baby bean burgers

Happy summer from Minnesota!!!  It's such a beautiful day here, so you know what that makes me think of??  Cheeseburgers. (Obviously.)

So shout out to all of my cheeseburger-loving vegetarians out there!  Heeeeeyyyyyy!  But seriously, before I decided to take the veg route in life, I loved me a good cheeseburger!  And cheeseburgers off the grill in the summer?!  Divine.  That was probably one of the hardest adjustments for me to make.  At first, I thought the sound of bean burgers was nasty.  It just sounded totally unappealing to eat a mashed up pile of beans.  Gross.

Obviously my views have changed slightly, and this recipe is one of the contributing reasons for why!  By the time I warmed up to the idea of bean burgers, I was much more aware of the crazy crap that came with the premade, frozen veggie and bean burgers and it freaked me out.  So off I went on Pinterest, trying to find some kind of veggie/bean burger that was moderately appealing to me.  I found this recipe for a Spinach and Feta Double Bean Burger.  I made it and actually really liked it!  I’ve made it a few times since, but I have noticed that I had a tendency for changing the recipe.  So today when I decided to make them, I had the idea of making little baby burgers.  I know most people call them “sliders”, but “baby bean burgers” is so much more fun to say!  That alliteration, though!  I crack myself up.

Anyway!  The recipe!

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 can white beans, drained & rinsed (I use cannellini)

½ red pepper, diced (about ¼ inch)

¼ cup chopped onion (I’ve used every color and it’s been fine, but the original recipe calls for white)

2 cups spinach or kale, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons cooking oil/ghee/coconut oil

½ cup feta cheese

1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning

2/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat ones)

2 eggs

Begin by heating about 2 tsp oil in a sauté pan on medium heat.  Sauté peppers and onions for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.  Add spinach or kale and garlic and sauté another 3-4 minutes, until wilted.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, mash all but 1/3 cup of the beans.  Once mashed, add the remaining beans, breadcrumbs, feta cheese, cooled veggie mixture, eggs, and steak seasoning.  Mix everything together until it looks pretty uniform and shape into 10-12 patties. (Now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 375F).  Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan to medium.  Gently place each patty into the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until there is a nice, golden crust on the top and bottom.  Kind of like searing for meat..except with bean burgers instead. :]. After "searing" all of your burgers, place them on a pre-sprayed baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes and flip if needed.  Remove from oven and serve!  Personally, I love to top them with white cheddar cheese and sliced tomatoes, but you can top them however you want!  Hummus sounds like a good idea actually....om nom nom!

I have not yet tried these on the grill, so if you try them that way, let me know how it works!

to your health!

anne

mushroom and brussels sprout hash

Happy Sunday Funday BRUNCH DAY!!!!!

As I mentioned in my #veglife post, one of my strategies for making sure I eat enough veggies is to make sure that I eat them with my breakfast.  Something else I have been really trying to do is to eat seasonally to save money and to diversify my palate.  As I was doing my research, I found that brussels sprouts are seasonal to the winter/January and decided to try to find some recipes that incorporate them.  Eating seasonally is an excellent way to save money, promote local agriculture, and to eat healthy foods!  And this recipe is soooooo simple! 

I actually learned about how to peel brussels sprouts and when I saw that I was supposed to slice them, I’m sure the look on my face was priceless.  Slice brussels sprouts?  What the h?  I had only ever had them roasted or sautéed whole…which is a delicious way to eat them, by the way.  But anyway, yes!  I learned things with this recipe!  And I bought a ton of brussels sprouts as part of my shopping this week, and I am really looking forward to trying them sautéed with scallions on a salad.  I’ll share if it works out! :]

As always, you should tailor this recipe to how you like it, particularly with how long you cook your eggs at the end.  Personally, I like the yolks firm, so I cover it and braise the eggs until they turn firm, but if you like yolks runny, then you can just cover and cook for a shorter time!

Without further ado…..here it is!  My January seasonal breakfast!

Mushroom and Brussels Sprout Hash

2 tsp ghee

2 cups brussels sprouts, peeled & sliced

1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms

½ small yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 eggs

½ tsp thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet, melt ghee over medium heat.  Sauté mushrooms and onions for about 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms start to get juicy.  Add in brussels sprouts and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes, to soften. Season with thyme, salt, and peper and stir. Make 4 small holes in the layer of mushrooms & brussels sprouts for the eggs.  Crack an egg into each of the 4 holes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook your eggs to your preferred level of doneness and serve!  Voila!

