McDougall Program

Plant Based Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad With Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts (Vegan and Oil-Free)

September 20, 2019 by Veronica Grace 3 Comments

FTC Notice: This blog post contains affiliate links which go towards supporting the blog.

Pasta salad is such a great meal for picnics or lunches that can be made ahead of time and eaten for a few days. For today’s recipe I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta because it has a nice texture and chew when eaten cold and goes well with the size of the other chopped veggies. You might be wondering what I’ve used for the base of the plant based tzatziki sauce and instead of processed coconut/soy yogurt I’m using silken tofu.

With silken tofu it’s just soy milk that has been curdled and formed and instead of separating the soy curds from the whey they are set together so it’s softer and creamier. It also doesn’t have added fillers, binders, or sugar. Quite often you’ll find silken tofu cheaper than a tub of plant based yogurt as well. You can find it at any Asian market, most health food stores and of course on Amazon depending where you live. I like to keep a few on hand for make plant based “cream” sauces like my Fettuccini Alfredo from my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

Of course you can use whatever other type of pasta you like for this salad as well, just make sure that it’s bite sized and cooked to the perfect tenderness so it’s not too al dente or too soft so it doesn’t fall apart. The farfalle shape works well because it doesn’t tend to get as stuck together in the fridge or break when made ahead of time for meals later on.

This also works great for traveling. I often have people asking me what they can bring on a road trip or flight besides dried snacks. Since this pasta salad is dairy and egg free you don’t have to worry about it being food safe and it will be fine out of the refrigerator for a few hours packed in a cooler or a bag. I’ve never had an issue eating pasta salad on a plane or bringing it through security. The sauce sticks to the pasta and isn’t liquid in the bottom so it’s not a concern.

So why not give it a try? Maybe you’ll find some new lunch ideas and you’ll probably want to make the silken tofu tzatziki again and again for using as a dip, salad dressing or sauce for wraps or pitas as well!

Silken Tofu Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 recipe of Silken Tofu Tzatziki
1/2 English cucumber, chopped or a few dill pickles chopped/diced
1/2 cup packed sundried tomato halves, sliced (mine were dried not packed in oil)
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, sliced (6 cooked artichoke hearts, sliced)
454g/1 lb bag of farfalle or other pasta (you can use gluten free if you like)
Fresh dill for garnishing (if you have any left from the Tzatziki recipe)

Directions:

1. 1. 1. Make Silken Tofu Tzatziki and set aside
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt if desired. For cold pasta it will make it more flavourful.
    3. Prepare vegetables and set aside.
    4. Cook Farfalle for approximately 14 minutes or to desired tenderness in boiling salted water. You still want it to be a bit chewy but not tough or too soft and falling apart.
    5. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water when at desired tenderness until cool.
    6. Add farfalle pasta to a bowl and make sure it’s cooled down before adding remaining ingredients.
  1. Add vegetables and sauce and toss to combine.
  2. Taste test and add any additional salt or pepper now if desired
  3. Serve or portion out into containers. Best eaten within 3-4 days due to fresh ingredients in the tzatziki sauce.
  What are you favorite ingredients to add to pasta salad?

Oil-Free Plant Based Cannellini Bean Basil Pesto (Low Fat Vegan Pesto)

April 28, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

I’ve added some photos for this recipe now. It’s something I’ve been playing around with for meals and road trips/flights and had to pack quickly in tupperware and take with me. Whether you’re a lover of fresh hot pasta and veggies or cold summer pasta salad this recipe is really versatile and easy to make. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover veggies from the fridge.

