Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers

We've all had a bad veggie burger. They're bland and mushy and leave you unsatisfied. 

Before I made these black bean and quinoa burgers, I had only tried one other time to make vegan burgers. They were okay, but I wasn't going to hold onto the recipe. The other day I had my friend over for dinner because she was considering going vegan and wanted to pick my brain. Since I was leaving to go out of town the day after she came over I didn't have much food to work with, but thankfully I found a recipe for veggie burgers using most of the ingredients I had in the house. Overall the recipe reviews were positive, but I wasn't sure how "veganizing" the burgers would affect their consistency and more importantly if they'd hold together. Nobody likes a crumbly burger.

Thankfully, these turned out great! They actually had flavor and didn't fall apart with each bite we took. If you're okay with spice, I'd highly recommend increasing the seasonings even more to bump up the flavor. These are also great burgers to freeze and reheat throughout the week.

Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers

(Serves 5)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans (or one can, drain and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup dry quinoa*
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth*
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon frank's hot sauce
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons warm water)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

*If you already have some cooked quinoa, you can substitute the 1/4 cut dry quinoa and 1/2 cup veggie broth for 3/4 cup cooked quinoa.

Directions:

1. Prepare your flax egg by whisking together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Set aside to "gel".
2. In a small sauce, bring the quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the broth has been absorbed.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, place the black beans into a large bowl and mash them with a fork until there are only a few whole beans left and a paste has formed.
4. Add in the flax egg, oat flour, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, hot sauce, cilantro, corn and jalapeño and mix everything together using your hands.
5. Form into 5 patties and if possible let the patties rest for 20 minutes in the fridge.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Place the chilled patties on the baking tray and spray the tops with cooking spray.
7. Bake the patties for 15 minutes, flip the over, and bake for 15 minutes more.
8. For extra delicious patties, after the patties have baked in the oven, "fry" them on a hot skillet for 2 minutes on each side using cooking spray.
9. Serve on whole wheat buns with any fixings you desire! In my opinion, lettuce, tomato, avocado and spicy mustard are always winners.

Notes: Adapted from All Recipes.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the burgers after baking. They went too quickly!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

A Dream Come True: Ireland Sister Trip! (Plus Date-Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies)

It still seems surreal.

My sister and I have been dreaming of backpacking Ireland for 14 years and it finally happened! 

This trip couldn't have gone better. We never got lost and it only drizzled once for about five minutes. We landed in Dublin early Thursday morning and with heavy backpacks on our backs bussed to four different locations and stayed at three different B&Bs before Sunday. A lot of walking, eating, talking and laughing took place and we kept saying that we couldn't believe our dream was actually coming true.

I wasn't sure how trying to eat mostly plant-based would go, but overall it was never a problem. We even brought some snacks with us (oatmeal, granola bars and homemade, Date-Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies - recipe at the end of this post!), but I didn't need them most days. The Irish really know how to cook and Ruth and I fell in love with their Brown Bread and ate it every chance we could. Tea also became a big staple in our diet.

Lunch on our first day in Cashel

Ross Castle in Killarney

Killarney was both Ruth and my favorite city. We got up early after a deep, jet-lagged sleep and ate a big Irish breakfast before walking 45 minutes to Ross Castle. It was a perfect day and we kept on having to remove layers of clothing because we were getting too hot. After checking out the Castle we walked another 30 minutes or so into the city center of Killarney where I had my favorite meal of the entire trip.

We ate a place called Dyne and started our meal with some french-pressed coffee. We each got salads with a side of brown bread. My salad had chickpeas, roasted veggies and tahini dressing and it was fantastic. We stayed and talked for a couple of hours and enjoyed another cup of coffee with one of my Date-Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies. A perfect lunch.

Another one of our favorite parts of the trip was going to the Milk Market in Limerick. After showering and eating some breakfast we walking into town to scope out the huge tent full of different vendors. We were in heaven! Fresh bread and scones, coffee shops, produce out the wazoo and much more. We made sure we saw all of our options before deciding on some olive bread and oranges. Yes, a weird combination, but it was delicious!

I love the way people in Ireland do life. They never seem to be rushed and take their time at meals to savor their food and enjoy the company around them. It only took Ruth and I a day or so to get into this mindset.

The second half of our trip was actually spent with Ruth's 14-year pen pal and her family. Yes, 14 years of writing letters and they finally got to meet in person. And...they have the same name! "Irish Ruth" met up with us in Galway and we spent the evening in the city before sharing a room at another B&B. The next morning, after another filling Irish breakfast, we drove to the Cliffs of Moher.

