The Cheap Gourmet

Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers

In light of the recent massive beef recall, many people are seriously considering becoming a Vegetarian. I'm one of them. In fact, I was a Vegetarian for several years. It wasn't until I met my husband that I converted back to a meat and potatoes kind of girl. But, the more I hear and learn about tainted meat, the less I desire to eat it.

As you may recall, several years ago I worked as a chef for a health food store. One of our most popular dishes was known as a Nut Burger. Made from a variety of nuts and shaped into patties, these burgers are packed with protein, essential fatty acids and they taste amazingly delicious.

My favorite way to serve them is on a lightly toasted whole wheat sesame seed bun with Dijon mustard and pickle slices. Just as with a regular hamburger, you can top Nut Burgers with your favorite condiments including mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pickles and even cheese.

While I no longer have the recipe for the Original Nut Burgers, I have created one that is similar and tastes nearly identical to the ones we sold at the health food store. These are made using chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo beans. For best results, these burgers should be cooked on the grill or under a broiler. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

CHICKPEA BURGERS
Serves 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10-14 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 small Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon Sunflower or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 medium Green Onions (or Scallions), white and green parts cut into 1-inch strips
1 15-ounce can Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Sunflower seeds, toasted and ground into a coarse powder in spice grinder or blender
1-1/2 cups plain Bread Crumbs
Sea Salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add 3 to 4 inches of water to a large saucepan. Add potatoes to a steamer basket, cover and bring water to a boil. Cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and transfer to a small bowl. Mash with a fork.
3. Transfer 1-1/2 cups mashed potatoes to the workbowl of a food processor.
4. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and cook until limp, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Add scallions, chickpeas, ketchup, and ground sunflower seeds to food processor. Pulse on and off several times until ingredients are well blended.
6. Transfer mixture from food processor to large bowl. Add bread crumbs. Mix by hand using a large spoon until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
7. Season with salt to taste. Mixture will be moist, but should hold together well.
8. Divide and shape mixture into eight patties approximately 3-inches across and 1/2-inch thick. Add extra bread crumbs if patties don't hold their shape.
9. Prepare grill or preheat broiler.
10. If using a grill, place patties on vegetable grid to avoid sticking. If using the broiler, place patties on a broiler pan or large cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil.
11. Grill over medium-hot coals or broil 3 to 6 inches from heat until lightly browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side.
12. Check often to prevent burning. Remove from heat. Transfer to serving platter and serve with favorite toppings and condiments.

Writing Awards and New Recipes

As you may already know, I am a Content Producer for Associated Content. My current portfolio contains 117 articles on a wide variety of topics, but until recently I had never posted any recipes. Last week I received an email from another AC writer, congratulating me on my reward. Funny thing is, I didn't know I had won an award.

I logged in to my account and lo and behold, what do I see but a shiny star with "Top 1000" printed on it. Rumor has it that AC has around 100,000 content producers. If this is fact, that places me in the top one percent. Not bad for a girl who barely graduated from high school, eh?

Associated Content recently brought back one of my favorite features, known as Call for Content (C4). The staff requests articles on specific topics, which makes it much easier to know what type of material they want. This past week they had several requests for various types of recipes. You can bet I was all over that!

I submitted three of my favorite recipes:

Napa Valley Chicken Salad ~ A tender chicken salad perfect for people who don't like mayonnaise. Moistened with a poppyseed dressing, this chicken salad includes sweet red grapes and crunchy pecans for a sweet and savory flavor combination. It's excellent wrapped in lettuce leaves, stuffed inside a tomato or as a topper for crackers or gourmet breads. Once you try this recipe, you'll never want regular chicken salad again!

Vegetarian Boca Burger Salisbury Steak ~ This tastes so much like "real" meat that even the meat lovers in your family will have a hard time telling the difference. Boca Burgers are a soy based product and have the texture of hamburger. The flavors of the gravy, onions and pepper infuse into the Boca Burger, giving them an authentic salisbury steak flavor. This dish screams for mashed potatoes, green beans and dinner rolls.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Patties ~ My grandmother made these no-bake cookies for me when I was a young girl. She never baked and rarely cooked, so this was a big treat for me. I recently updated the recipe by using dark chocolate instead of unsweetened cocoa. You can whip up a batch of these cookies in less than 15 minutes. They are super rich and will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.

Associated Content provides you with the option to email these recipes to yourself or a friend. You can also print them directly from the screen. Please take a moment to vote for the recipes or post a comment. If you'd like to be notified when I post new articles, click on the Subscribe button under my photo.

Bon Appetit!

Lowfat Mock Guacamole Dip and Tortilla Chips

Perfectly seasoned, this lowfat mock Guacamole Dip made from frozen peas tastes just as good as the "real" thing, but without the fat or the guilt! Serve with a basket of homemade low-fat Tortilla Chips and your guests will be raving about your spectacular snack for weeks to come.

