Put the oats, fennel seed, onion and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add a little more than half of the beans, the parsley, rosemary, and tomatoes and pulse until almost smooth. Add the egg and process until everything is blended.
Spoon the mixture into a bowl. Add the remaining beans and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
Form the mixture into four patties. Spray a plate with cooking spray and place the patties on the plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. Put the patties into the pan and cook over medium high heat for 4 minutes or so. You want a nice golden brown.
Flip the patties over and continue to cook another 4 minute or so until the second side is equally as golden as the first.
Serve on buns or sandwich thins with the garnishes of your choice.
Another Meatless Monday is ready for the record books. I have to say I rather like the challenge and subsequent creativity that this little experiment is providing. As a money-saving and health enhancing exercise it is good for Mama D’s Kitchen.Â
This week’s adventure was Vegetable Hash. I must give a good bit of the inspiration to a recipe I found in Cooking Light Magazine. While the ingredients were basically the same, I took a few liberties with quantities and techniques. I added “Toads in the Hole” to my version. This is the odd name that I use to describe a slice of bread with a hole cut out of the middle in which an egg is cooked to perfection or however the eater likes it. This was a staple when my kids were growing up. It was quick, easy, and could be eaten out of hand and on the run since mornings were not always pleasant in Mama D’s house.
Added color and a spark of flavor was provided by Roma tomatoes, parsley and green onions. The eggs, of course need no introduction. An added flavor component was “Herbs de Provence”. This is a dried herb blend that includes flavors that run the gambit from savory and marjoram to fennel and lavender. My blend smelled woodsy and a little sweet and when used in the correct measure gave an interesting depth of flavor. My word to the wise is add this a little at a time. In moderation it is interesting and pleasant, but too much and it becomes an ill-mannered Frenchman.
My Recipe Notes:Â I kept this on the light side using only 2 teaspoons of olive oil. My trusty box of good chicken stock added a little moistness as needed. A non-stick fry pan gave the eggs a fighting chance to come out intact. A lid was crucial to allowing the eggs to cook properly and insure the vegetables were tender crisp. Finally, I used a mixture of shredded Romano cheese and crumbled Feta to garnish the dish. Any hard or crumbly cheese would work. Go with whatever you’ve got on hand. This could probably serve four people, but they’d be raiding the refrigerator before bedtime, so it served the two of us lavishly, but still without guilt.
This rated 5 stars on the “Dear Husband Scale” so it will be making future appearances. Vegetable Hash could wander into Fall and Winter Meatless Mondays with a change of seasonal veggies and seasonings. Hope you’ll give this a try, and as always make it your own. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Love, Mama D
Heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. Add the potatoes and onions to the pan. Sprinkle the herbs de provence on top and cook with out stirring for 5 minutes.
As you are cooking the vegetables add the chicken stock as needed to keep things moving.
Stir the potatoes and onions. Add the green beans and cook for another 3 minutes. stirring occasionally. Add the squashes and cook for 2 minutes or so.
Add the tomatoes, parsley and green onion to the pan and cook for several minutes.
Using a spatula, make four holes in the vegetable mixture. Break one egg into each of the holes. Cover and cook for 2 -4 minutes depending on how hard or soft you like your eggs.
Carefully scoop out the hash into shallow bowls. Top with the grated cheese
Meatless Monday doesn’t mean you can’t have some “meaty” flavor. Portobella mushrooms have a rich earthy flavor and dense texture that give you the “feel” of meat without the cholesterol. Steak sauce is the driving force in the marinade and quinoa provides fiber and a good amount of protein.
Wipe the mushrooms to remove any loose dirt. Remove the stems and scrape out the gills. Cut in half and then cut each half into thick slices.
To make the marinade: Mix the steak sauce, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil together in a small bowl.
Place the mushroom slices in a large zip top bag and add the marinade ingredients. Gently shake and squeeze the bag to distribute the marinade evenly. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.
To Prepare the Quinoa: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and the quinoa. Cook, stirring frequently 5 minutes or so until the quinoa is lightly browned.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Cook 20 minutes or so until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Prepare the mushrooms and onions while the quinoa cooks.
In a medium fry pan heat the remaining olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent.
Drain the mushrooms and add them to the onions. Toss to combine and cook for several minutes. You can finish cooking the mushrooms in the pan over high heat, stirring often. This will take 5 - 8 minutes. You can also finish the cooking on the grill.
To finish on the grill: heat a grill basket over high heat. Spray with non-stick olive oil spray. Add the mushroom and onion mixture and cook for 5 - 8 minutes stirring occasionally. everything should be kind of golden.
Spoon the quinoa into two shallow bowls. divide the mushroom mixture between the two bowls. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles on each serving.
