Satisfying The Craving.....

In case some of you are just now reading my blog it is important to note that I went Vegan for lent and really loved it so much that I decided I am officially a vegan!  However, Ben is still a meat eater.  His challenge for me is that our house can stay vegan/vegetarian IFFFFFF I keep cooking delicious meals :).  I like a challenge I know that really excites you all haha! But lately, all I can think about is a BURGER!?!??!?! I really don't want to "cheat" so I have been looking for veggie burger recipes that actually look like burgers, but most have looked well, not like a burger.....until now! In Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, My Father's Daughter, she has a recipe, which I put my own twist on, and they are DELICIOUS!!!  So I challenge you to pick a day of the week to go meatless and cook these, I guarantee you will not be disappointed! Here it goes, Veggie Burgers and Oven Potato Chips!

The most simple of Ingredients.....

 First cook your rice, you will need about 1.5 cups cooked. I used instant brown rice so I wouldn't be waiting on the rice to be done.....

 Preheat your pan with 1TBS olive oil at medium High heat.  Add your diced onion....

 Diced garlic......

 and a half can of chopped green chiles.....

 Saute until clear and soft...about 5 minutes....

 add 1tsp chili powder....

 1tsp cumin....

 1tsp garlic salt.......

 and saute another minute.....

 add 2 regular sized cans of drained/rinsed black beans.....

 add your cooked rice and begin to mash with a potato masher.....

 until mixture looks about like this! transfer to container and let cool in refridgerator for approx 30 minutes.....

 Now you can make your oven potato chips!

 I used a mandolin to slice my potatoes, but you could also thinly slice them with your knife.....and notice I did not use the protective plate......

 Which was a TERRIBLE IDEA....now I will have band-aid pics in my blog until it heals :( They give yout he protective plate for a reason people.....

 lay out slices on a cookie sheet, spray both sides with olive oil or pam, and sprinkle with salt. Put in an oven at 375 for five minutes....checking often and flipping half way through....

 Now back to the burgers b/c they are chilled now....put white flour on a plate (I used wheat for this once and it just didnt work...)

 heat 2TBS oil in a pan on medium high heat.....

 Use an icecream scoop to form your mixture into patties and then flatten with your hands....

Lightly flour both sides of the patties.......put in your pan and let cook on both sides for approx 1 minute per side....

 Use this time to gather your burger "fixins"

 And when the patties look like this....they are done!!

 DELICIOUS.....

 Ben agreed the Vegan only Household challenge could continue.....

Veggie Burgers
3TBS Olive Oil Divided
1/2 large white onion diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 of small can (idk the ounces!?!) of chopped green chiles
1tsp cumin
1tsp chili powder
1tsp garlic salt
2 regular sized (don't remember the ounces on these either!)cans of blk beans drained and rinsed
1 1/2c quick cooking brown rice cooked
2TBS White flour
Hamburger Buns
Veganaise (or mayo)-optional
avocado (optional)
tomato slices (optional)

Preheat a pan over medium heat with 1TBS olive oil.  Add your onion, garlic, and chiles and cook for five minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt, cook for an additional minute.  Add black beans and rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes then mash with potato masher. Transfer ingredients to a container and allow to cool in fridge or freezer for faster time for approx 30 minutes.  After cooling, use an icecream scoop to help make patties (this makes about 8 medium sized patties) Lightly flour both sides and put into a preheated pan with 2TBS olive oil at a medium high heat.  Cook both sides for approx 1 minute on each side. Serve with your favorite hamburger fixins!

Oven Potato Chips
Pam or about 2TBS olive oil
2 Baking Potatos
Salt approx 1tsp

Mandolin or thinly slice your potatoes. Lay out on baking sheets and spray with Pam or brush both sides with olive oil.  Sprinkle potatoes with salt and put in oven at 375 for approx five minutes. Check often and flip midway through. Voiila, guilt free chips!