I often find people asking what kind of plant based food they can bring in the car or on a plane that isn’t the same old granola bars, sandwiches, fruit, dried nuts etc. One thing I’ve found that really works is cold pasta salad. When this sauce is refrigerated it thickens up even more so it doesn’t look like a liquid at all. I’ve brought cold pesto pasta on several flights without issue and it’s nice to have something different than the same old wrap or sandwich that may potentially go mushy over time. It’s also nice that this doesn’t spoil very fast either so you don’t have to worry about eating it immediately. For the cold salad version I make a giant batch of rotini pasta and cook it al dente and then dice up raw cucumbers, raw peppers, red onion (or not), fresh green peas if you have them and stir them into the sauce and it’s amazing! For a hot pasta dinner I sautéed some of my favourite vegetables I had in the fridge and tossed them with the pasta in the pan to marry the flavours together with the sauce before serving. Please take my word on it that if you love basil, lemon and pasta you will love this recipe. It’s so fresh and tasty and I much prefer it to the standard oily and parmesan laden original pesto. I prefer to eat my food instead of wearing oil on my lips too!

This is also a great McDougall friendly option if you’re following that eating program.

Oil Free Cannellini Bean Pesto

Ingredients:

1 19 oz/540 ml can Cannellini Beans, low sodium or salt free or 2 cups cooked (any white bean should be fine)
3.5oz/100 grams/2 cups fresh basil, packed (as much basil as you can find really as we’re not using oil it needs a lot to pack flavour)
1/4 cup raw hemp seeds/hearts (or sesame or sunflower seeds)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (or to taste)
4-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon or more or less to taste)
2 small garlic cloves (or to taste)
1/4 Tsp salt or Herbamare
1/4 Tsp ground pepper

If you can only find 15 oz/425g cans of beans you can use a little extra from another can, adjust the seasonings down a little, or add 3 oz/85 grams cashews or pine nuts as well.

Directions:

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

After draining your beans and washing your basil, add all your ingredients into a food processor or high speed blender.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Blend until smooth.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Boil 1 lb/454 grams of your favourite pasta like fusilli, rotini or penne until al dente. You can use whatever kind you prefer, white, wheat, brown rice etc. I used La Molisana Fusilli Bucati Corti a cord shaped style of fusilli and cooked it in salted water for about 10 minutes.

Prep your raw or cooked veggies and sauté until just tender.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Add all your veggies, sauce and pasta to a bowl for raw, or the sauté pan for cooked and stir together.

Variations: For a hot pasta meal sauté and add to the sauce:
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cups of baby spinach
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 zucchini/courgette, sliced
1/2 package of mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil to garnish

For a cold pasta salad stir into the sauce:

1/2 English cucumber, sliced and diced
1 pint/473 grams of cherry tomatoes, whole or sliced
1/2 red bell pepper/capsicum, sliced and diced
1/2 red onion
1 cup fresh shelled green peas/snap peas
1/2 cup small broccoli florets raw or lightly steamed

Additional add ons: For a heartier meal add some cooked brown or green lentils, cubed smoked tofu or seasoned tempeh.

Have you ever made a pasta or salad dressing from white beans before? If so what was it and how did you like it?

Amazon Kitchen Gadgets

Creamy Vegan Avocado Dill Baby Potato Salad (Plant Based and Oil Free)

February 16, 2014 by Veronica Grace 13 Comments

Plant Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad Vegan Oil Free

Sometimes you get a craving for a creamy salad, especially potato salad – but how do you make it creamy and whole food based at the same time? Simple! I switch out the vegan mayo (not a condiment I use in my kitchen!) and substitute a fresh ripe avocado and mash it up and season my vegan potato salad it just like I would any other.

Except that my version is ultimately tastier than what you’re probably used to. I like to give it more kick and I up the seasonings in it so it’s truly a dish you can enjoy on it’s own or pair with a light soup or wrap. This recipe is also oil free, soy free, gluten free and nut free as well so it’s great for allergy friendly households.

