Black Bean Burgers

Happy Memorial Day! As a preface to this recipe, I feel the need to make my vegetarian speech. Because if you're like my husband, you're taking one look at this recipe and thinking, "What? No beef?". Not today, folks. But here's the thing. I really like meat. I sincerely appreciate a juicy beef burger. Properly prepared, quality beef can be divine. But you can't live on beef alone. Or you shouldn't at least. Please don't. So I like to switch it up and have some meat-less options in my recipe box. Healthy tasteful vegetarian alternatives.

While I'd be unlikely to ever permanently give up meat (I think there is an important place for it in a well-balanced diet), I fully embrace meat-free cooking. So that's what brings us to this black bean burger. I've been on the search for a suitable veggie/bean burger for a while now, and several recipes I encountered didn't pass the test. They were too soggy and didn't form well into patties or were just tasteless. But this burger really surprised me. It held together amazingly well and was a snap to grill. Piled on a homemade wheat bun with lettuce, cheddar, avocado, and fresh salsa, it was a meatless wonder. I admit, the texture is not quite the same. The bean burger is much softer (or shall I say mushier) than a beef one. And tends to sneak out the sides of the bun while you're devouring it. But I didn't mind the mess, because I was having a grand time eating it.

I suspect these could be made ahead of time and formed into patties and refrigerated several days or even frozen before cooking. If you freeze them, let me know how that goes. You can buy prepared salsa (or even use ketchup) to spoon on top, but I highly suggest making some of your own fresh pico (see recipe here).

INGREDIENTS
2 (14-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp. plain nonfat yogurt (I used Greek)
1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
generous pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime

4 whole wheat hamburger buns (I used these light brioche hamburger buns)
lettuce
avocado, thinly sliced
sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
salsa or pico de gallo

DIRECTIONS
1. Pulse 1 can of beans in a food processor with the yogurt, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, cayenne, smoked paprika, and salt until a coarse puree forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the second can of beans and the cilantro. Add a squirt or two or lime juice to create a mixture that holds together well. Form into four patties. (At this point you can refrigerate them until ready to use.)

2. Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Coat the grill with cooking spray before placing the burgers on the grill. Cook until the outsides are crisp and lightly browned. Place the cheese on the burgers several minutes before they are done to allow the cheese to melt. Place each burger on a bun and top with lettuce, avocado, and salsa.

Makes 4 large burgers.

(Adapted from The Kitchen Sink, originally from Gourmet)

Broiled Rockfish with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

I discovered rockfish at a restaurant here in Richmond. Rockfish are more commonly known as striped bass and are found along the Atlantic coast. It happens to be the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, New York, and New Hampshire. (Virginia's is the Brook Trout- never heard of it.) Since we're in such proximity to their habitat, fresh rockfish is found on a lot of local menus. And I quite like it. It's a white fish that's slightly meaty, but still flakey.

This recipe would also be excellent with tilapia, mahi, or flounder (another white, mild, flakey fish I recently discovered- a new favorite!). Lets be honest this Thai Coconut-Curry sauce would taste good on just about anything. For the fish-fearing, even chicken would be a hit. The sauce takes all of five minutes to prepare and the fish cooks almost as fast. Serve it over a bed of brown rice with a squirt of lime.

INGREDIENTS
4 (6-oz.) rockfish, tilapia, mahi, or flounder fillets
dark sesame oil
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

brown basmati rice, cooked for serving
lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.

2. Heat a drizzle of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin and cook 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and coconut milk, bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt.

3. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each fillet with a little sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler for about 7 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork (cooking times will vary depending on the size and type of fish used). Serve on a bed of rice with sauce and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Grilled Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

Pioneer Woman posted this recipe a week or so ago and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. We all know I go weak in the knees over anything oozing with cheese. And then there was the fresh grilled pineapple, the cilantro, the tangy barbecue sauce. All things I live for. Grilled together between crisp flour tortillas- it was a magnificent hot sticky mess. While I enjoyed the tang from the barbecue sauce, you could leave it out and they would still be insanely flavorful. I got bold and used whole slices of jalapeno (seeds and all). In combination with our semi-spicy barbecue sauce, these quesadillas definitely had some zing. Go for the jalapeno rounds. You can handle it!

