Beef-Free Bean Burgers.

At first I was so not into trying to find something to take the place of my burgers. But, after having 2 bad burger experiences... I was more willing to fill that void in a healthier way. Shayne still prefers keeping our new eating lifestyle seperate from his burgers... but he wasn't complaining about this one. Ava loved it so much she wanted the leftover for her lunch.

Below is the recipe with my additions/changes... the original from The Kitchn is  here if you want their version {pretty much the same though}.

Yields 4-6 patties depending on thickness.

Inspired By: Eating Well...Living Thin

1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed lightly (if at all)

1/2 cup pecans, diced (and checked for shells)

1/3 cup onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons green curry paste

1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ketchup

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons water {or 1 large egg white}1/3 cup flour (whole wheat, white, chickpea, oat - anything but pastry or semolina)

Put beans in food processor and pulse til all the beans are chopped up... as close to obliterating them that you can get. Add all remaining ingredients and pulse, adding flour last. Depending on how wet your curry paste, onions and garlic are, you might require a teaspoon less or more. You want your mixture to hold shape when formed (it will still be sticky) but not crumble. Chill for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator. You can stop at this point and leave them all day if needs be, but if you're planning to eat at the same time as preparation, they can use a few minutes to chill before hitting the heat.

Form mixture into patties, we find 5 is the perfect amount, but if you like them a little thinner, 6 works as well. Heat skillet on stove with 2 cups oil (we prefer peanut or canola) on high for 5 minutes. Add patties and fry until crispy/crunchy on each side (3-5 minutes). You can use non-stick spray instead, though they won't crisp up quite the same. They will still be soft in the middle, that's ok!

(*Editors Note: We used 2 cups of oil in a 16" pan. The oil covered the entire bottom of the pan, but they weren't drowning or swimming in oil by any means, so please adjust the oil accordingly to your size pan and personal tastes.)

Serve on a toasted bun, with sprouts, mashed avocado and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Belly Biters:

Jen {love!} - Shayne {good.} - Ava {loves!!} - Nolan {yum.} - Coco {yum!}

belly bites by week: 2nd addition

sunday: soyrizo black bean soup
monday: snobby joes with herb scalloped potatoes
tuesday: pinto bean burritos {used leftover choyrizo bb soup} & smoky corn salsa
wednesday: italian vegetable hoagies, steak fries & steamed broccoli w/ cheezy sauce... quinoa almond muffins
thursday: mexican bowtie pasta
friday: chipotle w/ carrie & kids {vegen burrito}... BlueBerries frozen yogurt {which I totally regreted}...late night snack: sun-dried tomato basil dip
saturday: costa vida {pork big kahuna burrito smothered w/ cilantro-lime dressing...this one thing in and of itself will never make me go 100% vegan...yum!}w/ chapuis'

Sun-dried Tomato Basil Dip.

This dip is pretty much awesome... and with the smoked tomatoes, it reminds me of eating smoked mozzarella cheese. And that just makes me happy. We ate it with flat crackers {Sprouts brand}, Crispbread and in wainbow wraps, and just in lettuce as wraps. Yum.

2 cups sun-dried tomatoes {dry ones, not the kind packed in oil... I bought smoked ones - yum!}
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1/2 cup cooked white beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup olive oil {i omit and just add more tomato water}
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over them. Cover with a plate and let soak for about 15 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, grind the almonds to a powder. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the tomatoes from the water... don't discard the water... and add them to the almonds. Add the remaining ingredients and puree, adding up to 1/4 cup of the tomato water and scraping down the sides often until smooth. Add basil leaves and pulse a few times so that the leaves are chopped and dispersed but not pureed.

Cover and chill for at least and hour.

Belly Bites:

Jen {yum!!} - Shayne {yum!} - Ava {yum.} - Nolan {too spicy!} - Coco {yum!}

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

page 64

Mexican Bowtie Pasta.

Here's another I got from LittleBirdieSecrets that's yummy... I loved it because I could get it ready earlier in the day, and not have to fuss with anything now that we're in the after school rush.

The original recipe called for mayo, and I subbed nayonaise for it {since they didn't have vegenaise at Sprouts}. Nayonaise has more soy in it then I'd prefer... so, I'll work on that or try it with vegenaise sometime. But it's so yummy and for sure going in the rotation!! The original has chicken and cheese added to it, if that's your flavor check out the link above.

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, run under cold water for a minute
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup diced tomato
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup vegenaise {or mayonaise}
1 cup salsa of your choice
2-3 cups bowtie pasta (cook 2 min. less that directed)
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Chill. Mix mayo and salsa together and pour over cooked pasta. Chill. Before serving, add veggies to pasta. Toss with cilantro. Serve cold.

*You can also omit the pasta and serve as a yummy dip with tortilla chips!

belly biters: all {yum!!}

Cheezy Sauce.

Love this for nachos, pastas, to dip broccoli or steak fries in. Yum.

2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of dried thyme (crumbled in your fingers)
1/4 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

Combine the broth and flour in a measuring cup and whisk with a fork until dissolved.

Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pan and gently cook for about 2 minutes (or just steam-fry), stirring often and being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the broth, turmeric, and nutritional yeast, and raise the heat to medium. Use a whisk to stir constantly. The mixture should start bubbling and thickening in about 3 minutes; if it doesn't, turn the heat a bit higher.

Once the mixture is bubbling and thickening, stir and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the lemon juice and mustard. The mixture should resemble a thick, melty cheese. Taste for salt (you may need more depending on how salty your vegetable broth is), turn off the heat, and cover the pan to keep it warm until ready to use. The top might thicken a bit while it sits, but you can just stir it and it will be fine. Serve warm.

Veganomicon, page 214-215

Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

Italian Vegetable Hoagies.

I found this recipe on LittleBirdieSecrets and it was just calling to me. Especially with the pepperoncini... I forgot how much I love those. The original calls for provolone cheese, which I ditched. Athough, I'm not gonna lie... a slice of provolone would have made it even yummier... but I didn't give in and I'm not gonna dwell... my nonbloated belly thanks me. It's super simple and stuff I usually have on hand. I used hoagie buns and toasted them with a little bit of earth balance then rubbed a garlic clove on it. Yum....

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, separated into rings
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar {i used half for fear it'd be overbearing, it was perfect for us}
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 16- to 20-inch-long baguette, preferably whole-grain {hoagies}
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini {I added a little more to ours and didn't put any on the kids}

1. Place onion rings in a small bowl and add cold water to cover. Set aside.

2. Combine artichoke hearts, tomato, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl. Cut baguette into 4 equal lengths. Split each piece horizontally and pull out about half of the soft bread from each side. Drain the onions and pat dry.

3. To assemble sandwiches, spread on the artichoke mixture and top with the onion, lettuce and pepperoncini. Cover with the baguette tops. Serve immediately.

shayne {yum} - ava {ew.} - nolan {yum} - coco {yum}

belly bites by week: 1st addition

I figured I may start posting my weekly meals again... especially since everything has changed since What's Cookin Good Lookin?

Hopefully I'll be able to keep it up... especially for those of you who don't see how we could possibly eat day-in and day-out animal-freely... these are for ya'll...

sun: fish tacos (had some fish in the freezer we needed to use)
mon: vegan pasta taco toss (omited the beef & cheese, used more black beans)
tues: black bean soup
wed: beanball subs
thurs: wheatberry pancakes & shrek shakes
fri: fajitas
sat: out