Chipotle Lentil Burgers

I think the worst vegan food I've ever had was a Boca burger. After I tried one of these cardboard-flavored pieces of processed soy last summer, I decided to never buy veggie burgers again but to instead make my own.

The Chipotle Lentil Burgers from Appetite for Reduction was my first attempt. A puree of lentils, sauteed veggies, spices, bread crumbs, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, these burgers sounded fabulous. But they were between "just okay" and "good."

I like the smoky chipotle flavor, but that's pretty much all I could taste. I couldn't taste even a hint of the cilantro that I sauteed with zucchini, garlic, and red onion, nor could I taste anything lentil-like. Too bad.

The texture was the other thing I didn't think was great. They were difficult to keep together even pan frying, and when they were done, the outside was only the slightest bit firm and the inside was mushy.

I might make these again using less chipotle peppers. I'd also make them smaller--they were so huge, they were twice the size of my bun. But I'll probably try other recipes first.

Happy Herbivore Red Lentil Dal

I love lentils so have high expectations for lentil dishes. This one didn't disappoint. As promised, it was extremely quick and easy to make. It was ready in about a half-hour, including prep time and the time to cook the rice. The sauce was thick and full of flavor. (I used tomato sauce because tomatoes aren't in season, per the cookbook's suggestion.) It was a little spicy even without the dashes of cayenne I added at the end; the cayenne made it just spicy enough. This is a perfect after-work meal that I'll be making often. Omnivore husband liked it too. And it's only 3 WeightWatchers PointsPlus!

The recipe came from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook, but she's also posted it on her website.

And good news! The cookbook's author, Lindsay Nixon, is coming to Pittsburgh for a book signing! It will be at Right by Nature (what a perfect place!) on February 13 from 2 to 4. I'll be there!

Cajun Stuffed Mushrooms

I wanted a veggie side to go with my leftover Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions, so I made these stuffed mushrooms, a recipe I adapted from WeightWatchers. This is quick, easy to make, and very low-cal. Makes a good, quick, snack by itself or a meal when combined with a salad and some type of beans or lentils.

Note that you'll likely have filling left over. It's good scrambled up with some tofu.

Cajun Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 24 stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
• 1 pound(s) button mushrooms, about 24 large mushrooms
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1cup(s) onion(s), chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 - 2 slice(s) whole-wheat bread, processed into bread crumbs (I used 1)
  
• 1- 2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (I used 2)
  
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
2. Remove mushroom stems from caps and finely chop stems; reserve caps and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sauté mushroom stems, onion, garlic, and spinach until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until well-combined.
4. Stuff each mushroom cap with 2 tablespoons of filling mixture. Place mushrooms, stuffed sides up, on jellyroll pan. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes; serve warm.
5. Note: The mushrooms can be stuffed in advance, covered, refrigerated and then baked later in the day to save on last-minute preparation time.

WeightWatchers PointsPlus: 1 for 4 mushrooms

Red Beans and Rice

Yesterday I made Red Beans and Rice from 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson. I'm not a big OMGer, but OMG--it was out of this world! My omnivore husband loved it too. This would be a great dish to take to a potluck--it will knock the socks off of people. I'm sure I'll go back to this recipe a lot. I served it with Easy Whole Grain Flatbread.

Red Beans and Rice
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry red beans, such as kidney, pinto, cranberry or romano (I used pinto)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 6 cloves garlice, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 3 cups vegetable stock (I used a flavorful stock I made using roasted veggies)
• 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (I used 1 jalapeno and 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, plus a few teaspoons of the sauce to give it a smoky flavor)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (I don't like bell peppers so didn't use them)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, optional (I had no idea what the difference in taste would be with the vinegar; I used about 3/4 tbsp)
• 1 cup long-grain rice, cooked
• Finely chopped green onion, parsley, or cilantro (I didn't use)
• Hot pepper sauce (original was very spicy; I didn't use)

Instructions

1. Soak the beans at least six hours; I soaked them overnight. Drain and rinse and set aside.
2. In a skilled, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, salt, and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beans and stir to coat. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add vegetable stock and stir well.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until beans are tender. (My beans were tender in just 5 hours, perhaps because of my longer soak.) Add jalapeno peppers, chipotle chili in adobo sauce if using, green pepper and vinegar if using. Cover and cook on High for 20 minutes, until pepper is tender. Stir in rice. Garnish with green onion and serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus (I calculate points using the Recipe Builder tool on WeightWatchers.com): 4