INGREDIENTS
4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup pineapple, sliced
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
Cajun seasoning
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup Monteray Jack cheese, grated
1/2 jalapeno, sliced into rounds
fresh cilantro, chopped
barbecue sauce (optional)
sour cream, for serving
pico de gallo, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill pineapple slices several minutes on each side. Sprinkle the chicken with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Grill the chicken until the juices run clear. Let rest several minutes before slicing. Toss the chicken with barbecue sauce to coat (optional).

2. Sprinkle half of the cheese over two tortillas. Top each with half of the grilled chicken, half of the grilled pineapple, and half of the jalapeno rounds. Sprinkle with cilantro and top with the remaining cheese. Place the second tortillas on top.

3. Grill on preheated grill pan or panini press until the outside is crisp and the cheese has melted. Slice and serve with sour cream and pico de gallo.

Makes 2 quesadillas.

(Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

Strawberry Banana Cream Pie

I just had to sneak in one last strawberry dessert before the local strawberry season ended. I picked up a plump juicy basket of berries at the farmers market on Saturday morning and on Sunday I set about to make this strawberry-banana cream pie. While I consider myself somewhat experienced at baking (I've been baking much longer that I've been cooking), I'd never made a custard before, so this recipe was new territory for me. It made me nervous. At first glance I thought, "oh my, there's so many steps!", which is true. This pie took some careful planning and the better part of the afternoon to pull off. But some things are just worth it! What better way to spend my last day without school pressures (I started back to classes yesterday) than in a cute apron in my sunny kitchen baking?

These are my words of wisdom on this recipe:

If at all possible, use a food processor to create the crust (Cuisinart has made my life so much simpler!)
Don't overbake the crust (next time I'll remove the foil after 20 minutes and then only bake it for several more minutes until it is lightly browned- because it turned out slightly firmer than I'd prefer)
Commit all of your attention to the custard (it would be easy to scorch and a smooth creamy filling really makes this dessert)
Find the freshest ripest berries
Wait to assemble the pie until soon before serving (while all three parts can be made ahead of time, last-minute assembly prevents sogginess)

And that's it! All it takes is a little time and confidence (you can always fake it) to make this rich and delicious pie.

INGREDIENTS
For the tart crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. (1 stick + 1 Tbsp.) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg yolk

For the custard filling:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
pinch of salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas, sliced
10 strawberries, sliced

For the whipped topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS (directly from Joy the Baker)
1. To make the tart crust:
Put the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor fit the the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the pieces of cold butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. There will be pieces of butter that are the size of oatmeal flakes and butter the size of peas. Beat the egg yolk with a fork and add a little of the egg yolk at a time to the flour mixture. Pulse for 10 seconds at a time. When the egg is in, process in longer pulses until the dough forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have escaped mixing.

Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the crust so that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of foil and fit the foil, butter side down, tightly against the frozen crust. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust is puffed, gently press it down with your fingers.

Bake the uncovered crust for 8 to 10 more minutes (mine only needed 4-5 more minutes, and I might take it out even sooner next time) on the baking sheet. Keep an eye on the crust. It will brown quickly.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

2. To make the filling:
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.
In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt until well blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, warming the eggs so they don’t cook and curdle. Still whisking, slowly add the rest of the hot milk in a steady steam.

Place the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, still whisking for one minute before removing from the pan from the heat. Mixture will be thick and silky. Be warned, once the mixture starts to boil, it will thicken very quickly. Don’t be afraid to remove the pan from the flame to whisk it smooth.

Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let stand for 5 minutes then whisk in the butter, stirring until fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. Transfer custard to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic touches the surface of the custard and refrigerate until cold throughout. Custard can be refrigerated up to three days.

When ready to assemble the pie, slice bananas and strawberries into thin, round slices.

Whisk the cold custard to loosen. Add a handful of banana slices. Stir.
Arrange a thin layer of banana slices on the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange a thin layer of strawberries atop the bananas. Reserve some strawberries for topping the pie. Top with banana custard. Smooth out a refrigerate while you make the whipped cream.

3. To make the whipped cream topping:
With a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat heave cream until it just starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, spoon whipped cream onto banana cream pie filling. Top with sliced strawberries.

Serve pie immediately or refrigerate for several hours before serving. This pie is best served the day it is made, but also isn’t too shabby the next day for a breakfast treat.

Makes a 9-inch round pie.

(Adapted from Joy the Baker, originally adapted from Dorie Greenspan)

Adobo Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Dustin can vouch that I'm full of suspicion. I hesitate to believe the promises of a politician (can you blame me?), I don't trust our GPS (it has been wrong in the past), I always purchase delivery confirmation because I doubt the responsibility of the USPS (they've lost my mail before), I'm leery of the reading on my meat thermometer (which leads to a lot of tiny incisions in our dinner) and I constantly debate the directions when I'm following a recipe. (Luckily, this lack of confidence-or stubbornness-has saved quite a few desserts in the past. Either my oven is piping hot or the rest of the world is wrong, because my baked goods never take as long to cook.)

This time it was the marinade. I suspected that one hour was not nearly long enough to produce a tender juicy pork tenderloin. So I read user reviews and weighed my options. It couldn't hurt to bathe the pork for a few extra hours, could it? But then I'd never find out if the recipe was actually right. So on a rare whim, I went with it. I followed the recipe exactly and guess what? One hour was enough! Cooking Light was right- and my fears were wrong. This savory pork loin was incredibly moist and flavorful! Topped with a freshly grilled pineapple and sweet pepper salsa it was fantastic. It makes a healthy, light, and refreshing summer meal. Trust me!

INGREDIENTS
Pork Tenderloin:
2 lb. pork tenderloin
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8 limes)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. Mexican oregano
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
extra virgin olive oil
fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
green onions, sliced (for serving)

Grilled Pineapple Salsa:
1 large pineapple, cut into 1 inch wide strips
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp. brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the marinade, in a small bowl, whisk to combine the lime juice, garlic, pepper, cumin, oregano, and salt. Place the pork tenderloin in a plastic ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the pork. Refrigerate 1 hour.

2. To make the pineapple salsa, preheat an outdoor drill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray the grill with cooking spray and grill the pineapple strips and the bell peppers for several minutes on each side. Cool before dicing the pineapple and peppers. In a large bowl, toss to combine the pineapple, peppers, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and brown sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve (I recommend letting it come to room temperature before serving).

3. To grill the pork, preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Discard the marinade. Brush the pork with olive oil and place on the grill. Cook until the pork is only slightly pink (the original recipe recommends an internal temperature of 160 F, but I find this a little too well done). Remove from the grill and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve topped with grilled pineapple salsa.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Garlic Hummus, Revisited

It wasn't too long ago that I first posted this recipe. Since I feel I've improved upon it since then, and I'm plum out of other recipes to post, I'm bringing it back! We returned from our "Southern shores" (that's what I'm naming it) vacation last night. This is the first thing I've made since our return. When we got home last night we were starving and grocery-less, so we visited one of my favorite Richmond restaurants- Cous Cous. They have an extensive Mediterranean-Moroccan menu, and even though we've dined there multiple times, we've only had the chance to try a fraction of the selection of tapas. This time we went for the hummus platter. Why I'd never ordered it before, I do not know, because it is absolutely amazing! Their hummus is smooth and garlicky, served with warm pita bread and toasted pine nuts. The best hummus I've ever had. So naturally I had to try and replicate it at home. I just made a few minor tweaks to my previous recipe. And it turned out really good! Much cheaper too. Next time I'm going to try adding a few dashes of cumin and see how it affects the flavor. Hummus is delicious served with warm pita bread or crunchy fresh vegetables for dipping or spread on a sandwich or wrap.