Consider creating individual recipe cards for low-fat mock Guacamole Dip and Tortilla Chips and provide a copy to each of your guests. Insert inside their holiday card or leave a stack on the table. Chances are the recipe cards will disappear as quickly as this guilt-free healthy holiday snack!

Low-fat Mock Guacamole Dip
Yields: 1-3/4 cups
Serves: 14
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen tender-sweet Peas
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fat-free Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon fresh Lime juice (or use bottled, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco Garlic Pepper Hot Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Plum Tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cook peas according to package directions; drain.
2. Finely chop peas and onion.
3. Mince garlic using a garlic press.
4. In a 2-quart bowl, combine peas, onion, garlic, sour cream, lime juice, Tabasco sauce and salt and mix well.
5. Chop tomato and cilantro, then gently stir into pea mixture.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
7. Serve with homemade low-fat Tortilla Chips

Homemade Low-fat Tortilla Chips
Yield: 80 chips
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients:
10 8-inch fat-free flour Tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
3. Arrange wedges on a baking stone or pizza pan.
4. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and transfer chips to a cooling rack or large piece of aluminum foil and allow to cool completely.
6. Store in airtight container until ready to serve.

Transfer pea guacamole into serving bowl and place in center of serving tray. Arrange chips on serving tray and let the party begin!

Fruits and Vegetables Easy Ways to Get Your Nine a Day

Everyone knows eating a healthy diet means consuming seven to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. For many, trying to accomplish this is a daunting task but with a little creativity and a bit of planning you can easily obtain the USDA's recommended daily allowance.

The following tips can help you easily and effortlessly integrate more fruits and vegetables into your daily routine. Incorporating these tips will provide you with more energy, radiant skin, healthy bones and help you shed those extra pounds.

Fruits ~ Recommended Daily Allowance: 4 to 5 servings per day

Serving size equals: 4 ounces 100% fruit juice, 1 medium fruit, 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit.

• One way to easily consume more fruit is to keep a bowl of whole fresh fruit within eyesight. Purchase an inexpensive, yet pleasing-to-look-at fruit bowl and place it on the center of the dining room table, countertop or at eye-level on your refrigerator shelf.
• Place chunks of fresh fruit on wooden skewers and make delicious and fun-to-eat fruit kabobs. Use banana slices, pineapple or mango chunks, grapes, apple slices and berries. Wrap in plastic wrap to preserve freshness. Fruit kabobs are a big hit with both kids and adults and perfect for lunch boxes and afternoon snacks.
• Make homemade fruit salad using watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, berries, banana slices, pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, raisins, figs or any of your favorites fruits.
• For dessert, try baked apples, peaches or pears drizzled with honey.
• When baking, substitute applesauce for half of the oil.

Vegetables ~ Recommended Daily Allowance: 3 to 5 servings per day

Serving size equals: 4 ounces low-sodium vegetable juice, 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, 1 small potato, 1 sweet potato.

Vegetables are organized into five sub-categories: dark green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, dry beans and peas, and "other" vegetables. For a complete listing visit MyPyramid.gov.

• Keep a tray of cut vegetables in a clear container placed in the refrigerator for easy snacking. Baby carrots, carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced cucumbers and zucchini, and radishes make for quick and convenient healthy snacks.
• Shred carrots or zucchini into meat loaf, casseroles or bread and muffin mixes.
• Garnish plates and serving dishes with brightly colored vegetables such as slices of red, green or yellow peppers, carrot sticks and radish slices.
• Add chopped veggies to pasta sauces, casseroles and lasagna.
• Instead of potato or tortilla chips, dip fresh veggies in salsa for a tasty treat.
• Create a luscious salad consisting of dark leafy greens, sliced red onions, radishes, carrots slices and beets. Use salsa instead of salad dressing.

Baked Stuffed Pumpkin with Rice Pilaf

Baked Stuffed Pumpkin with Rice Pilaf
Baked Stuffed Pumpkin
Serves: 6
Pumpkin Prep Time: 15 minutes
Pumpkin Bake Time: 1 hour
Pilaf Prep Time: 5 minutes
Pilaf Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 5-6 pound Pumpkin
3-3/4 cups Water
1 cup Brown Rice
1/2 cup Wild Rice
1 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
1 cup Shallots, finely chopped
2 small Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
3/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1/8 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/8 tsp Nutmeg, ground
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp Apple Cider
1/2 cup Golden Raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut off top of pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and pulp and discard.
3. Place the pumpkin and pumpkin top on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in center of oven until inside of pumpkin is tender, about 1 hour.
5. Remove from oven and cover top of pumpkin with foil.
6. While pumpkin is baking, add water to medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Add brown and white rice and return to boil.
8. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until most of the water has been absorbed, about 50 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
10. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat.
11. Add scallions and saute until light golden brown.
12. Add apples, pecans, spices, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
13. Add apple cider and saute additional 5 minutes.
14. Add raisins and saute for 5 more minutes.
15. Remove from heat and combine with rice. Mix well.
16. Transfer rice pilaf into pumpkin and cover with top.
17. When serving, scoop out pumpkin flesh with pilaf.