So get ready to try the best plant based potato salad you’ve never had! And please tell me how much you enjoyed it once you have

Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad

Serves 4-6 side servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs/908 g small baby red skinned potatoes (or other potato of choice)
3 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1/2 white onion sliced and diced
1 Large ripe avocado (should be soft and give to pressure)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp honey, maple syrup or liquid sweetener *optional to balance the acidity in the lemon and spiciness in the mustard
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon herbamare or salt *or to taste as desired
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup dill, packed and then chopped
1/2 bunch green onions/spring onions, sliced (top green parts only)

Directions:

1. Wash potatoes and cut out any bad spots or eyes.
2. Steam, or pressure cook the potatoes gently until they are just fork tender through the centre, but al dente. Immediately run the potatoes under cold water to prevent from cooking further.
3. For best results, refrigerate cooked potatoes for about an hour until cool. (This ensures they don’t fall apart when slicing)
4. Quarter the potatoes and peel if desired.
5. Peel and mash the avocado in a small bowl. Add lemon juice, and seasonings (except fresh herbs) and stir into avocado to create a dressing.
6. Turn potatoes into a large bowl. Add the fresh herbs and avocado dressing. Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.
7. Serve or refrigerate until needed. Best consumed same day, or next day (as the avocado changes color and breaks down quickly)

What’s your favorite addition to potato salad and what type of potatoes do you like to use?

Reader Recipe: Plant-Based “Cream” of Celery Soup (Vegan)

February 3, 2014 by Veronica Grace 11 Comments

Photo credit: digidreamgrafix FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I received a wonderful recipe last week from a fellow reader named Elke White who was so kind to share this with all of us. What’s great about this cream of celery soup recipe is that it is exactly like I would have designed myself! Simple, oil free, low in fat and using fresh ingredients. Making soups this way are super easy and a great way to use up extra veggies in the fridge, or just an inexpensive meal with leftovers you can save for later in the week.

The key to a low fat vegan creamy soup recipe is actually potatoes, they’re fat free and add some heartiness and creaminess to the soup without any need for oil or cream. If you desire a little more of a creamy texture you can use a few tablespoons of almond milk if you desire, but I think this soup is delicious as is.

Feel free to also use this recipe as a template for any cream of vegetable soup recipe, you can try different root vegetables and create all sorts of combinations!

Plant Based “Cream” of Celery Soup (Vegan)

by Elke White (a fellow reader of PlantBasedU)

Ingredients:

2 packs of celery (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
3 large potatos, cooked and cubed
6 cups homemade vegetable broth or 4 cups Imagine No-Chicken broth and 2 cups water (do not use tomato based vegetable broth)
1 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried thyme or 1 TBSP fresh
2 TBSP fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Peel the strings from the outer layer of celery ribs and discard. Dice remaining celery and set aside.
2. Sauté onions in water on high heat until clear, lower the heat and add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme (add a little more water if needed, to keep spices from burning or sticking).
3. Add vegetable broth and celery, bring to boil, then add parsley and simmer (covered) for 30 minutes.
4. Add potatos and simmer for an additional 10-20 minutes or until all vegetables are soft enough to blend.
5. Use stick blender and blend until soup is creamy, or place a small amount at a time in a traditional blender and puree until smooth.

Variations:

You may also want to try adding 3 large diced carrots, or 2-3 leeks instead of the onion to switch up the flavours in this soup.

What’s your favorite cream of vegetable soup recipe? Have you ever made a vegan version before?

Spicy Plant-Based Potato and Chickpea Stew from SkinnyMs.com (Vegan)

January 14, 2014 by Veronica Grace

I have another great recipe to share with you from SkinnyMs.com that is right up your alley! Sometimes I just cannot decide what I would rather go for at night – potatoes or chickpeas… Well good news! This recipe has both so it’s hearty, filling yet still incredibly healthy and whole food based. Really you can’t go wrong and what’s even better is that is’s quick and easy to make.

I am still freezing my butt off in Canada and all I can think of is making warm easy meals that can do away with my chills. You know the ones you get when you spend all day working on your computer Although I looove having a slow cooker, sometimes I am just not that organized in the morning so having fast stove top recipes REALLY is a lifesaver. Just toss it together and voila! A one pot wonder!!

So now that I’ve got you all excited and hungry you have try this recipe and let me know what you think! P.S. Did I mention it’s gluten free as too

Spicy Plant-Based Potato and Chickpea Stew (Vegan)

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably hot
2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juices (I use Muir Glen Organics)
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (you can also try yams or sweet potatoes!)
2 cups homemade vegetable broth (or low sodium)
2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Stove top Directions: (Provided by LowFatVeganChef.com)

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions {and dry sauté or use a little water}. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute until very fragrant.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium heat and cook for 15-25 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes) or just until the potatoes are tender.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Garnish with cilantro.

