Lentil Burgers

Dear Jess,

I have been making a lot of 'patties' lately. Tuna, salmon, chicken... you name it. One reason is because they're an easy lunch for both Alice and me; and second because they're easy to take with us, when Alice needs to eat while we're out. (Plus, they're yummy!) This led me to want to try this recipe.

If you're looking for a cost-effective, vegetarian, filling dinner, look no further! I found this on good old Pinterest, and decided it was worth trying out. I had to make a few modifications, but in the end, dinner was a success!

Lentil Burgers
adapted from www.veganinthefreezer.com
1 cup dried green lentils
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely grated
3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (not in their shells!)
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs (I made some from my gluten free bread)
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
all purpose flour (I used spelt flour)
coconut oil for frying

1. Add you lentils and 2 cups of water to a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Saute onion and carrot in a wee bit of olive oil for 5 minutes (or until onion is softened, but not browned). Add these to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Add lentils, and mix well.

3. Transfer to a a food processor, and pulse 5 or six times. Just enough to break it down slightly. Transfer back to your bowl, and slowly add flour until it reaches a consistency that can be formed into burgers. (I only added around 1/4 cup... maybe 1/3 cup.)

4. Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan on medium/medium-high heat. There should be a good layer of oil on the whole pan. Heat until a little piece of lentil sizzles when dropped on the oil. Form your burgers into the desired size patties, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.

5. Serve on desired bun, pita, bed of greens... with desired condiments. (I made a curried mayo, and served them with oven roasted veggies! Mmmmm)

This will also serve as Jason's lunch tomorrow! Win for Sally!

I hope you're feeling well, and still have energy! I hope to see you before the baby arrives!

Love,

Chipotle Bean Burgers with Sweet Corn Relish

Dear Jess,


P h e w ... I am officially moved into our house. Everything is a mess,  but it's all in one spot. Yessssss.

This is one of my favourite meatless recipes. It is full of flavour and can be ready within 20 minutes. (Less if you have made it a few times) I made this Monday night for dinner. It is full of flavour and has a great texture. There weren't any leftovers this time, but when there are I love to put it in a wrap with avocado, corn relish and lettuce! Mmmm. Delightful.

I have included the recipe I usually use for Corn Relish... Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it this time as I thought I had corn at home and didn't. Luckily, my Aunt Lynda had given us some jarred corn relish that you will see in the pictures. It is so delicious and if you need the recipe you will have to ask her!

Chipotle Chili - Black Bean Burgers 
Adapted from Students Go Vegan Cookbook by Carol Raymond
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely grated carrot
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
One 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup rolled oats
Salt to taste

1. Heat 2 tsps of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions soften. Add the carrots, chipotle chili powder, and cumin. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

2. Mash the beans in a large bowl with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon (it takes a moment for the beans to give in, but they will become creamy). Add the mustard, soy sauce, ketchup, and sauteed vegetables. Stir in the oats, and salt to taste.

3. Form the mixture into 4 or 5 burgers. Warm the remaining oil in the skillet and cook the burgers over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Serve immediately topped with Sweet Corn Relish (recipe follows), fresh salsa, or your choice of condiments.

Sweet Corn Relish
3/4 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar or natural sweetener
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer, and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep for 4 days.

I can't wait to see you on Saturday (or maybe Friday night?) to tell you all about the honeymoon and to get ready for the reception!

Love Always,

Looking Back: The Favourites of 2011

Dear Faithful Readers,

It is that time of year again. As January 1st sneaks up on us, we are given these few relaxing moments to reflect on the year that is about to close behind us.

Many things have happened in these past 12 months that neither of us dreamed would come to be. Jess moved to a different city, received a real teaching position, and got engaged! Sally did her first 30 Day Hot Yoga Challenge, started learning Spanish, and successfully paid off half her student loan (and is still going strong!) Throughout everything we bonded and celebrated together. We also were blessed with an amazing community willing to give as much support, encouragement and love as we needed in whatever form they could. We are truly blessed, and inspired by you all.

