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Bean and Veggie Burgers
January 31st, 2010 |
| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Today was such a rewarding day. After a long week of hurrying around I was able to finally getting my hair cut and colored. It was way long over due. I also made a trip to 2 gyms to inquire on prices for membership. Boy! Gym memberships are more expensive here than in Texas, even for a student. Yikes, I mean how are student s supposed to to pay $400 in advance for 7 months of membership? Well, I took advantage of having a FREE pass and worked out for 45 minutes. Looks like I will be sticking to my library workout DVDs, trampoline, and had weights. It is all good. I think it is a test of endurance. I seriously hear a voice saying, “You have discipline. You CAN work out at home.” I agreed with the voice. Thanks God. Ryan and I agreed that we could just invest on a elliptical machine since that happens to be both our favorite workout machine. We will see.
The weather was simply gorgeous today so I made sure to catch some Vitamin D rays while working on errands. I came home to have another 30 minutes worth of a dance workout and proceeded to clean house. Do you catch a pattern here? I was moving around and exercising without really planning on it. It felt great! SO what does one have after having such a great day? A healthy veggie sandwich of course. I had been seeing different recipes for veggie burgers and decided that I needed to try it.
A while back I tried a recipe that required the patties to be fried. I did not care for them or the oil it absorbed! The following recipe is so quick and easy to prepare and even bake. You have your lunch within 30 minutes! How about that? I liked this recipe because I knew what ingredients it had. The problem with frozen veggie patties is that they have tons of ingredients and some not appropriate for a vegan. I now have a recipe I can use all the time.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Bean and Veggie Burgersadapted from Oh She Glows
makes 8 patties
1 cup cooked chick peas (or beans of your choice)
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped up into large pieces
1/2 red pepper, chopped into large pieces
1/4 cup spinach, washed
1/2 t dill
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t fine grain sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 T raw pumpkin seeds
1 T flax meal
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or flour of your choice)
Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the patties with olive oil.
Place all ingredients except the seeds and flour into a food processor. Process until mixture is blended well, stopping to scrape sides if necessary.
Remove mixture and place into a large bowl. Add the flax meal and stir well.
Now add the whole wheat flour in 1/4 cup increments, stirring well until blended.
Shape patties and bake for 15 mins at 375F.
Flip and brush the other side with olive oil and bake for another 10 minutes.
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Chocolate Chip cookies / Cookie Sandwiches
January 30th, 2010|
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
So I stated earlier today that I wished I had a secretary to write up my blog posts. The life as a part-time musician can still be VERY busy especially when married to a full-time musician! This semester, I am involved in 2 choirs, even though I am not a student. I am having a busier semester than I expected but I am still getting to cook even though my posting is not as frequent. I will try better!
Since I have now stocked up my pantry with gluten-free items and great baking ingredients I finally was able to make something out of the Babycakes cookbook this week! About 2 weeks ago I picked up some vegan chocolate chips at Whole Foods so I thought it would be great to make chocolate chip cookies. While this recipe was a gluten-free and vegan recipe I was a little skeptical, but since I have heard SO much about this great bakery located in New York and now in Los Angeles, I decided to give it a whirl.
The end product? These cookies are delicious andhave a crisp edge and a soft center. Ryan really liked them and claimed they were the best “healthy” cookie he has had. Good news! This post also features the cookies also being used for cookie sandwiches. Even though Babycakes has a frosting recipe, I decided to use my leftover chocolate mousse used for the tarts from 2 posts ago. WOW! What a great choice. When you leave the mousse refrigerated, the consistency of the mousse turns out to be alot more of a rich frosting. I took two cookies and added about 2 Tbsp of the raw frosting and topped with another cookie. Voila! A cookie sandwich. I also refrigerated the cookie sandwiches and Ryan and I REALLY liked this combination. We wondered how these sandwiches would taste like frozen. We will let you know! Enjoy!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Chocolate Chip cookies / Cookie Sandwiches
adapted from Babycakes cookbook
makes 36 cookies or 18 sandwiches
1 cup Tropical Traditions coconut oil
6 Tbsp homemade applesauce or store-bought applesauce
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups vegan sugar (substituted for evaporated sugar cane juice)
2 cups Bob’s Mill Gluten-Free all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and sugar.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a melon baller or a 1/2 Tbsp measuring spoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread.
Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.
Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Cookie Sandwiches
After the cookies are cooled, use 2 Tbsp of the chocolate mousse and use a second cookie to close the sandwich. Refrigerate the cookies for up to a day.
Chocolate Mousse
frome the Raw Food Made Easy
Makes 2 cups, 4-6 servings
No one will know that avocado replaces butter, cream, and eggs in this silky mousse.
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups mashed avocado (3 avocados)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/2 cup water
Place the dates, maple syrup, and optional vanilla in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the water and process briefly. Stored in a sealed container, Chocolate Mousse will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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Quick Chocolate Mousse Tarts
January 27th, 2010 |
| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
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Healthy and Simple Lasagna Rolls
January 26th, 2010I was finally back home and was ready to cook after being away for 2 days. For some reason, I was full of energy and ready to start Monday. After 2 weeks of no snow, we received a nice light snow that reminded me it was still winter. It was time to think of something delicious to eat.
It has been a while since I had pasta so I decided to cook up some wheat lasagna noodles and work with different ingredients to make up two different dishes. Today was a day to make meat for my husband so I prepared some grass-fed beef with onions and garlic and spices and I created a recipe for myslef using portabella mushrooms and mustard greens.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
My mixture resembled meat in the texture so I was happy with the results. I then accompanied it with a green salad. I omitted the ricotta filling for both dishes and added some cheese to Ryan’s dish. He was happy with the results and with the fact that there were leftovers too! That is always a plus for a delicious dish!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Healthy and Simple Lasagna Rolls
serves 4
For the meat-eater:
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Herbes de Provences
1 tsp Tony’s Chacheres Cajun Seasoning
3/4 cup Fontina, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat on stove. Add onions and garlic cooking for 5 minutes. Add beef and cook for 15 minutes. Add spices and cook for another 10 minutes. Add cheeses and mix well. Set aside.
For the vegan:
1 1/4 cup Portabella mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cup mustard greens
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 bottle Barilla Marinara sauce
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat on stove. Fry onions and garlic and add mushrooms. Fry for 5 minutes. Add the mustard greens and salt and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
Warm up sauce until it boils.
Assemble:
Boil 6 lasagna strips according to package instructions until al dente. Drain water and separate each noodle. Cut the noodle in half and place 1 Tbsp of the filling on the noodle and roll.
This makes 6 rolls per person. Place some sauce on each plate and place rolls on top of the sauce. Add sauce on top on the rolls. Sprinkle parmesan on the meat-eater’s rolls and soy-parmesan on the vegan.
Enjoy!
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Individual Indian Pot Pies and GIVEAWAY!
January 24th, 2010 |
| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
I am so sorry that I have ben out for a while. I told many that my week flew by like crazy and then I realized tonight that my weekend almost never existed! Sigh…
This semester I joined two choirs at MSU. I have gotten to know the conducting students there through Ryan and have been asked to be a part of their ensembles for their upcoming recital and concerts. This means my schedule gets a little more busier than before, but it also means seeing my husband alot more and singing a lot more too! In addition to this I am also still singing in the Holland Chorale which is a group that Ryan directs. We find ourselves travelling alot to Holland, which ends up being a 1.5 hour commute 2 to 3 times a week. Ryan and I have agreed though that even though it is a long trek, we have gotten in a lot of conversation time. I will take that you know. SO, due to our frequent trips to Holland, I have not been able to cook much since Thursday! ;( So sad! Despite that, I still have several recipes I need to post that I have created or made in the past few weeks.