Slow Cooker Directions: (Provided by SkinnyMs.com)

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions {and dry sauté or use a little water}. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute until very fragrant.

2. Transfer this mixture to your slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat until potatoes are tender and slightly thickened.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve topped with the chopped cilantro.

{This recipe was edited to omit the oil used in cooking to be in line with my reader’s preferences}

Thank you to SkinnyMs.com for allowing me to share this recipe with you!

Quick and Easy Plant-Based Mexican Black Bean Corn Soup (Vegan)

January 6, 2014 by Veronica Grace 17 Comments

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and happy new year! I cannot believe it’s 2014 now and it’s a new year here at Low Fat Vegan Chef. When the weather is cold and chilly I often like to make quick one pot meals as it’s not only warm and satisfying and makes for fewer dishes for me when all I really want to do is crawl under a blanket. This vegan black bean and corn soup recipe is SIMILAR to the one on my Comfort Soups To Keep You Warm ebook, but it is simpler and thus faster to make. Even if you have NEVER made soup before or feel like you are a novice in the kitchen (or even a terrible cook) I promise you can make this recipe.

I find it imperative to have simple hearty recipes like this on hand when I am low on ingredients or simply pressed for time and can’t make something more complicated from scratch.

Have you ever bought a store bought boxed or canned soup? Maybe now you choose those “organic” and “healthy” looking ones. Now have you ever tried them? I have to say unfortunately I have! While they may LOOK GOOD on the package, what’s inside is often so thin, watery, bland and boring it’s impossible to enjoy. In fact I usually end up tossing half of it because it’s so unappetizing.

My soup recipes are different! They have spices! Depth of flavor! Are heartier! And are actually something you’d want to make again and again. So that’s why I want to share this recipe with you, that even if you don’t have a lot of time, or money or know how to cook from scratch you CAN make something quickly that is infinitely better than what you’ll find at the store and it won’t cost you much to do so.

So check it out:

Quick and Easy Vegan Mexican Black Bean Corn Soup

This delicious soup is ready in no time and is packed full of flavour!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz. can roasted diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Organics)
1 15 oz. can black beans, low sodium or 1 2/3 cup fresh cooked (I use Eden Organics)
1 11 oz. can whole corn (low sodium AND sugar free or 1 cup frozen corn)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (low sodium or homemade)
1 tsp roasted cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp Herbamare or sea salt
2 tsp lime juice (1/2 small lime)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish

Directions:

1. In a large non stick wok, sauté the onions for 6-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or two. Add a little water if needed to prevent sticking.

2. Add the vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, drained corn and black beans and stir. Add the seasonings except the lime juice and taste test. Adjust seasonings if desired.

3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add lime juice and stir.

5. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.

What’s your favorite pairing for plant-based black bean soup?

20 Min To The Table: Rainbow Black Beans and Rice with Garlicky Citrus Kale

August 18, 2013 by Veronica Grace 16 Comments

Beans and rice are and eaten throughout the Caribbean and Latin America and it’s easy to see why! Beans are so easy and versatile to use in many dishes and can absorb all kinds of delicious flavors when seasoned with delicious spices and herbs. It’s also an extremely affordable and satisfying dish that pretty much anyone can make!

This Rainbow Black Beans and Rice is my take on an old staple, but it will also work for pinto beans or kidney beans so feel free to get creative and use what you have.

And aren’t you cooking fresh beans weekly by now with your EZ Bean Cooker or Digital Pressure Cooker? Aren’t you? I hope so. With weekly fresh beans you have to put them to use and start incorporating them in new recipes! Hopefully

Also if you’d prefer to just buy pre cooked brown rice to always have on hand you can check out Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Pouch or Steamed Brown Rice Bowls and use it for this recipe.

