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Blog

Filtering by Category: sandwich

lentil, olive, + mushroom veggie burgers

Andrea

Mother Nature has been so fickle lately, flitting between gray, dreary, and frigid one day to 63* and sunny the next. She's a tease, I tell you, and I am ready for her to make up her mind. I've spent the last two months hoping for a big, big snowstorm, eager for a Winter as entertaining as last. But now that we're into February with no more than a few inches on record, I'm over it. Spring can dig in her heels and stay permanently, as long as she brings sunshine, warmth, and backyard barbecues with her. There are only so many casseroles and stews and butternut squash one can take in one season!

Last weekend I grew tired of waiting and took matters into my own hands when I made our weekly menu. I've had veggie burgers on the brain for over a year since discovering my favorite veggie patty, ever, at Boylan Heights here in Charlottesville. I am not a vegetarian, but I do eat a mostly vegetarian diet and am a fan of beef only on the rarest of occasions. What I love about that Boylan Heights veggie patty, and now this veggie patty, is that it doesn't try to imitate the taste or texture of meat. Instead, the actual ingredients of the patty are allowed to shine - in this case mushrooms, lentils, and Kalamata olives. Yum. 

For an extra-summery feeling, try serving the patties on english muffins adorned with lettuce, red bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts, sliced cucumber, and tzatziki. I promise you'll feel better about the state of the weather, at least for the evening. Also, if you read through the comments on the Post Punk Kitchen  post linked in the recipe below, you'll find many variations and substitutions for the ingredients in this burger. Just in case mushrooms or olives aren't your thing.

This is not similar in taste or texture to the Boylan Heights veggie patty, and that is not what I was going for. If you're interested in the BH recipe, you can find it here. I'll make it eventually, but it seems a bit complicated/time consuming and at this point I am happy to just visit the restaurant and let the chefs there make it for me. Plus, their sweet potato fries are the best around.

Lentil, Olive, + Mushroom Veggie Burgers
from post punk kitchen
serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced medium (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • fresh black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1-1/4 cups lentils (I used dried lentils cooked in veggie broth, but the original recipe calls for canned)
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs, divided (I used panko)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • cooking spray

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
  2. Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for about 3 minutes with a pinch of salt. Add mushrooms, garlic, black pepper, thyme, and parsley and saute for 7 to 10 minutes, until mushroom is cooked.
  3. While mushroom mixture cooks, place the olives in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove from food processor and set aside.
  4. When mushroom mixture is cooked, add to the food processor. Add all of the other ingredients EXCEPT 1/2 a cup of the breadcrumbs. Pulse until mostly smooth, but there should still be some texture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to the burger mixture, along with the chopped olives, and thoroughly combine.
  5. Divide the burger mix into 6 equal pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Form mixture into patties, spray with a little more cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Flip burgers and bake for 12 to 15 more minutes, until nicely browned. (I also pan-fried these instead of baking them, which was tasty too).

categories dinner, lunch, sandwich, vegan, vegetarian
tags lentil burger, lentils, mushrooms, olives, vegetarian, veggie burger

back on track

Andrea

After all of the indulgent foods that we consumed between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, Brian and I have been more than ready to get back into our typical, mostly healthy*, eating routine.  We've bookmarked page after page of easy-to-prepare, full-of-veggies, yet still homey and comforting meals in some of our favorite cookbooks, and also in some new titles gracing the bookshelf. It is my hope that the month of January on Bella Eats will help all of us to get back on track and break our dependence on cheese plates before and dessert after most meals, as lovely as that may have been.

*To be clear, Brian and I believe in non-restrictive eating and the idea that nothing is off limits as long as moderation is practiced. So don't be surprised when small amounts of butter, cream, bacon etc. still appear in the lists of ingredients for recipes that claim to be healthy. Balance is key to a healthy diet, and we strive to prepare meals that are full of flavor and satisfying so as not to feel deprived of something that is important to us - delicious food!

Mustard Greens-6

Whenever I feel off-track, out of balance, the need for a healthy meal after weeks of parties and holidays and travel and restaurants...I turn to dark greens.  Full of nutrients and flavor, the consumption of a heaping pile of kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens or spinach as a side dish or addition to soup or salads has me instantly feeling like myself again.  The most common preparation for us is to simply saute' any of the above greens with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic, finishing them with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.  Occasionally though, I'll have the desire to try something different, such as when our friends gave us a heaping pile of mustard greens from their garden just before the big snowstorm hit in December.

Mustard Greens-2

Mustard greens have a spicy, peppery taste, and these particular greens were especially flavorful.  We'd sauteed some in our typical fashion and, while still enjoyable, the spiciness was on the verge of being too overwhelming for us.  I turned to Vegetables Every Day for an alternative method of preparation (our go-to book for veggies, always) and was so pleased with the result of my search. The creamy sauce and sweet onion tempers the spiciness of the greens but still allows their mustardy flavor to shine through. I could have eaten the entire bowl-full as a meal on its own.

Brian and I enjoy greens on the side of many dishes, but a recent discovery has been the deliciousness of greens on top of one of our favorite meals, sausage with peppers and onions. We stocked up on pork sausage from Double H Farm to get us through winter, and will throw a few links on the grill for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner quite often. Saute' red bell peppers with sweet onions in a bit of olive oil and garlic until tender. Serve sausage on a bun (whole wheat, for a healthier alternative) topped with peppers and onions and a generous helping of these greens. Add extra Dijon mustard if you're as big a fan as we are.

Mustard Greens-5

Mustard Greens with Creamy Mustard Sauce

from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop serves 4 as a side dish, or topping for sausage in a bun Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pounds mustard greens (or turnip greens)
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup cream (light is fine)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Method
  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
  2. Wash the greens in several changes of cold water, then strip off the leafy green portion from either side of the tough stem.  Discard the stalks and rip the leafy portions into small pieces.  Add the greens and 1 tsp salt to the boiling water.  Cook until the greens are tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain well.
  3. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the greens and toss to coat with the butter and onion.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Whisk the cream and mustard together in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the skillet and cook just until the greens absorb some of the sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately.
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categories dinner, lunch, sandwich, vegetable
tags greens, mustard, peppers, sausage