Quinoa-Mushroom Burgers

I've been seeing quinoa burgers all over Pinterest and some of my friends have mentioned they made them so when I came across this recipe in a new cookbook, I thought I'd give it a shot. I usually have extra quinoa just waiting to be used for something, but this time I made a batch just for this recipe. They were different, but in a good way. The addition of mushroom definitely helped make them taste meatier and I liked the combination of avocado and tomato. Ross wasn't sold on them and Madeline tried it but ended up eating peanut butter bread instead.

I want to try another recipe, so if you have a great one, let me know!

2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1 cup finely chopped cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
fresh ground pepper
salt
1 tsp olive oil
tomato slices
avocado

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil, tomato and avocado. Form the mixture into patties. I ended up with 8 medium-sized patties. Place on a plate and chill in the refrigerate for 20 minutes.

When ready to cook, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties on each side for 4 to 5 minutes or until crispy brown. Take caution when flipping them over, 2 of my broke apart.

Serve with tomato slices and avocado.

Source: Pretty Delicious Cookbook by Candice Kumai

Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Fig Pizza

I spotted this pizza originally on Pinterest and it sounded so different and unique. I had half a jar of fig jam left over from the orange-fig glazed ham I made and knew it would be a great way to use it up and not waste it. It was seriously AMAZING! Both my husband and I enjoyed it and it was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. This will become a regular pizza in our house!

Now I can't wait to experiment more with fig jam and real figs once they're in season.

1 ball of pizza dough
3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, sliced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup fig jam
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the bottom rack in the lowest position. Place pizza stone on the rack to warm.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, thyme and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions until they are deep brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently so they don't stick.


Roll the pizza dough out into a 12 inch round. Spread the fig jam over the dough, leaving a small crust around the edge. Top with the caramelized onions, bacon and cheese. Transfer to the warm pizza stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and let cook slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

Source: Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls

In an effort to be healthier this year, I'm back on Meatless Mondays. I'm trying to venture out and try new recipes. I also want to eat meatless for at least two days a week. I've been eating better and working out since the beginning of the year and it's been going well. I'm losing weight and my clothes are fitting better. I'm hoping this year will be the year that I'm in the best shape of my life!

This recipe will be one that I'll be making over and over again. Ross and I both loved it, Madeline was just so-so on it. I think the cilantro was too strong for her but I can take some quinoa out of the pot next time before I add the cilantro and see how she likes it then. It was a filling dish and worked great for leftovers too.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2  15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup shredded lettuce

Topping ideas: grated cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, corn, salsa

In a small pot, add the 2 cups of water and the quinoa. If this is the first time you're cooking with quinoa, make sure you rinse it with water through a mesh strainer. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa becomes tender and the liquid is absorbed.

In another saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Cook for another minute or two. Add 1/2 cup of water, the black beans, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro and chili pepper. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer the bean mixture for 15 minutes until the majority of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and season with salt to taste.

Once the quinoa is completely cooked, remove from heat and fluff it with a ford. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine and season with salt to taste.

To make your bowls, divide the quinoa between four bowls and then top with lettuce. Next add a quarter of the bean mixture to each of the bowls and then top with your desired toppings.

Source: The Shiksa in the Kitchen

The Secret Recipe Club: Peanut Sesame Noodles

It's time for November's Secret Recipe Club! This will be the last post of the year for SRC, but we'll be back in January. It's nice to have a break around the holidays since we'll all be so busy!

This month my assignment was Mostly Food and Crafts.  There's a lot of see over at Danielle's blog! I loved looking through her crafts and have a projects I'm looking at doing myself  - Holiday Coasters and Yarn Wreaths! I'm trying to get better about being crafty and I think the coasters would make great Christmas gifts and my holiday wreath is way overdue to be updated!

Now onto the food, I had a hard time narrowing down my choices since there are so many recipes I wanted to try. I finally settled on Peanut Sesame Noodles. They're perfect for a meatless meal - I served them with a salad and it was quite filling. My husband and I loved them but my daughter didn't. She's becoming a little picky these last few months....not sure what's that about? I'll definitely be making them again, they're perfect for lunch too!

Dressing:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (a microplane works great)
1 garlic cloved, minced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp honey
dash of hot sauce

1 box thin spaghetti
sesame seeds

In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When cooked to your liking, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

Add the pasta to the dressing to combine. You can also add blanched vegetables, but I chose to serve it with a salad and stir-fried asparagus. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Want to be part of the Secret Recipe Club? Join here!

