Greek (Inspired) Vegetarian Burger

One of my high school mates shared a Greek Turkey Burger recipe with me on Facebook.  At first I was taken aback, but then she offered that I could turn this into a Vegetarian Burger...and so I did!

If you want the recipe from root to stem, drop a comment and follow!!!

Directions.

Follow this recipe for the basis of your burger mix.  Add a 1/2 cup diced black olives.  You may also boast more protein by simply adding 1 cup cooked brown lentils.  I do!!!

I use a scale to make sure all of my burgers have approximately the same mass.  If you do not own a scale, use the 1/3 measure cup.  With each portioned burger, you will add 1-2 T of Vital Wheat Gluten.  This will help hold your mix together along with steaming it.  If you have a steamer use it.  Otherwise use a double boil system of a strainer or colander over a pot of boiling water. 

The secret to its form is the spring form pan. 

After mixing in your gluten, allow the burgers to rest in the refrigerator while you prepare your steam pan and mix your tzatziki dressing.

Form your patties by pressing them into the spring form pans.  Place pans into the double-boil or steam system.  You should steam this for an hour.  Then let the burger rest and cool for an additional 30 minutes.  Broil.  Dress to your desire, but keep it Greek!!!

Steaming

Veggie Burger Sliders w/ Warm Relish

***

For Super Bowl LII, I opted to not do anything that would stress me out, considering I really did not have a team to support.  However it was a great game and full of excitement.  Congratulations to the Eagles!  

All I needed to do was make slider buns.  Now sure you can do this with four-squared bread, but I was ready to make some bread.  I literally placed it on my 'to do list'.  I even secured some fresh dry yeast.

Thawed veggie burgers and divided each one into fourths.  Everything else was basic cooking and preparation.

The yeast bread/roll recipe can be found right here on this blog: multigrain yeast rolls.  The warm relish consisted of sauteed green peppers, onions, and diced Morningstar Farms bacon.  Delish! The sliders were a culinary hit!  

stuffed pepper

Ingredients
bell pepper (s)
Spanish brown rice
pinto beans
corn
textured soy protein
provolone cheese

Preparation
Wash the peppers. Slice into the top of each and remove stem, core, pith, and seeds. Fill your peppers to your desire. Do not over stuff, but feel free to press gently and fill the cavity of the pepper. This will ensure that the pepper will not collapse on itself during the baking process. Set the peppers on a baking sheet, sprayed with non-cook spray or brushed with oil. Make crowns to anchor the peppers using foil. Cover with parchment paper and then tented with a sheet of foil. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 75 minutes in convection. Do not touch for the first 45 minutes. At the end of your baking time, place your cheese on top and brown under broiler heat. Remove and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve.

arancini (fried rice balls)

Ingredients

Sicilian Arancini in Marinara

1/2 c brown rice (cook rice per instructions)...
1/4 c mozzarella cheese shredded
1/2 c sweet peas (frozen, thawed)
pre-made Vegetarian Meat Crumbles (made from organ/textured soy crumbles)

1 T dry vegetarian stock
Italian spices and season to your taste

also: oat flour, flax eggs, bread crumbs

Sicilian Arancini w/ Collard Greens & Smart Bacon

Preparation
Mix and chill overnight or for up to 6 hours. Form rice balls, roll in oat flour, then in flax egg, then into seasoned bread crumbs. Fry until brown on medium-high heat. Let stand for 3-5 minutes. Serve with Marinara.

vegetarian style greek lasagna (pastitsio)

Boil 2 cups of penne to al dente. Rinse in cold water, strain and blot with paper towels.

Béchamel Sauce
4 T soy flour
½ stick of butter or margarine
White pepper
Salt
All spice
Ground Cloves
1/2 c white cheddar cheese
1 Egg Beaten
3 T sour cream
1 c almond milk
Water

*Cook flour & butter, add milk, spices (season to taste), whisk or stir. Slowly add beaten egg, continue to stir. Be careful not to scramble egg. Add cheese. If béchamel is too thick, thin it with water, one T. at a time.