In this post you will find your top 10 favourite recipes of 2011 (plus a couple of our favourites that didn't make the list). We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 10. The Oo-la-la Burger

From Food and Drink Summer 2011

9. Cookie Ice Cream Pie 

From the brilliance of Jess Koning's Creativity 

8. Quinoa Risotto

From Food and Drink Autumn 2011

7. Grilled Hanger Steak with Horseradish Whipped Potatoes, Creamed Spinach, and Sauce Bordelaise  

From The New Brooklyn Cookbook, Page 116-118

6. Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

From this link 

  

5. Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

From this link

4. Paprika Lamb Burgers and Home Made Oreos

From BBC Good Food and this link

 

3. Mountain Meatballs

From Jamie's America, Page 308

2. Sausage Carbonara

From Jamie's Italy, or JamieOliver.com

1. Broccoli Orecchiette, Zucchini & Bobboncini Salad, 

Prosciutto & Melon Salad 

From Jamie's Meals in Minutes

Jessica's Favourite of 2011: Sweet Potato Skins, Mushroom Polenta Diamonds,  and Flourless Chocolate Cake
From MarthaStewart.com 

 
Sally's Favourite of 2011: The Olé Burger

From Food and Drink Summer 2011

   

 

 

God Bless,

Elegant Veggies

Dearest Jess,

This weekend was awesome. I'm so glad we got to have some time together even if it was short lived. I'm sorry we were not able to make it to the show that night. We had already picked up all the dinner stuff, and after the bachelorette I really have no money left until next payday. I hope you had fun!

While cleaning with Rachel on Saturday we came across a table stacked full of magazines. Lucky for us, we decided to take our lunch break at that very moment. I flipped through a few without much success of anything interesting until I fell upon the July 2011 issue of Chatelaine. On the cover was food! I flipped into the back where all the recipes are (wrongly) kept (they should be in the front in my opinion) and found a jackpot of summer treats. It always warms my heart when a recipe (or recipes) find you when you least expect it.

After you and I parted ways on Saturday, Jason and I gathered some groceries and got to work on the Quinoa-Veggie Burger that you and I had oggled over in the Jeep on the front page of said magazine. As we suspected, the grocer did not have any quinoa (the Bulk Barn is on the other side of town) so we substituted couscous. It worked so much better than I ever thought it would. I was expecting it to turn into a scramble like my falafels. Much to our surprise they stayed together on the pan, and onto our plates. They even held pretty well once we started cutting into them! I love it when recipes actually turn out the way they promise.

This 'burger' is placed on top of grilled portebello mushroom caps. Our grocer didn't have  full caps, but they did have sliced caps. We used these instead and they were pretty and yummy. We topped with spinach, tzatziki, and tomato. Make these!

Quinoa-Veggie Burger (Serves 4)

adapted from Chatelaine July 2011, pg 164

1/2 cup uncooked quionoa (about 2 cups cooked) (we used couscous)
1 tsp vegetable oil (we used olive oil)
1/2 227g pkg cremini mushrooms, coarsely grated (we used baby bellos)
1 cup coarsely grated zucchini
3/4 cup coarsely grated carrot
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (we used 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper and some chili powder. We like heat!)

1. Cook quinoa (couscous) according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Heat a large, wide non-stick frying pan over medium. Add oil, then mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, shallot and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add to quinoa (couscous.) Stir in egg, cornstarch, salt and cayenne (and any 'extras' you want to add)
3. Heat the same non-stick frying pan over medium. Fimly press quinoa mixture into a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Turn and release into a pan. Genty press to shape into a patty about 4 inches wide. Repeat for all patties. Cook until golden and warmed through, about 4 minutes per side.

Tzatziki
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced

Stir together

Grill or pan fry Portobello caps until tender.
Top mushroom caps with spinach and a patti. Top the patti with Tzatziki and a slice of tomato.

Eat with a knife and fork. Mmmmm. So tasty.


The wedding is this weekend. I can't wait to see you at the rehearsal.


I love you,
Sally

A French Evening

Dearest Jess,

Things have been busy. But things have been so good. We were able to relax at the cottage this passed weekend. Lots of swimming, canoeing, wake-skating, sunbathing, and eating happened.

I know I have been doing lots of burgers this summer (summer burgers, and spanish burgers), but I have another one for you. I love burgers in the summer. And really, with the heat we've been getting I much prefer a BBQ meal to something that involves firing up the oven and/or stove. Even the microwave seems a bit much.

This burger is very light and very delicious. The Mushrooms give off such an amazing aroma, and the onions add a strong flavour with some amazing colour. The Brie is a nice creamy touch, but this would also be incredible with Goat Cheese!