Pumpkin and Romano Dumplings

Pumpkin and Romano Dumplings
A touch of crispiness and a dusting of cheese is the perfect balance with the smooth pumpkin texture.

Serves 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tsp salt for boiling water
1 cup Pumpkin, canned solid-pack
2 large Egg
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, ground or 1/2 tsp freshly grated
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (or all-purpose white)
6 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
1 cup Romano cheese, finely grated

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot halfway full of water. Add salt and bring to a boil.
2. In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin, egg, sea salt, nutmeg and baking powder.
3. Add flour, 1/3-cup at a time and mix well. Dough will be soft.

You'll want to use the 1/2-teaspoon from a measuring spoon set for the next step. If you don't have a measuring spoon set, use a teaspoon, but only scoop out 1/2-teaspoon of dough.

1. Dip the teaspoon in boiling water, then scoop up a generous 1/2-teaspoon of dough.
2. Place the dough into boiling water, allowing dough to drop off spoon.
3. Continue this process until you run out of dough.
4. Boil dumplings until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.
5. Drain dumplings in colander.
6. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
7. Add dumplings.
8. Sauté until outside begins to brown, about 8 minutes.
9. Transfer to bowl, sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Perfect Pumpkin Stew

October is the perfect month to make this fabulous pumpkin stew recipe. From start to finish, this hardy stew is ready in under an hour. It's rich flavor and creamy texture are delightful and will fill you up and keep you warm during the upcoming cold weather months.

Perfect Pumpkin Stew
Serves 8

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ready in: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large white or yellow Onions, chopped
3 cups Pumpkin, skin removed and diced
2 cups Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup Parsnips, peeled and diced
6-8 cups Water
1 cup Carrots, sliced
1 cup Millet
1/2 teaspoon Cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon Coriander seed, ground
1/2 teaspoon Ginger, ground
2 each Bay leaves

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse vegetables.
2. Remove skin from onion, remove core and chop loosely.
3. Remove skin and seeds from pumpkin. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
4. Peel and dice sweet potatoes and parsnips.
5. Add 2 tablespoons water to large pot and saute onions until golden brown.
6. Add the rest of the vegetables, millet, spices and water.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 1/2 hour or until pumpkin, vegetables, and grains are soft.
8. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

The Cheap Gourmet on MyLot.com

Meatless Mondays

Are you looking for ways to trim fat from your diet? Are you bored with the same ole' side dishes or burnt out on your summer salads? Would you like to learn more about vegetarian cooking or find delicious, yet healthy, recipes? If so, I have a resource for you!

MeatlessMonday.com is a website filled with scrumptious goodies for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. According to their website, "Meatless Monday is a national health campaign to help Americans prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer - four of the leading causes of death in America."

Considering all four of the above run rampant in my family, I want to do everything I can to remain healthy. How about you?

At MeatlessMonday.com you can subscribe to their weekly newsletter, Eater's Digest, which is packed with nutrition tips, advice and mouth-watering recipes. Yes, healthy really can be mouth-watering! You'll also find a Nutrition Library that offers a Health and Nutrition Dictionary, Healthy Eating Plans, How to Read Food Labels, and much more.

MeatlessMonday.com boasts an entire section dedicated to chili, where you will find Chili recipes, a guide to Red Hot Chile Peppers, Chili Origins and History, and more. It's quite interesting!

You'll also find unique recipe e-Cards you can send to your friends and family, learn how to start a community Meatless Monday campaign in your area, download nutrition guides for children, get tips for becoming a Grilling Gourmet, and learn how to eat healthy on the road.

Click the link to learn more about MeatlessMonday.com. I hope you enjoy your visit!

Bon Appetit!

Homemade Salsa Recipe

Homemade Salsa Recipe

After months of cultivating my organic salsa garden, the fruits (or veggies in this case) of my labor are ready for harvest. I tended these gorgeous tomatoes, peppers, and herbs myself, but didn't have much success with the garlic. From what I now know, garlic is grown during the winter months. Other than that, my garden was a success and today I would like to share my favorite Homemade Salsa Recipe with you.

There's nothing better than the rich, robust flavor of homemade salsa made from home-grown vegetables. However, if you don't have homegrown produce you can still enjoy this delicious recipe. Simply purchase the ingredients at your local grocery store, health food store or Farmer's Market. Enjoy!

Homemade Salsa Recipe

2-3 stalks Cilantro, stems removed, leaves finely chopped
5-6 stems Chives, finely chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 Vadalia onion, finely chopped
1 small Habaneros or Cowhorn pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 Banana or Sweet peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped
1/2 Green, Red, or Yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
3-4 vine-rippened Tomatos, chopped
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Serve with organic blue chips and enjoy!