I hope you like this one as much as I did!

xoxo,

anne

butternut squash lo mein

Okay you guys!  

So I seriously feel like I have stepped up my veg cooking game recently.  I have greatly reduced the processed foods that I eat too and it has been absolutely amazing how much happier I am, how much more energy I have, and I even noticed that the cellulite on my ass is slowly but surely disappearing!  I *know* this is related to how I’m fueling my body because I had similar results last spring when I did a no added sugar challenge.  Fueling your body with whole foods is quite underrated and quite amazing.  I’m considering doing a whole foods 30 day kick start challenge, so let me know if this is something you would be interested in joining me in!  I think it would be great to get a small group of people together who are excited to try something new.  But more on that later.

Anyway, I’m very excited about this recipe for spiralized butternut squash lo mein!  It. Is. Delicious.  I think it’s the sweetness of the butternut squash and the salty goodness of the tamari that I am obsessed with it.  Let’s be real…everybody loves a good sweet and salty combo.

 I found this recipe here and tweaked to my tastes.  I also couldn’t figure out for the life of me how to spiralizer the hollow bulb part of the squash, so the ratio is lots of veggies to a smaller amount of noodles, which I’m actually okay with though!

Butternut Squash Lo Mein

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and spiralized

2 tsp peanut oil, divided

1/2 yellow onion (or 1 small yellow onion), sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (button or portabella)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups kale or spinach

Sauce:

3 tbsp tamari--you can substitute soy sauce or liquid aminos

1 tsp organic maple syrup

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (plain is fine too, just not as flavorful)

1 tsp peanut oil

1/2 tsp ginger (minced, ground or juice)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Optional topping: sesame seeds

In a skillet, heat 1 tsp peanut or coconut oil over medium heat. Add butternut squash "noodles" and toss for 5-6 minutes with tongs until al-dente. Set aside for later.  In the same skillet, add remaining 1/2 tsp of oil and add your vegetables (sliced onions, peppers, mushrooms).  Sauté for 8 minutes, or until soft. And the minced garlic and stir that baby up!  Then add the kale and stir until it’s wilted.  Add your sauce and reserved squash "noodles", keep stirring with tongs and keep mixing until sauce has coated everything and noodles are as tender as you like them. Finally, top off with toasted sesame seeds and serve!

xoxo,
Anne

quinoa stuffed acorn squash

Omg omg you guys!  It's almost Thanksgiving!!  Living the #basic fall life over here in Minnesota....just check out this awesome sweater:

Literally nothing better than coffee and cozy sweaters!
And yes, that sweater is from Target, with love.

Today, I want to share with you a kind of random, mishmash recipe that I created last night based on a combination of two recipes that I found for stuffed acorn squash.

What a beauty!  Spinachy, mushroomy, quinoay goodness!

I am still learning to cook seasonally, so many of these recipes are just as much of an adventure for me as they are for you!  You can ask my mom though, I did not eat squash when I was young.  Not even the variety that was cooked in butter and brown sugar.  I was not a fan.  I am living proof for moms everywhere that your kids can grow up to enjoy eating plants!

First things, first.  Did you know that you can microwave acorn squash to cook it?!  Mind.  Blown.  It was so cool!  I use this method for cooking sweet potatoes, but I have never tried it with anything else!  How cool is this?!  Just 8 minutes!!!  Check it out:

Now for the exciting part...the recipe!!!

Ingredients:
1 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil (olive oil or ghee works too)
1 cup cooked quinoa (I cooked mine in vegetable broth for more flavor)
1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 stalk celery, diced
1/3 yellow onion, diced
2 coves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Recipe:
Follow package directions to prepare quinoa.  I substitute vegetable broth for water for added flavor.  When quinoa is done cooking, fluff with a fork and set aside.  Begin melting your oil in a saute pan on medium heat.  Toss in the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes before adding mushrooms.  Season it up with salt and pepper (maybe 1/2 teaspoon each), a couple shakes of garlic powder, and a dash of red pepper flakes.  While the veggies cook (about 12 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through), cut your acorn squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and place the halves open side up on a microwavable plate.  Microwave on high for about 8 minutes.  When the squash is should be fork tender, you can set that aside as well.   Add the spinach to the saute pan and cook, covered for about 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.  Mix together your veggies, quinoa, and the Parmesan cheese.  Stuff those squash halves full and sprinkle a little cheese on the top for good measure! Enjoy!