3/20/10: I buy a tub of hummus almost every week from the grocery store, so it's about time I tried making my own! It's so simple. And thanks to the help of my handy food processor- fast. Hummus can be made a million different ways. Everybody has their own tastes and preferences. So I say, to each his own. If you want more bitter tahini- go for it. Use more garlic, or less lemon. Really, this recipe is easily adaptable. It's a starting place. Adjust it however you want. This combination did it for me.

Garlic Hummus

INGREDIENTS
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil + extra to drizzle on top
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (more or less to taste)
cumin, to taste (optional)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
paprika, for garnish
fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add several tablespoonfuls (about 1/4 cup) of water until you reach the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cumin (optional). Place in a serving bowl and garnish with paprika and parsley (both optional).

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
Same as above, except add 1 whole roasted red pepper. (You will probably not need to add any water because the roasted red pepper will be very moist.)

Makes about 2 cups.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

For some time I've wondered why poppy seeds taste so good. They're the miniature seeds of the opium poppy, sold as a spice and used as bagel toppings, in baked goods, and sprinkled over salads. So what's really in a poppy seed? I had to do some research (a.k.a. Google) to determine what they're made of. A full tablespoonful of poppy seeds provides 45 calories. Broken down that's approximately 4 grams of fat (mostly the good kinds), almost 2 grams of protein, and another 2 grams of fiber! The fat explains something. Things don't usually taste amazing for no reason. But overall they are surprisingly nutritious. Along with the protein and fiber they contain significant amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus (think healthy heart and bones), thiamine and folate (healthy babies), and trace amounts of Vitamin C, copper, iron, and zinc. Who know that there was so much goodness packed into these little beads of flavor?!

Since we're spreading a tablespoonful over a dish that potentially serves 8, you're sharing the wealth. But every little bit of nutrition counts. I lightened this chicken salad by using half yogurt and half mayonnaise. The herbs and seasonings can of course be adjusted to taste. Make a big bowlful to keep in the fridge and you can have poppy seed chicken salad  pitas all week for lunch!

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced or shredded (about 4 large chicken breast halves)
6 Tbsp. mayonnaise
6 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped (or more to taste)
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped (more or less to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
lettuce, for serving
whole wheat pitas, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon, and lemon juice. Stir in the chicken, celery, onion, almonds, apricots, poppy seeds, chives, parsley, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lettuce in a warm whole wheat pita.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Cinnamon Spice)

Zucchini, Sun-dried Tomato, and Olive Flatbread

This week I'm on break and out of the kitchen, and my mind seems to be taking a vacation as well. So I'm allowing myself to leave you with only a few words. These crunchy baked flatbreads were surprisingly delicious. As much as I love my thick and chewy pizza crust, sometimes I want a faster lighter option- and this is it! Flatbread or lavash is topped with thinly-sliced zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, olives, fresh oregano, and a sprinkling of Asiago and Pecorino Romano cheeses. A few minutes in a  hot oven and like magic these slimmed-down "pizzas" are a thin and crispy delight!

INGREDIENTS
flatbread or lavash (or pizza dough)
extra virgin olive oil
zucchini, very thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
shallots or red onion, thinly sliced
fresh oregano, chopped
black olives, sliced
sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained and julienned
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Asiago cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Lightly brush the surface of the flatbread/lavash/pizza crust with olive oil. Place a single layer of thinly sliced zucchini over the crust. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Top with shallots or red onion, oregano, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and the cheeses. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

3. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the flatbread is crisp, the zucchini is tender, and the cheese is bubbling. Slice and serve immediately.

(Adapted from Food Network)