Veggie Burgers with No SOY!

Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1/3 cup onion (coarsely chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 egg (I used http://www.ener-g.com/egg-replacer.html)
2 Tbs BBQ sauce 

(I used 1 Tbs ketchup, 1/2 molasses 1/2 tomato paste because most BBQ sauces are too spicy for the kids)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (freshly ground)
1/3 cup gf flour
1/2 cup gf breadcrumbs (I used leftover crust from Udi's)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
6 Udi's buns (rolls)

Preparation Steps:
Drain and rinse beans with cold water.
Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
Add beans, onions, garlic, egg substitute, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oil, salt and pepper to food processor or blender
Pulse until beans are the size of peas.
Place pulsed mixture into a large bowl.
Add flour and stir until evenly mixed.
Add bread crumbs and mix well.
Add nutritional yeast and mix well, it will be thick and sticky
Divide mixture into six portions.
Flour your hands and shape into 1/2-inch thick burgers

The burgers may be refrigerated in a sealed container for 1 day or frozen until ready to grill.
I used my grill pan and cooked them over med-high heat about 3-4 minutes each side

(Oil your grill and preheat grill to medium-high. Place burgers on grill. Barbecue with lid down until hot, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes.)

Serve on buns with desired toppings i.e. pickles, onions, tomatoes, salsa.
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They were kid and husband tested. Eric came in the kitchen and asked what I was making and was skeptical, since I have flopped too many times with veggie burger. However, he gave me the thumbs up to make them again. I plan on making a large batch, stack them layered with wax paper and freezing them.
I am so excited
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The original recipe
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Easy-Veggie-Burgers-Recipezaar?utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website

Cool Nutty Noodles

Oh how I love new recipes and making old ones better. I was in a bit of a rut with new recipe ideas. I have been over at Happy Herbivore for some inspiration. I am sometimes a little nervous about certain ingredients but her recipe of Cool Noodles added a new twist to my Nutty noodles!


*inspired by Happy Herbivore and my Nutty noodle recipe
16 oz corn spaghetti
3/4-1c peanut butter or sunflower butter (I tried almond butter and it was ok but not great)
1/4 c rice milk
2-3 Tb gf soy sauce or Bragg's amino acid
2 limes juiced
1/2 english cucumber peeled, julienne cut 2" long
handful of Trader Joe's shredded carrots
2 green onions julienne cut
handful of cilantro coarsely chopped
red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook pasta accordingly to directions, drain and set aside.
In small saute pan, whisk peanut butter, milk, and soy sauce over med/low heat, until creamy.
In a large bowl toss noodles, sauce and lime juice together. Make sure to coat the noodles. (This ensures them to not dry out in the refridgerator) Toss in carrots, cucumber and green onions.
Garnish with cilantro and little red pepper flakes if you like a little heat!

This recipe is great warm or cold
Enjoy!

Simple Questions

I asked these questions awhile ago and I thought I would revisit them

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Enzo-nothing
Kira- I love you Kira

2. What makes mom happy?
Enzo-to listen to you
Kira-when I talk to you

3. What makes mom sad?
Enzo--when i not doing what you ordered
Kira-when i go to school

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Enzo-by tickling me
Kira- by tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Enzo-you listened to your momma
Kira-you had cats and dogs

6. How old is your mom?
Enzo- eight or nine
Kira- 21

7. How tall is your mom?
Enzo-89, 60, 70
Kira- 20 

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Enzo-be with us
Kira-make something with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Enzo-go to work
Kira-go to work or watch Enzo

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Enzo- a movie star
Kira-a peacock

11. What is your mom really good at?
Enzo-cooking
Kira-making stuff

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Enzo-being a movie star
Kira-really hard things

13. What does your mom do for a job?
Enzo-managing
Kira-you be a manager

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
Enzo- green stuff
Kira- pancakes


15.What makes you proud of your mom?
Enzo- being nice to you
Kira- when we talk together

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Enzo-a mom
Kira-snoopy

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Enzo-talk with each other
Kira-we make crafts together

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Enzo-because we like each other
Kira- because we have the same color hair