 

The Ooh-la-la Burger

Red Wine Caramelized Onions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup red wine

1 tbsp packed brown sugar

Sauteed Mushrooms

2 tbsp olive oil

8oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

Burgers

1 1/2 lbs medium ground beef

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon

2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

4oz brie cheese, thinly sliced

8 slices French bread (not baguette) (we used stone mill bread)

Grainy Dijon mustard to taste

2 cups lightly packed washed and dried mache (lamb's lettuce) (we used spinach)

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add red wine and sugar. Bring to a boil, then bubble, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes or until wine has almost completely evaporated.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes or until onion is very soft and slightly sticky, reducing heat if onion starts to stick to saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden grown. Stir in garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

4. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, shallot, tarragon, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper, mixing gently but thoroughly. Form beef mixture into 4 even-sized patties about 3/4 inch thick. With the heel of your hand, make an indentation in centre of each patty (this helps burgers cook more evenly).

5. Cook patties on well-oiled Medium heat BBQ grill for 8-10 minutes, turning once.  Just before burgers are ready, top each burger with one-quarter of the brie cheese. Add bread slices to grill and toast on 1 side until golden.

6. Arrange 4 slices bread toasted-side down and spread with Dijon mustard. Top with mache (spinach), dividing evenly. Add a burger to each slice, along with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. Top with remaining bread slices.

We paired these burgers with a Cabernet Sauvignon. I really liked the concept of using a strong, grainy bread instead of a bun. It really added to the flavour and brought something new to the burger concept. 

I hope everything is going well! I'm excited for this weekend! It was awesome to see you on Friday and Saturday. I miss you like crazy.

Love,

Sally

Burgers with a Spanish Flare

Dear Jess,

The summer heat has arrived. I love it. I love basking in it, running in it, doing yoga in it, swimming in it, playing in it and eating in it. All of the winter frost has been melted out of my being for the next few months. AWESOME.

As you know, the summer issue of LCBO's Food and Drink has been released. I saw it the other day when Jason and I were picking up a bottle of red wine. There it was. Sitting in great big piles on the counters by the exit door. I snatched one so fast that Jason didn't even notice until we were on our way back home. I had it out of it's wrapper and my nose stuck between the pages before he even got into the car. Again... AWESOME.

I found a few that I wanted to try, but like every year I figured it would be pushed into the corner of someone's living room and forgotten. I made a decision to forbid that from happening! So when Rachel, Jason and I were sitting around on a Sunday night wondering what to have for dinner, I knew it was time.

Out came the magazine, one post-it and a pen. One short list and a quick trip to the grocery store gave us all the ingredients we needed. Half an hour later we were pigging out on the best burger any of us have ever tasted so far. Please, make these burgers at least once before you die. They are not the cheapest to make, but holy moly is it worth it.

 

The Olé Burger

4 thin slices of serrano ham (we used black forest ham)

Saffron Mayo

1/4 tsp crumbled saffron threads

1 tbsp warm water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Burgers

3/4 lb uncured (raw) chorizo sausage

3/4lb ground pork or chicken (we used chicken)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/4 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

3oz (90g) Manchego cheese, thinly sliced

4 onion buns (we used one-buns)

washed and dried Boston lettuce leaves (we used spinach)

2/3 cups drained sliced roasted peppers

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Lay ham slices in a single layer on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Place a second piece of parchment paper over ham and top with a second baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until ham is crisp. Let cool on a wire rack set over a plate.

3. In a medium bowl, sprinkle saffron over warm water. Let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise until well combined.

4. Slit sausage skins and crumble sausage meat into a large bowl. Add ground pork, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper, and mix gently but thoroughly until well combined. Form sausage mixture into 4 even-size patties about 1/2 inch thick. With the heel of your hand, make an indentation in centre of each patty (this helps burgers cook more evenly).

5. Preheat barbecue to medium.

6. Cook patties on well-oiled grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Just before burgers are ready, top each burger with one-quarter of Mancego cheese. Split onion buns in half horizontally and toast, cut-side down, until golden.

7. Spread bottom halves of buns with saffron mayo. Top with Boston lettuce leaves. Add a burger to each bun, along with roasted peppers and a slice of serrano ham. Replace tops of buns.

Things are slowly getting checked off my list of things that need to be completed this summer. Though there are so many more to do, I am confident it will all be wonderful.


I love you and miss you,
Sally

Summer Burgers and Homemade Oreos

Dearest Jess,

It has been a while since I have made a meal for the sake of making a meal. Jason and I were thinking this the other day, so we set aside last night to make dinner together. Since it's now summer (yay!) I picked a burger recipe. Since Jason loves sweets I tried making Oreos.