Bolognaise Sauce
4 Vegetarian Meatballs (pre-made from Org Text Soy)
3 T diced celery
3 T diced carrot
3 T diced onion
1 T ACV
½ c stewed tomatoes
3 T pasta sauce
All spice
Ground Cloves
Salt, pepper

*Mix 1/2 c béchamel with noodles and place noodles on the base of lightly oiled 10 x 7 baking dish. Add Bolognaise layer. Pour béchamel on top.

Bake at 350 degrees covered in convection oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top, bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered until brown and bubbly.

Served with sauteed green beans and Greek Salad.

veggie loaf (mock meatloaf)

Ingredients

1 1/2 c Organic Textured (non-GMO) Soy Protein (T.S.P.)

1 1/2 c boiling water

Baked Vegetarian Loaf

3/4 c cooked whole grain brown rice

2 T ketchup

2 T spicy brown mustard

2 T soy or liquid aminos

1 celery stalk diced

¼ c minced carrot

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

1 c bread crumbs

2 T flax meal

1 flax egg

3 T Olive Oil (divided)

Seasoning: Old Bay, Onion Powder, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Preparation:

Sauté celery and onions in 1 T of olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Combine water with T.S.P. and the remaining ingredients plus 1 T of oil. Season the mix to your desired taste. Pack this into loaf pan (cover with foil) or roll in parchment then double roll in foil. 

*For this try, I used the latter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Place into the refrigerator to chill overnight to slice for storing. 

Green Beans in Stewed Tomatoes, Mac 'n Cheese,
and Veggie Loaf w/ Peppery Onion Gravy

vegetarian pasta piselli

Ingredients

Sauce
olive oil
1 c frozen peas thawed
2 T tomato paste
1 small tomato diced
1/2 c hot water
1 T sugar
salt, pepper, to taste

Veggie Meatballs
1/2 c dry textured soy protein
1/8 c minced celery & carrots
spices: salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, thyme, cumin, bay leaf
1 T ketchup
1 T mustard
3-4 T flax meal
T soy sauce
1/2 c boiling water
1/2 slice of whole grain bread (ground)
muffin tin (12 count)

6 oz dry whole grain penne pasta
Italian cheese blend

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush tin with oil. Mix ingredients for meatballs. Add more flax if necessary. The goal is to go from crumbles to what presents as clumped together meat. With a 1/4 cup scoop, form into balls and drop into muffin tin. This mix should form between 4-6 balls.

Bake covered with foil for 15 minutes. Brush tops with oil and bake uncovered for 15-20 additional minutes.

While meatballs are baking, prepare marinara sauce by mixing paste with hot water to form soup. Oil pot or skillet with 1 T of olive oil. Add diced tomato's and stir in soup. Reduce. Add meatballs and break into pieces. Before sauce is served, boil pasta. Rinse pasta in cold water and strain. Toss pasta with meat sauce. Garnish final dish with peas and cheese. Serve with Caesar salad.

fried ravioli

Fried Ravioli

basic ingredients:
egg roll wrappers

veggie filling

Italian cheese

flax egg

cooking oil

seasoned whole grain bread ends

water
spaghetti sauce

It’s the end of the food line in the fridge and you’re wondering what to do with the rations, left from a veggie meat loaf, bread ends, and egg roll wraps. Here’s an idea! Fried Ravioli! 

Prep:

Grind bread in food chopper. Remove and season to your desire. 

Stack, cut two egg roll wrappers with a pizza cutter into 8 equal quarters. Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto four wraps. Moisten all sides or edges with water. Moisten the remaining quarters. Form ravioli pocket with empty squares and seal. Heat your cooking oil. Dip ravioli into flax egg, and into seasoned bread crumbs. Fry until brown on both sides.

Remove from oil and place on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese. Yum!