Baked Broccoli Burgers

Baked Broccoli Burgers

1/3 cup dry couscous

1 cup water

11/2 cups broccoli florets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 teaspoons ground cumin

115-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon sesame tahini

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Tahini Dressing

1/3 cup sesame tahini

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small pot, bring water and couscous to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and allow couscous to sit in the pot for 10 minutes, soaking up the water.

While couscous sits, steam broccoli for 5-7 minutes (use steamer, microwave or stove method).

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion and scallions, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until onion softens. Remove onions from heat and stir in cumin.

Gather couscous, broccoli, onion mix, chickpeas and sesame tahini and combine together in a food processor. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs. Form it into patties and place patties on a cookie sheet lined with foil.

Bake for 50 minutes, turning the patties over halfway through. When they are done, tops begin to brown.

To make tahini sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until combined, roughly 30 seconds. Top burgers with sauce; add pickles, tomato and lettuce.

Note: To enjoy the burgers hot off the grill, first bake them in the oven, then move to the grill for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Garlic-Rubbed Roasted Cabbage Steaks

12-pound head of organic green cabbage, cut into thick slices

11/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 3 large garlic cloves, smashed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Spray olive oil or nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Remove outer leaves of cabbage.

Rub both sides of cabbage with smashed garlic. Use a pastry brush to evenly spread olive oil over both sides of cabbage slices. Sprinkle each side with a bit of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Roast on middle rack for 30 minutes. Carefully flip cabbage steaks and roast for an additional 30 minutes until edges are brown and crispy. Serve hot.

Cauliflower Calcannon

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces

21/2 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 dashes of liquid smoke

1 leek, thinly sliced

2 small scallions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon dry rubbed sage

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon vegan sour cream

Crushed pink Himalayan salt and crushed black peppercorns to taste

Margarine

In large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat salted water to a boil. Then toss in cauliflower pieces. Boil or steam cauliflower until it is tender and then drain. Put cauliflower into a food processor and puree until smooth.

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Don’t rinse out the pot. Add olive oil and liquid smoke to pot and heat over a medium heat. Once oil is hot, toss in leek, scallions and garlic and cook until tender. Then toss in kale and mix it into hot oil. Then add pureed cauliflower, yeast, herbs and sour cream and mix with a large spoon until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. (When some of the moisture bakes off, the salt will be stronger so use sparingly.) mixture to oven safe dish and put 1 tablespoon margarine on top. Bake no more than 10 minutes. Serve with more margarine.

Deviled Avocados

11/2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 avocado

Paprika

Place chickpeas, mustard, nutritional yeast and sea salt in a food processor and process until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to assemble, there are two options. Either cut open the avocado, remove pit and scoop garbanzo mixture directly into avocado halves.

Alternatively, cut avocado in half, take out pit and then cut into slices. Next, scoop out slices and cut in half. Arrange avocado pieces on a plate and top each one with garbanzo mixture. Use this method if you want to serve as an hors d’oeuvre. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

Enchiladas in an Instant

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

3/4 cup prepared salsa, divided

1/2 cup diced red onion

12 8-inch flour tortillas, preferable whole wheat

1 avocado, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

In large bowl, combine beans, corn, onion and 3 tablespoons salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread about 1/3 cup filling across top third of each tortilla. Roll up and set seam side down on microwave-safe platter. Repeat to assemble remaining tortillas.

Spread a thick ribbon of salsa along the length of each tortilla. Heat in microwave at high power for 3-5 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with dried avocado and cilantro and serve.

Black Soybean Tabbouleh

1 can (15 ounces) black soybeans, drained and rinsed

2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 medum green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 packed cup chopped Italian parsley leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 packed cup mint leaves, cut into thin strips

Combine soybeans, tomatoes, green pepper and parsley in mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice with salt and cayenne. Mix in oil. Pour over bean mixture and toss well. Mix in mint. Let set for 20 minutes so flavors meld. Will keep in refrigerator 24 hours tightly covered. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Asian pear salad with fennel and pistachios

4 Asian pears, cut into matchstick slices

1 bunch watercr ess, trimmed, about 2 cups

1 medium-size fennel bulb, thinly sliced, about 2 cups

1 small red bell pepper, diced

4 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In large salad bowl, combine pears, watercress, fennel, bell pepper, green onions and pistachios.

Whisk together lime juice and vegetable oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add dressing to salad, tossing to coat.

lentil vegetable soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

11/4 cups dried brown lentils, softed and rinsed

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari

Baby spinish

Fresh parsley

Heat oil in 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes to soften. Add carrots, parsnip, celery root, lentils, broth, tamarai and season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 1 to 11/2 hours. Add baby spinach just before serving. Heat from soup will wilt it. Garnish with fresh parsley.