Changes you can make:
-Substitute olive oil, ghee, or butter for sauteing
-Cook quinoa with water for lower sodium variation
-Nix the cheese for a vegan preparation
-I would imagine you could use kale or another green as a sub for spinach
-Baked squash in the oven instead of nuking it (35 min at 375 Farenheit)

This is such a great fall recipe and I have to be honest, I was amazed at how quickly and easily it came together, considering I was flying by the seat of my pants as I made it!  Stay tuned for vegetarian Sheppard's pie next week!

Enjoy the fall weather before winter comes this weekend and don't forget to #eatseasonally!

xoxo,

anne

no added sugar: day one

WOW.  I woke up this morning and the first thing I wanted to eat was Starburst jelly beans!  They aren't kidding when they say that sugar is more addicting than cocaine!

I wanted to document this journey here so that you guys can follow the process and see that A) it's not easy 100% of the time and B) YOU CAN DO THIS, TOO!

So I wanted to start off by telling you guys what I did about my insane jelly bean craving this morning!  First, I put the jelly beans in a Ziploc and will be dropping them off at work tonight so that I can't be tempted.  Then, I drank a HUGE glass of cold water...I try to do this every morning to kick start my system anyway.  Finally, I made a wholesome breakfast of oats and fruit and hard boiled eggs to energize me for the day and the strawberries gave me a little sweetness.  THAT'S IT!

Now, for the fun part....going through my pantry, fridge, and what my grocery list looks like for this week!

For this challenge, I put everything with added sugar in the BACK of the pantry/fridge so that I wouldn't be tempted.  It's amazing how many foods (vegetable broth?!?!) have added sugar in them!

First, here's the pantry:

So I like to keep my breakfast and snack foods on the top shelf and foods I might cook on the bottom shelf.  On the top shelf: old fashioned oats, museli cereal (sweetened with dates & raisins), organic natural peanut butter, raw & roasted nuts and seeds (cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds), nutritional yeast, roasted chickpeas, dried/freeze-dried fruits, herbal teas.

On the bottom shelf: several types of boxed beans, canned veggies, whole wheat pastas (lasagna & spaghetti), lentils, quinoa, brown rice, spirulina, vegetable broth (off limits :[)

Now onward and upwards to the fridge:

For the record, I have NO idea why this one won't upload in the right orientation, but whatever.  In my fridge: organic eggs, basil pesto, ground flax meal, hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, unsweetened greek yogurt, cold water, hummus, steamed asparagus, kombucha, fresh berries (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry), cheese :]

This one is tough!  The only items here that are no sugar added are the unsweetened vanilla almond milk, organic maple syrup, grated cheese, and soy sauce.  So all of the dressings, ketchup, and even teriyaki sauce are OUT!

Finally, my drawer:  carrots, snap peas, peppers, lettuce, and an apple.

Last but not least....the freezer:

This one is pretty self explanatory: frozen veggies, frozen strawberries, and bread.  Believe it or not, Simply Balanced makes a bread that is stored in the freezer that has no added sugar! The pizzas and even the meatless burgers are OFF limits for this month!

Now believe it or not, in addition to these items, I have a fruit bowl on my table with grapefruits, bananas, an apple, and clementines and a potato bowl in the pantry with sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic.

This got kind of long, so I will save my grocery list for next week!

Stay fit!

xoxo

Anne

no added sugar challenge

Hi friends!

I just wanted to shoot out a quick update about a challenge I am participating in for the next 28 days!  A friend of mine from high school is hosting a NO ADDED SUGAR CHALLENGE on Facebook and I cannot WAIT.  I've know that this is something that I want to focus on for some time, but I think this group will provide the perfect amount of support and accountability to see some great results.

If you are interested in joining, just search for Lilly Polivoda on Facebook for the link!  Or check out her post about the last time she did it here and the FAQ that she put together here!

I would also HIGHLY recommend the documentary "Fed Up".  You can find it on Netflix!  I've really gotten into food documentaries since last fall, so this will likely be the first in a long line of docs that I recommend!

But really...it's very interesting.  I also find it to be a very sad reflection of our society and how we let companies dictate the choices that we make that effect our health, well being, and longevity.  Personally, I think it's utter nonsense that our elected officials let this happen, but as you will see, there is a lot of money and dirty politics involved.

If it doesn't pull a little bit at your heart strings to watch the kids talk about their struggles, then you more than likely are a robot.  Just sayin.

Check it all out and I hope to see you in the challenge group!

stay fit!

xoxo

anne