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! There wasn't a cloud in the sky and we no longer had to walk around with our backpacks because "Irish Ruth" generously offered to drive us to the Cliffs. I couldn't stop taking pictures. 

After soaking up the Cliffs, we drove back to Navan (a city near Dublin) where Ruth's family lives for the last few days of our trip.  We ate delicious home-cooked food, shopped around Dublin and had some awesome girl time with Ruth and her sister.

Lunch in Dublin at Bewleys

It was bittersweet to leave such a beautiful country and the people we met, but Ruth and I couldn't help but be thankful that our dream finally came true and that everything went so well. We hope it wont be too long before we go back!

Now for some cookies.

I made these cookies specifically for this trip and they turned out so well. I love the ingredients and they make the perfect snack or healthy dessert. I was worried I didn't bring enough after Ruth and I put a dent in my stash just on the plane ride over!

Date-Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats (processed into flour)
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and set aside.
3. In a food processor, process your oats until you get flour. Pour the oat flour into a bowl and whisk in the salt, cornstarch and baking soda.
4. Chop up your dates and place them in the food processor. Process them until they begin to break down into a sticky dough. Add in the coconut oil, flax egg and vanilla extract and process until as smooth as possible.
5. Add in the dry ingredients and pulse to combine. I used my processor's dough blade for this part, but you don't have to. Remove the dough into a bowl (or just remove the processor blade) and add in the chopped chocolate chips and mix well to combine.
6. Form the dough into balls and slightly flatten them before placing them on your baking dish.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They will still be somewhat soft right after you remove them from the oven, but they will harden as they cool. Place them in the fridge after they've mostly cooled to help them set.
8. Store them in an airtight container for a few days or in the fridge for longer!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Almond Pulp Freezer Fudge

I love Saturdays. Period.

Brett and I left the house this morning at 8:30 for a morning of fun errands. First, he went to a boxing class while I hit up Whole Foods. I got rolled oats, nutritional yeast and wheat bran from the bulk section and two cartons of almond milk (to try and make homemade yogurt with...I'll keep you posted) and only spent 8 bucks! That's a win.

After Brett got out of class we sold some of our books at a book store. We only made $25 for a lot of books, but it felt good to get them out of the house and to make some money. We are slowly trying to get ride of things we don't need and sell some of our bulky furniture in preparation for moving to NYC. Slowly being the key word. We're getting there though!

Next was the Farmer's Market in Winter Park...or at least so we thought. Traffic was crazy the closer we got to the market. Luckily we found parking not to far away. Once we made it to Park Ave, the main street in Winter Park, we realize why there was so much traffic. There was an art show! Hundreds of people were there perusing the art, eating popcorn and hot dogs and just enjoying the beautiful, Florida weather. The Farmer's Market wasn't happening, but all the art we got to see made up for it. I'm amazed by people's artistic abilities. Incredible. 

We walked around for a while until Brett wanted some food. He got a Burger at BurgerFi, a new-ish restaurant in Winter Park and then we headed home. 

I guess I'll stop boring you with Brett and my Saturday shenanigans and get to the good stuff. Fudge! The last recipe I posted was for Homemade Almond Milk and I mentioned that there are different ways you can use the almond pulp that is left over after you make your milk. No reason to waste all that nutritious goodness!

This fudge is easy and healthy and I just keep it in the freezer for a quick sweet tooth fix. Enjoy!

Almond Pulp Freezer Fudge

(Makes 30 squares)

 Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

· 1/2 cup raw almond pulp

· 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

· 2 tablespoons agave nectar

· 1/4 cup almond milk

· 2 tablespoons coconut oil

· 2 tablespoons applesauce

· 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

  

Directions:

1. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with wax paper and set aside.

2. Using a food processor, start by processing the 1/2 cup of rolled oats into oat flour.

3. Add in remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. You may need to stop and push down the sides with a spatula occasionally.

4. Once smooth, pour into your prepared baking dish.

5. Freeze for 2-3 hours. Then remove the fudge from the dish and cut into pieces. I cut mine into 30 pieces, but you can make them whatever side you want.

6. Store in the freezer and enjoy!

Notes: Adapted from here.

 

Eat Consciously,

     Faith

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes

I was in Virginia this past week and, while it was cold, I was able to enjoy Fall! Crisp air, colorful leaves, and winter coats. Brett and I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law and we're busy all week with work-related stuff. On Saturday we had the day off. Brett went on a long hike while I stayed home to get in my 11-mile run. 

