Keep the burgers coming!

I thought another post about burgers would be fitting for Memorial Day.  We've still been loving "The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet" and it seems like every recipe we try is better than the last.

Pintos and Rice Burger

This burger is so easy!  Joni even says something like, just mash all the ingredients together.  It takes no time (unless you forget to make some rice ahead of time, in which it will take you almost an hour.  Ugh.) and is so delicious.  We cooked these on our George Foreman grill, which we probably haven't used in two or three years.  They had a nice crispy, crunchy crust and were dense, but chewy on the inside-- just perfect.  We topped them with a healthy scoop of guacamole, some green onions and a few cilantro leaves.  I think these would hold up well on the grill and can't wait to make these again and share their deliciousness.

Potato Samosa Burger

I've never made a real samosa before, but we bought a big bag of potatoes from Trader Joe's, so I thought I would give this a try.  They turned out super tasty, almost like a fancy mashed potato-ish burger.  There were lots of seasonings, but next time I might even double them.  We ate this with a smear of vegan mayo.

Super Quinoa Burger
Chad did most of the work for this burger.  The ingredients are pretty simple, quinoa (2 cups!), beans, peas, cashews, tahini and a couple spices.  They are super flavorful and have very little oil, so they're a healthy choice, too.  We made these on the Foreman grill and they turned out great.  Joni also suggests that this can be used as a side if you don't form the "batter" into burgers, which is definitely something I'm going to keep in mind this summer!

Bacon Cheeseburger
We saved these to grill outside today-- with the temps over 90 and humidity through the roof, I didn't want to turn on the stove or oven and it was a good excuse to leave the air conditioning for a bit.  Plus, I worked up a sweat just kneading this dough for five minutes!  I made a few adjustments to the recipe, subbing a mix of barley and cracked wheat for the TVP and cutting the oil in half.  They have a ton of flavor going on, from the bacon (we used coconut bacon bits from AVK), peanut butter, liquid smoke, nooch and more.  After I formed the patties (which were about 1/2 c each), I stuck them in the freezer for just about 15 minutes to firm while we preheated the grill.  They held up well and since I oiled them, even got great grill marks!  They turned out perfect-- a little crunch from the grill, super flavorful and a little chewy in the center.  Next time, I might even make a double batch, just to have some extras on hand in the freezer.

Cook Book Challenge Week #12

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule
Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I made these Peanut Butter Cupcakes a couple weeks ago to take to friend.  Of course, Chad and I had to sample a few too.  I used some almond milk and some coconut milk  and whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour, otherwise I followed the recipe.  The cupcakes were amazing-- super thick and moist on the inside with a little crisp on the edge for the first bite.  I think the molasses really heightened the peanut buttery flavor.  I topped them first with banana glaze (a little whipped EB and banana with a splash of vanilla and some powdered sugar), then Quick Melty Ganache and chopped peanuts.  I was so happy with how well they turned out.  Mmm, just thinking about these makes me want to whip up another batch...

Cook Book Challenge Week #11

Vegan Brunch

Tonight's Menu:  Peanut Butter Waffles and Revamped Tempeh Bacon

First of all, yum!  I've been looking forward to "Vegan Brunch," because what's not to love about brunch?!  We started the week out with two pretty simple recipes.  The Peanut Butter Waffles were delicious and super filling.  They weren't as peanut buttery as I expected, but I can't really complain.  We topped them with sliced bananas, maple syrup, powdered sugar and a few extra peanuts.  I was full after the first one, but managed to eat a second!  Next time, I think I will use crunchy peanut butter, because Isa suggests it will give the waffles more peanut flavor.  In other waffle-related news, I finally figured out how to make the perfect waffles with my 5-year old waffle iron.  I usually have it set to the highest setting and my waffles split in half, but tonight I remembered to turn in down to medium-high and, like magic, all the waffles came out perfectly!

We've made the Tempeh Bacon from "Vegan with a Vengeance" before and it was pretty good... but the Revamped Tempeh Bacon is unbelievably better.  It tastes just like, if not better than, the Fakin' Bacon we buy at the store and is way cheaper to make.  I loved the flavor combo and although I thought that one tablespoon of liquid smoke might be overpowering, it was perfect.  I added all of the marinade to the pan after the pieces "fried" for a little bit and let it simmer down.  They came out with a nice little crunchy, crispy bite.  I have a feeling we might make this often now, especially since we just stocked up on tempeh from Trader Joe's!

So, that was dinner tonight!  I don't even think I have room for dessert while I watch "Biggest Loser."  Maybe that's a good thing...