Video below:

For more delicious recipes please check out my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World here (and pick up an apron while you’re at it too!) To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well! The recipe follows below.

Vegan Rainbow Black Beans and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
1 tomato, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 15 oz can black beans or 3 1/2 cups fresh cooked in a little bean liquid
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash (salt free seasoning)
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2-3/4 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
handful cilantro, chopped
3 cups pre cooked brown rice (about 1 1/2 bags)
8 Corn tortillas *optional

Garlicky Citrus Kale

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of kale, stems removed
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1/4-1/2 lime juiced
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the onions, tomatoes and garlic to a pan over medium high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the bell pepper and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes just until the celery is just tender.

3. Add the beans, a little bean liquid and the seasonings and let cook 2-3 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, gently steam the kale and minced garlic in a little boiling water for 2-3 minutes just until cooked and set aside.

5. Add the cooked brown rice to the beans and veggies. Stir gently and heat for a minute. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.

6. Drain the kale and season with lime juice, salt and pepper.

7. Quickly heat the tortillas in a microwave (30 seconds) or in a flat pan just until warm and pliable.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Have you ever made rice and beans? What are your favorite seasonings to add?

20 Min To The Table: Asian Vegetable Tofu Stir Fry with Chinese Garlic Ginger Sauce

August 11, 2013 by Veronica Grace 14 Comments

Stir fry may be something many of you have made before, but I guarantee you’ve never made it with my homemade Chinese Garlic Ginger Sauce recipe. I’m going to show you how to make stir fry without any oil, but with tons of flavour. With fresh garlic, fresh ginger and a little soy sauce you can make your own delicious stir fry sauce so there’s no need to rely on store bought ones with MSG and high fructose corn syrup. You can also make it in advance to use later on and just store it in the fridge.

I’m not a fan of store bought dressings or bottled sauces because of the questionable ingredients they often contain so hopefully with my video you’ll see you can make your own and have them be just as tasty too!

To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well!

What I do to save money buying pre cooked brown or white rice (for fast meals) is to cook up a big batch in my Zojirushi 5 1/2 cup rice cooker and then I have enough for that night’s meal plus extra to store in bags or tupperware in the fridge or freezer for later. Just a note, cooked rice holds a lot of moisture and must be eaten within 3 days if left in the fridge due to bacteria growth. So please use it within this time or freeze it for food safety. Also you must let it cool before placing it in the fridge or freezer to minimize the bacteria growth as well.

Additionally if you’d prefer to just buy pre cooked brown rice to always have on hand you can check out Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Pouch or Steamed Brown Rice Bowls and microwave it shortly before your dish is ready.

20 Minutes To The Table Recipe for Episode 3

Asian Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 package firm or pressed organic tofu, sliced into cubes
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 green cabbage sliced
3-4 cups broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix (or stir fry mix)
1 bag of pre cooked brown rice or 3-4 cups fresh cooked (I used homemade)

Chinese Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth low sodium
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3-4 tbsp maple syrup or sugar (as needed to balance the spice/acidity)
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger, minced
1/2 tsp granulated onion powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
2-3 tbsp cornstarch (depending how thick you want it)

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. You have two options you can either blend it all together and gently heat it until thickened (this does produce some foam from the ginger/garlic fibre so I scooped that off) or you can just mince the ginger and garlic and put everything together in a pan and heat until thickened. Set aside.

2. Prepare the tofu and heat over medium high heat in a non stick pan. Add a little ginger garlic sauce to cook it in. Let it cook for a few minutes while you prepare your veggies.

3. Add the vegetables and stir well. Place a lid over the vegetables and cook 4-6 minutes (depending how big your vegetables are). Taste test, stopping when crisp tender. Heat your rice (if using bagged pre cooked rice) in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.

4. Drizzle in some more sauce and toss to combine.

5. Serve stir fry over rice and drizzle with more sauce as desired.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite stir fry ingredients? What sauce do you usually pair them with?

