly chunky hummus. You don't want a smooth batter. Add the alfalfa sprouts, apple, and cilantro, and pulse a few more times just to combine. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the onion and ginger. Stir in the breadcrumbs and flax, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Form the burger mixture into patties, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop for this to get around 15-18 small burgers. You can either freeze the patties (which is what I do, so I can have them whenever the mood strikes), or heat up that last tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned and heated through.

Slather with your favorite hummus, and sandwich between you grain of choice. Or try what a lot of others have recommended, and use the burgers as the bun, filling the inside with salad bar ingredients.

Bloggers Blogging Bloggers

I wanted to ask all of you if you could hop on over to Dianasaur Dishes, and leave a comment on her latest post. Her brother Jason shares his love for ham and mustard sandwiches, and he is just too cute. I know leaving a comment would surely make his day, and pump him up for a future post!

Roasted Pepper Veggie Burgers

Did You Know? The white ribs inside a pepper that we all trim away actually contain heart healthful bioflavonoids, so use them in your soups!

This was one of the first things I made for my family when I started this blog, but unfortunately I don't have the pictures from our very first experience. Because if I did, you would see them on big, homemade kaiser rolls. I was so excited at how well those rolls turned out, but for some reason, I have yet to make them again. I'll save that for Spring Break, which will be here before I know it.

Besides the rolls, which definitely don't make or break this sandwich, the burgers have quickly become my go-to meal. Pre-Roasted Pepper Veggie Burgers, my diet consisted of a lot of store-bought, frozen patties (Gardenburger mostly). They were convenient, healthy, and pretty tasty, but I knew all of that sodium and TVP couldn't be the best thing in the world. When I came across Heidi's Ultimate Veggie Burger, I knew it had to be good, I mean is there anything on 101 Cookbooks that isn't?

Serving her burger as the bun, it lent itself to a lot of different fillings, which she detailed wonderfully. Being a bread person, I knew I wanted to take some of her filling ideas, and experiment with adding them to the burger mixture itself. That way I would incorporate some extra veggies, add some more flavor, and plate the burger more traditionally, sandwiched between bread.

The burgers are a breeze to throw together, and the taste is like nothing you will find in their manufactured counterpart. I love the depth that the roasted peppers bring, set-off by the brightness of the cilantro. The sauteed exterior develops a wonderful, golden crunch, split open to reveal a creamy, hummus-like filling.

Keeping the base mixture consistent with Heidi's recommendations, the flavor combinations for mix-ins are endless - all resulting in an entirely new burger. I've already come up with a new favorite version of this ultimate veggie burger that I can't wait to reveal to all of you in the future. Until then, here's my first take on Heidi's classic...

Roasted Pepper Veggie Burger
2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1 red bell pepper
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
Zest of one lemon
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place red and jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet, cut side down. Right before placing them in the oven, switch your oven over to broil. Broil for about 8-10 minutes, until charred on the outside.

Remove from the oven and place the peppers in a zip-lock bag. Seal the bag, and let steam for about 20-30 minutes. At this point, the skins can easily be peeled away, to leave you with the roasted peppers.

Combine the chickpeas, eggs, roasted peppers, and salt in a food processor. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a slightly chunky hummus. You don't want a smooth batter. Add the alfalfa sprouts, and pulse a few more times just to combine. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, and zest. Stir in the breadcrumbs or flax, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Form the burger mixture into patties, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop for this to get around 12-15 small burgers. You can either freeze the patties (which is what I do, so I can have them whenever the mood strikes), or heat up that last tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned and heated through.

I enjoy mine on a toasted Ezekial 4:9 Sprouted English Muffin, smeared with some red pepper hummus and topped with baby spinach leaves.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Did You Know? It was not until 1941, that congress declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

I said I would share a few tips or suggestions for all those Thanksgiving leftovers, so here's some recipes that my family loves...

-Turkey and Cranberry Quesadillas
-Butternut Squash Soup, thin out my squash recipe with some broth
-Turkey Soup (and don't forget any extra gravy or stuffing-according to my mom)
-Cranberry Yogurt: yogurt w/ cranberry sauce mixed in and topped with toasted walnuts (pictured above)
-Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal: cooked oats, roasted pumpkin puree, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice (pictured below)...

-Toss leftover veggies (brussels sprouts, carrots, string beans) and stuffing with some rice or pasta and bake with a little parmesan cheese on top
-Potato or Squash Pancakes
-Add a few eggs to a mixture of stuffing, squash, finely chopped veggies, cranberry sauce, etc., and make your own Thanksgiving Veggie Burger

Be creative, almost anything goes with these versatile flavors!