Roasted Veggie Enchilada Stack

Whew, last week blew by! I had planned to post this recipe last week but somehow between getting ready to go back to work, getting back to work and still trying to exercise, there was very little time to blog. I have some free time today so I'm trying to catch up, plus Cooper fell asleep while in the Beco, so I can't do much else right now.

Getting back to work has been ok. I had a really good day on Wednesday and it felt great that my coworkers were so happy/relived to see me and I was glad for some adult conversation. Thursday was an entirely different story...it was like I never left and the same issues I left, were still there. BOO. Not how I was hoping my first couple days back would be.

We're still enjoying all the summer vegetables but summer is slowing coming to and end. Madeline starts kindergarten in 2 weeks! This recipe was able to utilize a ton of the veggies I received from our CSA as well as a great option for a meatless meal. I served it with a green salad on the side for dinner and had the leftovers for lunch. I love the roasted vegetables and it was so filling with the addition of the black beans.

1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 can (10.5 oz) red enchilada sauce
9-10 small corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the pepper, zucchini, squash and onion with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally. Once roasted, let the vegetables cool to room temperature.

Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the roasted vegetables, black beans, seasonings and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper.

In the bottom of the pan, spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Make a layer with the tortillas to  cover the pan bottom. Top with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture and then 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer with of tortillas, enchilada sauce, vegetable mixture and cheese. Top with a third layer of tortillas, sauce, vegetables and cheese. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the pan.

Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let the enchiladas cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

Source: Two Peas & Their Pod

Summer Corn Linguine

One of my favorite things about summer is fresh corn! I love being able to stop at a farm stand on the way home from work and pick up a dozen ears of just picked corn. It's so sweet and perfect. This year has been a good year for corn and we've been eating as much of it as we can. I usually just broil it, slather on the butter and sprinkle with some salt.

This recipe was a nice change and something I'll definitely be making again before the summer is over! While the recipe is a little long, it's so worth it!

1 pound linguine (or other flat noodle - whatever you have in your pantry)
6 slices triple-smoked bacon, chopped
6 ears of corn on the cob, shucked
3 shallots, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup half-and-half
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup vegetable stock
few dashes of hot sauce
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for a few minutes to crisp the bacon and render it's fat. Once cooked, removed from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Remove 75% of the grease from the pan.

Using a corn scraper (or inverting a small bowl in a larger bowl), scrape the corn off the cob. Add three quarters of the kernels and liquid to the large skillet. Add the cooked bacon and the shallots to the corn. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until corn is tender. Add the tomatoes to slightly cook.

 Heat a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta to al dente.

In a food processor, add the remaining corn and puree with the half and half. While the corn is pureeing, add the stock and thyme to the skillet of cooked corn. Reduce heat and then stir in the creamed corn mixture. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring frequently as the sauce will thicken. Add the hot sauce and season once more with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Add parsley and about a 1/2 cup of cheese to the sauce. To serve, divide among 4 to 6 bowls and top with the remaining cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Slightly adapted from Rachel Ray's Look & Cook cookbook

Mushroom Chili

I’m having a hard time finding meatless recipes to make since I’m not a fan of eggplant and I think every recipe I’ve found has eggplant in it. I had this recipe for a year or so, it was given out by a mushroom farmer that had a stand at my town’s farmer’s market. I was disappointed to find out that he wasn’t going to be attending this year’s market since he had the best crimini and portabella mushrooms. He was from Kennett Square, PA – the mushroom capital of the world! That area of Chester County produces 65% of all mushrooms for the United States. There’s a big festival every year to celebrate mushrooms. I didn’t realize it was last weekend; I’ll need to add it to my calendar next year to check it out!

This recipe was quick and easy. It was a perfect dinner for a cool fall night. Make sure you have a chunk of crusty bread to go with it!

2 Tbsp olive oil
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 small banana pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
28 oz can Italian style small diced tomatoes
15 oz can light kidney beans
Small can of no-salt tomato sauce
Salt & Pepper

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and pepper until they are tender. Stir in the garlic and chili powder to combine. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir occasionally until they are tender and cooked through.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes for sauce to thicken. If desired, sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Two Bean Veggie Pizza

Now that my business trip and vacation are over, it's time to get back into a routine - meal planning, meatless mondays and working out! It all started yesterday. I took a me day, spent some time at the gym and watched a movie snuggling with my dog. I've been looking for new recipes to try for meatless Mondays since my last one was a disaster. Eggplant and I are never going to be friends.

