Hummus-Flavored Chickpea Burgers [gluten-free, soy-free, vegan]

Sorry I have been so MIA! So here is a springtime recipe that might inspire you to fire up the grill!

Hummus-Flavored Chickpea Burgers

Because everyone loves hummus, these chickpea burgers are a favourite alternative for something new between the bun. Because they are delicate, they need to be panfried, but for that bbq flavor, re-heat them on a grill tray or piece of foil before serving.

 Makes 6 burgers

3 tablespoons warm
1 tablespoon flaxmeal
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 medium carrot, grated using a hand grater
3 tablespoons red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon chickpea flour (or other gluten-free flour… but chickpea flour has the best flavor)
Zest from 1 small lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons coconut oil, for frying

Line a plate with waxed paper.

Mix together the warm water and flaxmeal. Set aside for 5 minutes, until thickened. Put the chickpeas, carrot, onion, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, tahini, flour, zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is chunky but sticks together if you press it in your hand. If you find that the mixture is getting too smooth but the ingredients aren’t well mixed, use a spoon to incorporate them. Adjust seasonings to taste. Use your hands to form the mixture into 6 patties, putting each one on the waxed paper. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Heat a stainless steel or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of the oil, making sure the bottom of the skillet is covered. Once the oil is hot, cook patties, 3 at a time (depending on the size of your skillet), for about 5 to 8 minutes per side, until crisp and browned. Carefully flip the burger, adding more oil beforehand if necessary, and continue to cook until browned on the other side and warmed through, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately or let cool and store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.

Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant) [gluten-free, vegan]

One thing is for certain: true cultural cooking cannot be purchased pre-made from our grocer’s freezer, primarily because of the one similarity that spreads across each kitchen: a focus on fresh, whole ingredients, mingling with ethnic delicacies, all with a personalized touch.

One amazing benefit to eating vegan is how many options are available when we dine on dishes from other cuisines. While plenty of American and Canadian dishes depend on meat and dairy, others focus more on versatile beans, a wide variety of grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables, with herbs and spices as the main flavor enhancers. What’s more, a lot of these dishes are naturally gluten-free.

Am I an expert in cooking dishes highlighting other cultures? Absolutely not. But I really like to try.

Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)

Dinner from the garden: stuffed zucchini [vegan, gluten-free]

Though I can’t grow much on my balcony, I’m thankful that I have family willing to share the fruits (vegetables?) of their labour. I hiked the .3km to my sister’s this afternoon and snagged some zucchini as big as my thigh. Though some people don’t love the huge zucchinis, they are my favourite and I hate that I can’t find them in stores! So when my sister and my grandmother offer some up, I’m more than happy to take them.

Dinner was simple tonight, but so delicious I wanted to share.

Kelp Noodle Stirfry with Tofu, Veggies, and Tamarind Sauce [gluten-free, vegan]

Becoming increasingly popular, kelp noodles are a sea vegetable that is formulated with–you guessed it!–kelp, sodium alginate, and water. They are naturally gluten-free and vegan, and I’m pretty sure every bag I have seen says “gluten-free” right on the package.

Quick creamy sauce for anything (gluten-free, vegan)

While getting over the flu, I’m always craving those warming comfort foods. One of them is something my mom used to make when we were kids, and to be honest, I’m not really sure what it was. All I remember was a creamy sauce with a hint of mushrooms, served over no-yolk noodles. There were peas in there, too, along with chicken (which, though I wasn’t a vegan until I was older, never liked).

I wanted to create a similar sauce and incorporate what I had in my fridge. I also was a little pasta’d out (I was eating it for a couple of days which ridden with the flu, and, let’s be honest, since it didn’t stay down, I’m a little turned off of it for a while).

Portabello pizzas with quick pizza sauce and almond parmesan

With so much going on, new posts always go on the back burner. It isn’t a matter of recipes — it’s a matter of the photos… shrinking them so they aren’t as huge, in particular.

So my question is, is there a quick and easy way to do this?

That being said, I’ll post it up in it’s huge form as to not neglect additional posts. There are so many in the queue, photoless, because opening and working with iPhoto tends to slow down my old Mac.

So while I take time to do that, I need to make a quick dinner… and portabello pizzas are super quick and tasty when you’re crazing that pizza flavor.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew (gluten-free, vegan)

I’ll be honest. I’ve never been to Morocco. Or even close by. Or outside of the ten or so states and two provinces I’ve visited. So I’ll tell you right now–with my lack of travel and limited access to ingredients, this Moroccan Chickpea Stew might be balked at in Morocco.

But that’s okay. Because it’s darn delicious.

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Winter Brazil Nut Pesto (gluten-free, vegan)

Time sure gets away from you this time of year! Unfortunately, it’s still not beginning to look a lot like Christmas with these temperatures! And considering our record rain pouring the last couple of days… I’m actually wanting snow.

This has never happened before.

Pecan Pie Teff Porridge (Vegan MoFo #7)

It’s getting pretty chilly out. And I don’t like it. And I never get used to it. And I don’t think I ever will. Yes, I am complaining over something that I should change, but because I can’t change it right now, I’ll complain a little.

However, there is a silver lining! I bought a winter jacket. So maybe, after all these years of wearing a (really warm) vest, I, in fact, won’t  hate the winter for its chilly-ness!

Maybe that was the key all along. We’ll see.

Vegan MoFo: Vegan Month of Food (yep, off to a late start)

Three days ago marked the first day of Vegan Mofo. If you’re not familiar, this term refers to Vegan Month of Food. While that sounds delicious and intriguing in itself, let me explain. The short version is that food bloggers aim to write as much as they can all month long about (you guessed it!) vegan food.