I can't believe I made these

Spicy Black Bean Burgers.  Started thinking about grilling season because I know that will be my biggest challenge. I decided to try and find a recipe for veggie burgers that looked simple. Boy did I find it.  Found this recipe over at Allrecipes.com. Looked very easy. A lot of the comments though talked about the burgers falling apart easily so I did alter the recipe a bit. OK OK I altered it because I like short cuts ;) .  It sure did make it easier and even a little spicier. You can add your choice of dried spices, veggies, herbs etc but I went with my favorite Tastefully Simple Salsa Mix.



Spicy Black Bean Burgers
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Tastefully Simple Simply Salsa Mix

Drain the beans, getting out as much moisture as possible. Mash beans. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Shape into patties (about 4). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Can be frozen also) When ready to cook..preheat over to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with non-cook spray and place burgers on foil.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, flip and bake for 10-12 minutes more.  Serve on buns topped with your choice of hamburger toppings.

I topped mine with Steak Sauce. I got that little tip from my friend Megan. What a difference it makes too. Thanks Megan. I feel very confident that grilling season will not be that big of a challenge now that I have something to fall back on.  I also bought a cookbook today. The Vegetarian 5 Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas.  Lots of simple recipes to try out. I will most definitely share my adventures with those.

Perfectly Delicious

Hello there. Feeling a bit better today. Spent most of the day nibbling on oyster crackers and sipping ginger ale. Didn't want to rush back into solid foods. You know, just in case. Everything seems to have run its course though. I decided to keep to a easy to digest meal tonight and so glad that I did.  I believe I've mentioned that it has been bone chilling cold here lately. I have mentioned that, haven't I? Well what better to take the chill away than a nice hot bowl of soup. Yes I know I said chili the other night but let's pretend I didn't. ;-)
Today I brought out the crock pot and made some Tastefully Simple Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup.   Amazing.  And before I go much further, I think I should clarify that I do not sell Tastefully Simple Products, nor get paid for the promotion of its products in any way. I just happen to be a huge fan. I am not a cook. I think I have mentioned that also. So, anything that is tasty and simple to make gets approval from me. I especially love anything I can cook in the crock pot. I have a short attention span and slow cookers are nothing short of a Godsend for me.  Perfect goodness and all I did was add water. And a little leftover broccoli. Topped it with a dollop of Daisy (Light). Look at that. Does that look delicious or what?

I'm Strong To The Finish

I am afraid that I enjoyed dinner a little to much tonight.  My tummy is quite full and happy as I type this.   Tonight I did what I usually do, take a recipe that sounds delicious and then personalize it.  I love  Espinacas con Garbanzos--Spinach and Garbanzo beans.  But after having chili for dinner last night, decided to Italianize tonight's dinner.  I took the basic recipe for Spinach and Garbanzo Beans and left out the Cumin, I then added some pesto in it's place (LOVE PESTO) and mixed in some Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous.  By adding the couscous....I made this meal into a complete protein.

Espinacas con Garbanzos

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic minced (I buy the jars of minced and use 1 tsp)

1/2 onion diced

1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

1 (12oz) can of garbanzo beans drained

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

Heat olive oil and saute onions and garlic.  Add spinach, beans and Cumin and cook til heated.

It's a pretty easy, quick, not to mention cheap recipe. You could serve it over rice, or noodles, or even couscous as I did.   For those wanting to make it Italianized, just substitute to taste your favorite pesto recipe.

I used the Tastefully Simple Pesto Mix for this dinner but I do buy the jarred pesto mix on occasion.  I used the Near East brand of couscous. I made the whole box but added only half.

I have not been blogging about my breakfast or lunch meals because I find those meals very easy to go

meat free. I usually have oatmeal or a Nutrigrain frozen waffle for breakfast, and lunch is usually leftovers from

the night before.  Do you think I need to include these into the blog also?

Cold Outside--Chili Tonight

It is freezing here in Northern Illinois.  Double digit negatives kind of freezing. The kind of weather that makes you thankful for not having any place to be but hanging out on the sofa and watching a movie or reading a good book. Am I right? And there is nothing like a little hint of Jack Frost's presence to put me in a mood for a steaming hot bowl of chili.  The wonderful thing about chili--there really is no right or wrong way to make it.  Beans or not. Meat or not. (but in this case...most definitely not on the meat.) I like my chili to be tongue tingling spicy.  So this recipe may not be especially appealing to those of you with a taste that leans more toward mild.


Spicy 3 Bean Chili

1/4 cup dried light kidney beans
1/2 cup small red beans
1/2 cup black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chillies
2 cans chili flavored diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Tastefully Simple Simply Salsa
1 tsp ground Cumin

Soak beans overnight or do the quick soak method listed on the back of the bag of beans.  I do both because it never seems like either one is sufficient. When the beans are soft, drain and return to pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat until bubbly.

It's a very simple meal to make. I discovered a few months back that I could eliminate the need for chopping peppers by using the Tastefully Simple Simply Salsa mix. Most of  the products from the Tastefully Simple line are all natural. No MSG just simply dried spices,onions, garlic, peppers, etc.   If you like just a little bite in your chili...I would recommend cutting out the tomatoes with the chilies in them as they seem to be what adds the most heat to this recipe.

Do you make the most awesome chili ever? Let me know. Leave me a message and if it's in line with my year of veggie eating...I'll give it a try and blog about it!