These Burgers, are very tasty. Jim bit into it and said 'It tastes like a taco!' Which, after biting into mine, I agreed. The aioli was a nice touch and added a flavour that is not generally on a taco, so it brought it into the 'burger arena'. We tried these on the BBQ but they started to fall apart, so we ended up grilling them on the stove top.

Paprika Lamb Burgers with Aioli
450g minced lamb
1 red onion, 1/2 grated, 1/2 sliced
1/2 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
4 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 garlic clove, crushed
4 crusty rolls
1 beef tomato, sliced
Little Gem Lettuce leaves, to serve

1. Put the first six ingredients, except the onion slices, in a bowl with lots of seasoning. Mix together with your hands, then form into four burgers. Mix the mayo with garlic to make aioli. Fry the burgers for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through but juicy.
2. Layer teh rolls with lettuce, burgers, onion slices and tomato and a big dollop of aioli.


Oreos! Thanks again to my friend's blog, I stumbled across this recipe. I was very skeptical at first. I think it's because of my (lack of) baking skills. But this was me 'living on the edge' again. Last time it worked out, so I thought this time I might succeed as well.

I did! They were easy and a lot of fun. I used an electric beater for the first time since I was 12 baking with my mom! She used to always tell me to make sure my hair was tied back or else it could get stuck in the beater. This, and a few other lessons all came flooding back as I plugged it in and turned it on. I love my Mom.

But seriously. Make these!

 

Homemade Oreos

For the chocolate wafers:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1 large egg

For the filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

 

1. Set oven to 375.

 

2. Place flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix and then add butter and egg blending until a thick paste forms.

Roll teaspoonfuls into a ball and place on a paper lined baking sheet, pressing down lightly.

Bake 9mins.

3. Meanwhile, make filling. In the mixer, blend butter and shortening. Slowly add sugar, and then vanilla. Whipping until very well mixed.

4. Place a blob between 2 cooled cookies and squish.

 

 

You are an amazing woman. I am proud to know you. I hope we can find a time to hang out soon. Maybe another double date?

So Much Love,
Sally

Dualey Burgers!

Dear Sally,

I am so glad that you were able to stay for the weekend and hang out. Next time we will hopefully have more time to enjoy the city and hopefully not have to wade through cold slushy waters. I assume you are having fun playing with your new computer :) Skype date some time in the near future (within the next 20 years) sounds good!

As promised the Dualey Burger Post has arrived! I think my favorite part was the signs that Jesse made but the burgers were good too. I just used the burger recipe from Jamie's America and then we added awesome toppings. I think the plan is to make these again in the future with different crazy toppings. Jesse's was called the Burnin Love Dualey Burger and mine was the Original Dualey Burger. I also made cornbread for the occasion with a recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com. I modified it a little of course but I think it turned out alright. I would have to ask the boys how it tasted because I can't eat them but what else is new?

I'll see you next Saturday!

Love,
Jess



Dualey Burgers
From Jamie's America
olive oil
2 medium red onions, peeled and finely chopped (I used white)
4 slices bread, crusts removed (I used 1/2 cup bread crumbs)
1 1/4 lbs. g00d-quality lean ground beef
1 tsp kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 large egg
handful of fresh parsley

1. Put a splash of olive oil in the frying pan on low heat and add your chopped onions. Fry for 10 minutes or until the onions have softened, then put to one side and let cool completely. Blitz your bread in a food processor until you get a fine consistency. Oil and clean a sheet pan and set aside. Put the cooled onions into a large bowl with the rest of the burger ingredients. Use clean hands to scrunch the mixture together really well, then divide into 6 equal balls for burgers and 18 equal balls for sliders. Wet your hands and roll the balls into burger-shaped patties about 3/4 inch thick. Put your burgers or sliders on the oiled sheet pan and pat with a little olive oil. Cover them with plastic wrap and put the pan into the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until the patties firm up.

2. If using a fry pan or grill pan, put it on high heat now and let it get really hot. However you decide to cook your burgers , they'll want around 3-4 minutes per side.
I used Cajun seasoning on the burgers when I was cooking them.


Toppings:

Burnin Love Burger

spicy mayo (1/4 cup mayo and a few dashes of hot sauce)
deep fried hot peppers (trade secret)
lettuce
salsa

Original Dualey Burger

lettuce
pickles
ketchup
mustard


Jalapeno Cornbread
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1. In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in Jalapenos. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares or wedges. Serve warm.