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme (Gluten Free)

July 7, 2013 by Veronica Grace 22 Comments

Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to be enjoying outdoor barbecues and picnics. Everyone wants to enjoy a freshly grilled hamburger or veggie burger. But making your own is quite easy and insanely tasty without using oils or refined soy products. My chickpea quinoa burgers are soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free so they will work for everyone no matter how they eat. If you’ve ever made homemade hamburgers or wanted to, you can make these.

A simple food processor is such a versatile tool for making your own chickpea quinoa burgers. Mine isn’t anything fancy, just a basic mid sized one and it’s perfect for pulsing various ingredients to use in veggie burgers.

I like to top my veggie burgers with some fresh hummus (see my chickpea hummus here or my yam/sweet potato hummus here), sautéed mushrooms and onions (I use a little soy sauce and maple syrup to flavor them), lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. Cucumbers also work well in place of tomatoes for this chickpea quinoa burger as well as spicy mustard.

Find a nice whole grain bun or roll, toast the insides and top your veggie burger with all your favorite toppings. I also highly recommend some of my Summer salad recipes to go along with it such as Avocado Dill Potato Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Shaved Asparagus Salad, Costa Rican Cabbage Salad, Sweet and Savory Asian Salad, or Rock my Broccoli Salad. So now that your head is spinning with delicious Summer recipes let’s get grillin’! Mmm hmm.

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme

Makes 10-12 patties (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed yam/sweet potato, cooled (1 medium yam, cooked)
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cans chickpeas, drained and patted dry
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (stems removed)
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled (I used 1/2 cup dry mix of white and red)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste

Directions:

1. Poke holes in your yam and bake at 400 F for an hour or until tender inside. Set aside until cool.

2. Cook quinoa with a 1:1 ratio of vegetable broth or water in a pressure cooker or on the stove. (See my directions here)

3. In a food processor, add the garlic and onion and pulse until chopped finely. Add the chickpeas, thyme, lemon zest and juice and pulse until chopped and well combined. Scoop out flesh from yam (discard peel) and to food processor along with quinoa, pepper and salt. Pulse until well combined.

4. Form into equal sized balls and place on a non stick sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until needed.

5. Pre heat a pan or barbecue and press patties gently until slightly flatted and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once. Be careful to move gently so they don’t fall apart.

6. Serve on buns or lettuce wraps. (I find using a bun slightly bigger than the patty works best as they will squish a bit when eaten.

7. Store any patties in an air tight container and refrigerate or freeze until needed. (Leaving them uncooked is best).

Variations:

You can also use fresh dill instead of thyme if you wish for variety.

Also check out my Smoky Yam Black Bean Burger Recipe.

Have you ever made your own veggie burgers? What do you like to top your burgers with?

Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad

May 19, 2013 by Veronica Grace 12 Comments

Plant Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad Vegan Oil Free

Now that it’s Spring and some of us are thinking about barbecuing, picnics and potlucks, I thought it was the perfect time to dig out this recipe I haven’t yet shared with you. It’s a delicious twist on potato salad using avocados instead of mayonnaise. I’m sure many of you have loved potato salad and often enjoyed it in the summer with your families. But traditional potato salads are really rich and not very healthy because of the mayonnaise and sometimes eggs they contain.

This version of potato salad is much better for you and is packed full of flavour. I particularly love the addition of celery and dill to this potato salad recipe. In fact, I’m sure it will become a family favorite and you’ll no longer crave the store bought kind.

I like to use baby red skinned potatoes for this, but you can use whatever waxy potatoes you like. Leave them skinned, or peel them your choice! Since mashed avocado is perishable you’ll want to eat this recipe the same day or the next day for best results. Enjoy!

Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad

Serves 4-6 side servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs/908 g small baby red skinned potatoes (or other potato of choice)
3 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1/2 white onion sliced and diced
1 Large ripe avocado (should be soft and give to pressure)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp honey, maple syrup or liquid sweetener *optional
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon herbamare or salt *or to taste as desired
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup dill, packed and then chopped
1/2 bunch green onions/spring onions, sliced (top green parts only)

Directions:

What’s your favorite addition to potato salad and what type of potatoes do you like to use?