19. How are you and your mom different?
Enzo-we are not in the same body
Kira- you are bigger and I am smaller

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Enzo-because you dance with me
Kira- because we snuggle with each other

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
Enzo-(he was done with the interview )
Kira-because I love him

22.What is your mom's favorite thing to do?
Enzo-nothing
Kira- cook

Bread Maker and Life

I borrowed a bread maker from a friend to see if I would possibly want to get one for my birthday.
I used my recipe for gf bread and it turned out amazing. Instead of following all of the details of the recipe, I simply put together all of the wet ingredients and sugar. Then I mix all the dry ingredients except yeast. In the baking pan I put the wet ingredients in first, cover it with the dry then, I make a shallow well and put the yeast in it and make sure it doesn't get wet. Press start and let it do what it does.  So easy and quick. In fact, I am going to use the timer mode and make bread to be ready in the morning! I am pretty excited.
Plus a loaf of really tasty gf bread store bought is about $6 and this costs me about $2 a loaf.
So now that I told you what I am up today, I should probably fill you in on life in general.
It has been a long, tiring and stressful nine months since starting work full time. I feel like I have had a baby.
I am tired, out of shape and feel like I have had the life sucked out of me.
The restaurant, my baby, is doing well. I finally feel like it is doing what it should be doing. The staff is great and improving constantly. We are doing wine education and everyone is really putting the effort forward to learn. Sales are up and the regulars are coming in more frequently too.
The other great news is I finally have two days off in a row! I have been working six to seven days a week for the the last 39 weeks. I now have Sunday and Monday off. I almost don't know what to do.....almost.
I am enjoying Sunday with my family and doing a few errands. Mondays after I drop Kira off at school, Enzo and I are going to have a breakfast date. He is excited and so am I.
I am planning on getting rest and enjoying my time with my family and making an effort to do more things for them and with them.
Speaking of rest, goodnight!

Kira's Kindergarten Graduation

 Last day of kindergarten

 I think she is excited

 They did not have the music so we all hummed the graduation song

Cap and gown

 Her class

 So proud

 So big!

 the family

 Her teacher

 Ice Cream Social

 Enzo shared with dad

Special Lunch at my work

Camping at Plaskett Creek

We did it! We got away! Only for the night but still we got away.

We went to Plaskett Creek, my favorite campsites, up Highway 1.

Kira immediately met another little girl from Fresno and they were two peas in a pod the whole time.

It was nice because she included Enzo too in they games

It was nice to not have cell phone reception and not have anyone call me!!

 Sunday we drove up and set up camp.

 I took countless pictures, just because

 We walked around the camp and went to a trail by the bluff.

Love those kids! 

 We had hot dogs and gluten free buns. Gluten free graham crackers and s'mores.

 

Even though it was only one night, it was still fun and relaxing

April Showers Brought May Flowers

Well, hello there!

How are you all? I am doing well and happy to be writing to you tonight.
I have missed writing and doing so many things these last few months.
Work got a bit nutty but I feel like we have a got most of the kinks out and are getting back to being a well oiled machine. I was putting more hours in than I would have liked to and I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel as though I am able to step back a bit and let the restaurant do what it is capable of doing.
I am still working Monday through Friday lunches and then a couple nights. My hours have decreased a little and I am relieved. I think my husband is too!

I can not believe that it is May already! So many wonderful things going on this month! This week I get to see my dear sweet friend who lives in Kenya now. Next week I get to be part of one of my best friend's weddings out in Florida! A girl's weekend and I am not quite sure what to do with myself. School is almost out.

Last week for spring break my sweet momma came up and watched the kids while they were on spring break. She did all of my laundry, shopping, cooking and cleaning for a week! I am so spoiled and I loved every minute of it. I realized it had been four months since I saw her last. Crazy!

Anywho, it is nice to catch my breath and connect with you all and say hello.
I hope I can connect more often as I feel my schedule freeing up a bit.
Hope you are well and loving the weather, it is gorgeous here, but my allergies are gnarly, oh well.
Talk with you soon!