Last week was almost about salads for lunch. I watched a DVD on raw foods and have been stumbling on blogs talking about raw foods. I decided to try a recipe for myself and eat it for a lunch. I made Not Tuna Paté which is supposed to taste like a tuna salad /paté. It was a winner in my books! It was soooo good and tasty. All I did then is grab 2 cups of greens, chop up some radishes, add some cherry tomatoes and cut up some pumpernickel croutons. Take a look at the picture:
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Not Tuna Paté
from Raw-Food Cuisine
Makes 1 cup, 2 servings
1/2 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup soaked raw almonds
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Place the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process into a paste. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the celery, onion, and parsley and pulse briefly, just to mix. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Not Tuna Paté will keep for one week.
Wednesday night I mentioned that I was making individual pot pies. I have only made a vegan Shepherd’s Pie before but not a vegan Pot Pie, so I was looking forward to the challenge. Come to find out that it is not Ryan’s favorite meal in general, but he was a dear and ate anyway and taste tested it for me. I read about the original pot pie and what its filling usually contained and decided I take a different turn and give it a personality. Enjoy the recipe!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Individual Indian Pot Pies
my creation
serves 2
2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 cups turnip greens, chopped
1 small onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder (thickening agent)
2 Boca Chik’n patties, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1.5 cups soy milk
1 cup hot water
1/2 vegan bouillon cube
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
Recipe for pastry pie crust
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
5 Tbsp cold water
2 mini soup crocks
Prepare pie crust:
In a small bowl mix the flour and salt. Add shortening and with a pastry cutter, cut shortening in flour until flour resembles small crumbs.
Add 1 Tbsp of cold water at a time and with a fork bring flour mixture together. Use hands to form dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in four parts. Roll and flatten each dough ball with a rolling pin until close to a 1/2 inch thick.
Layer each crock pot with one flattened dough. Reserve 2 other flattened doughs for the top layer.
Filling:
Preheat over to 425 degrees Farenheit.
Heat olive oil on medium sauce pan and fry onions, garlic and peas/carrot mixture. Add arrowroot powder to vegetables until well-coated.
Dissolve bouillon cube in 1 cup of water and add to the vegetable mixture along with the soy milk. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid has thickened.
Add turnip greens and chik’n patties and spices and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add mixture into each soup crock and cover with the second pie pastry layer and seal ends.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Place each crock on a cookie sheet to prevent from spilling. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until crust looks golden brown.
Remove from oven and enjoy!
Kristen @Eating RD is sharing her new and improved site and has a nice giveaway consisting of Mighty Tea and an Anthropologie mug. Go and visit!
Today I am featuring my first giveaway and I am so excited! I know that I have been happy sharing my recipes and pictures, but I want to share some of my favorites as well. The following goodies are my favorite products.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Lavazza is one of my favorite coffees. Ever since I tasted this coffee in Italy I was a goner for it. It is rich and smooth and also makes great espresso and cappuccinos. Even though I have decreased my coffee intake, I still like to enjoy this coffee. Along with the coffee comes a great sweetener called Agave Nectar. I use several brands and I like to use agave when I feel like sweetening my teas or coffees. It is low on the glycemic chart and is better and healthier than your white sugars and even your raw brown sugars. The next thing on my giveaway is my favorite power snack. Lärabars are a raw snack made out of fruits and nuts and seeds. The ones I show on my picture are especially my favorite. They feature chocolate in it rawest form and is for the chocolate lover, which I happen to be. I will be giving away the Chocolate-Cherry flavor which “brings to mind a luscious Black Forest Cake,” as the company describes. The other flavor is Chocolate-Mint which tastes like a yummy peppermint patty but with none of the guilt and calories.
Here’s how you can enter:
1. Leave a comment telling me what YOUR favorite coffee, sweetener, and Lärabar makes your day. If you’re not a coffee drinker, what is your alternative hot drink?
For additional entries:
For an second entry you can copy this & tweet : Check out @singerinkitchen ’s winter treats GIVEAWAYand enter to win @Larabar [link] and leave a separate comment. Make sure you link back to the blogpost.
For a third entry, simply post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.
For a fourth entry, become a follower of An Opera Singer in the Kitchen and leave a comment telling me you did. If you are a follower already, add me to your blogroll!
You have until February 1st to enter!