This was so easy to make and so delicious. I'm eating leftovers for lunch as I type.

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tsp canola oil

1/2 can of canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 can of canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce

1 small garlic clove, peeled and halved

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

dash of hot sauce

1 prebaked 12-in thin pizza crust

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

8-10 grape tomatoes, diced

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a small nonstick skillet, cook onion in oil over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the beans, salsa, barbecue sauce, garlic, cumin, pepper and black pepper. Cover and process until pureed.

Place crust on a baking sheet, spread with bean mixture. Top with caramelized onions, corn, tomatoes and cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Recipe adapated from Taste of Home Magazine

Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

I’ve started to participate in the campaign “Meatless Mondays” and cut out meat from our diet once a week. This week was the first week and I made an awesome recipe. It was so good and my husband had two helpings even for a meat and potatoes guy!

2 Tbsp butter
12 oz baby bella mushrooms, cut into bite sized pieces
2 shallots, chopped
½ cup white wine
¾ tub (8 oz) lowfat cream cheese
1 cup lowfat sour cream
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp salt
Whole wheat egg noodles

Cook noodles according to package and have ready for the sauce. In a non-stick skillet, warm the butter over medium-high heat until it is melted and foamy. Add the shallots and cook until tender. Add the mushrooms and cook. The mushrooms will soak up all the butter – at this point, add the wine.

Add the thyme and black pepper. Cook down the wine until the pan is almost dry. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan, making a well. Add the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir the cream cheese and sour cream together until it’s soft and melted. Stir in the mushrooms.
Cook the sauce until it’s hot and bubbly – do not boil. Salt to taste and then toss it with the cooked pasta. Enjoy!

Adapted slightly from Tasty Kitchen


Recipe made by: A Little Bit of Everything

Broccoli, Tomato & Mozzarella Stromboli

I'm always looking for quick and easy meals during the week and this is perfect! I used Pillsbury's pizza crust, but want to try it with Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza crust.

1 lb pizza dough

all purpose flour for work surface

small head of broccoli, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 oz thinly sliced genoa salami, chopped

Cooking spray

Pizza seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, stretch out each piece into a 3 by 4 inch oval then stretch to a 6 by 8 inch oval.

Steam broccoli for 2 minutes to partially cook. Drain to remove any water from the steaming process. Dividing evenly, scatter the broccoli over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch boarder. Sprinkle with garlic and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mozzarella, salami and pizza sauce evenly over the 4 strombolis.

Starting at the shorter end, roll up each stromboli and place seam side down on the baking sheet. Using the top of a paring knife, cut two slits into the top of each. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with pizza seasoning. Bake until golden brown - baking times depend on the type of dough being used. For the Pillsbury dough I used, it was about 15 minutes; fresh pizza dough will probably take about 25-30 minutes.

Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food

Black Bean Quesadillas

These were so good - the photo doesn't really show it, but trust me they're so yummy! They're simple and easy to make and fairly healthy too. We all loved them and I'll be making them more often. They're also the perfect lunch for my daughter to take to school with a cup of salsa.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup salsa

1 tsp taco seasoning

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

6 to 8 8" whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and rinse beans and place them in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave them for one minute to soften beans. Mash with a fork; add salsa and taco seasoning and mix well.

Lay 3 or 4 tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread bean mixture evenly on tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese and top with remaining tortillas. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp. Let rest 1 minute before cutting in quarters.

Recipe from a friend's friend - originally adapted from Allrecipes

Philly Mushroom and Cheese Subs

I picked up this recipe from one of the local vendors at my town's farmer's market and thought it would be perfect thing to make for one of my "no-meat" meals. I was really surprised it tasted just like a cheesesteak and was very filling. This is definitely on my keeper list!


2 Portabello mushrooms
1 medium onion, thick sliced
1 anaheim pepper, halved and seeded (or green pepper)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp grill seasonings
2 sub rolls
cheese

Brush both sides of mushrooms, onions and peppers with olive oil and season with steak seasoning. Place on grill (I used a George Foreman) and cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove peppers and mushrooms and slice thin. Place mushrooms, onion and peppers on foil and return to grill to keep warm.

Toast rolls. Fill rolls with mushroom mixture and add cheese.