It was only 30 degrees when I woke up, so I ate breakfast and waited a couple of hours for the sun to come up before hitting the road. It was beautiful out and I felt great at first, but after only 4 miles or so I started getting pretty tired. For the remainder of the run my energy never seemed to pick up either. Other than a few short sections, my body seemed to be running on fumes and about half way through my joints started to hurt too. I felt like I was running an 11-minute mile. 

While it sounds like a horrible run, I still enjoyed it and felt accomplished at the end. Apparently I didn't run an 11-minute mile either but averaged about a 9-minute mile. I'm hoping to do more stretching and cross training this week to give my body a break.

I scarfed down this bowl of oats, cinnamon, banana and peanut butter as soon as I got back. Yum.

Now onto another delicious breakfast. Brett and I got back to Florida late last night and this morning I realized we didn't have much for breakfast. I found a recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes on-line, made some changes and "veganized" them and they turned out great! Brett left for work full and happy.

 Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes

(Makes 2 servings)

 Ingredients:

· 1/2 whole wheat flour

· 1/4 cup oat flour

· 1/4 old-fashioned rolled oats

· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

· 1 flax egg*

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 3/4 cup almond milk

· 1 teaspoon lemon juice

· 2 tablespoons earth balance, melted

· 3 tablespoons semi-sweet ghirardelli chocolate chips

*To make a flax egg, whisk 1 tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water and let sit for about five minutes

Directions:

1. Start by making your flax egg and set it aside.

2. Next make the “buttermilk” by putting 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a cup measure and then adding 3/4 cup almond milk. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes.

3. In a bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients from the whole wheat flour to the nutmeg.

4. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flax egg, vanilla, “buttermilk” and melted butter.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until well combined.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips.

7. Do your pancake-making thing and cook these pancakes on a greased skillet heated to medium heat.

8. This batter should make four hearty pancakes serving two!

Notes: Adapted from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts.

Eat Consciously,

     Faith

Chocolate Mug Cake + A Small Dose of Iron

Changing your diet drastically is a big deal. Your body can be affected in many different ways: mentally and physically. I knew that going vegan was not something I could take lightly, but would need to do a good amount of nutritional research so I could insure I was getting enough protein and nutrients without eating meat or dairy. What are the best ways to get protein with a vegan diet? What nutrients are vegans most likely to be deficient in? Answers to these questions and more are what I researched early on in my new diet. 

Over all the switch to eating a vegan diet has been great. I haven't had stomach problems and I eat a wider variety of foods. I've even noticed that I recover more quickly from long runs than I used to before I went vegan. Just this past Friday I went on a nine mile run and I was barely sore the next day. Bonus.

One thing I do need to keep an eye on is my iron intake. As a girl in her mid-twenties I need 18 mg/day of iron. Some of the best sources of iron are soybeans, blackstrap molasses, cooked lentils, spinach and chickpeas. I did a little research on molasses and while blackstrap molasses is rich in iron and is formed when molasses goes through a third boiling which crystallizes the sucrose in the molasses making it less sweet. It would ruin baked goods if you tried to use it as a sweetener. 

I looked up some recipes that were high in iron and I came across this mug cake recipe.  While it doesn't use blackstrap molasses, and therefore isn't as rich in iron as I though, it does call for regular molasses and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed so it's fiber-licious. It's so easy to make and tastes amazing. If I left off the chocolate chips and added some berries on top, I would even consider it healthy enough to have for breakfast. Seriously. Try this out!

Chocolate Mug Cake

(Makes 1 serving)

 Ingredients:

· 3 tablespoons oat flour

· 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

· 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

· Pinch of salt

· 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

· 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

· 2 teaspoons molasses

· Splash of vanilla

· Optional: Coconut oil or baking spray

· Optional: Chopped fruit, berries, chocolate chips, agave nectar or maple syrup

Directions:

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients (from the oat flour to salt) together in a bowl with a fork so that there are no clumps.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients until combined, from applesauce to vanilla.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

4. Use oil or spray to grease the inside of a mug if you want to transfer the cake to a different dish after cooking. If you are going to eat it straight from the mug no oil or spray is needed.

5. Pour the batter into the mug and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.

6. Transfer to a plate a top with desired toppings.

7. Dig in and enjoy your dose of iron!

 Notes: Adapted from With An Open Mind.

  

Eat Consciously,

     Faith