Sweet and Spicy, Orange Pan Glazed Tofu

I’m convinced I’m going to be found in our apartment trapped under three years of Rachael Ray magazines. They’re stacked high on top of our bookcase, next to the back issues of Martha Stewart Living, unread.

I can’t bring myself to throw them away. Who tosses out the secrets to an amazing souffle or how to make a ribbon wreath just in time for the holidays? I’m obviously assuming what’s in those magazines as I have yet to open a single issue.

I blame Costco. They’re the gateway to buying things you don’t really need. Where else would I gain the mindset that I need to buy three years of Rachael Ray Magazine?

There are, of course, worse things you could buy in bulk. Like three hundred rolls of toilet paper. Who needs three hundred rolls of toilet paper? Or rather, where would you store them without it becoming a hazard in your home? Being found under a year supply of toilet paper is far worse than a bunch of magazines. It leads to questions like, “Why did you need all of this?  Are you feeling alright?” as the person eyes your bathroom.

It was at Costco where I stumbled upon a case of tofu.  Ok, stumbled is a stretch. I practically ran into the place, glass eyed and salivating. With my mother’s club card in hand, I was ready to spend some money. I mean, save money. That’s the purpose of a wholesale club, right?

An hour later I came home with a full trunk and a receipt that took about a minute to print out at the register.  (And maybe a “possible fraudulent alert” sent to my Gmail from my credit card company.)

“No one needs a case of tofu,” Roo said, as he helped me lift the bags out of the trunk.

“I’m half Asian. Of course I need a case of tofu.”

No one needs a case of tofu.

A pan fried tofu recipe with a spicy and sweet sauce however, is something of a necessity. Just don’t buy a case worth of ingredients, ok?

Southwestern Salad with Lime, Cumin and Oregano Dressing

With cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers, cucumbers, black beans, red onion, avocado and tortilla chips

For the past two years, Roo and I would go to a bar near his uncle’s townhouse before climbing Beacon Hill to watch the fireworks.

The first year I may have had too many drinks on an empty stomach; stumbling on seemingly flat cobblestone paths and wondering why the townhouse’s doors were so hard to open.

The second year I learned my lesson and didn’t pass on the appetizers Roo ordered. (While I may have found Jack Williams commentating on the 4th amusing¹, most of the guests did not.)

This year the party was canceled, which left Roo and I to debate if we’d go downtown by ourselves or stay home.

“The Fourth is my favorite holiday.”

“Really? Because all this time, I had no idea.”

“Oh stop,” I said, crossing my arms, “you knew.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean we should go down to the Esplanade at 6 a.m. to fight for a spot, only to suffer from heat stroke by noon.”

“I heard it’s supposed to rain on Wednesday.”

“Even better!”

“Well, what do you want to do, Mr. My-Favorite-Holiday-Is-Christmas-So-I-Shouldn’t-Even-Have-A-Say.”

“One, Christmas is awesome. There are presents, a tree that makes your house smell great, and Irish Coffees to drink in front of the fireplace. And two, we could make our own sangria.”

“I don’t know how a smelly tree can beat fireworks, but you had me at sangria.”

¹ Because he acted like he wasn’t wearing pants behind the anchor desk, of course.

Tunisian Soup

The house is strangely quiet tonight.

Roo left an hour ago to meet up with a friend from college at a local bar.

It’s just me, the cats and the sound of rain.

While it would be tempting to have dinner with the tv blaring, staring vacantly at whatever program I happen to come across, I’d rather just sit.

And listen.

Taste.

And enjoy the quiet company that I have.

Baked Falafel

This is basically the second part to the Falafel Nachos post I wrote up yesterday.

Falafel is typically deep fried; a reason why I don’t eat it very often, despite a great restaurant serving it on a daily basis near my workplace.

However, when find myself at home craving the crunchy, creamy chickpea ball filled with bold spices, I bake it.

That’s not a typo, I do bake it.

It’s quick to make, as you throw all the ingredients in a food processor to be chopped and combined.  The mixture is then rolled into balls, placed on a greased cookie sheet, flattened and then baked in the oven.

Bright lemon, earthy cumin and aromatic cilantro, encapsulated by a soft, pleasant crunch, makes it a tasty snack or even better, a great component of your nachos for game day.

Sloppy Joes with Spicy Mango, Lime and Avocado Slaw

I was going to post about a skillet quinoa cornbread for today, but I ended up hating it. I tried to like it (like carrot cake), and I even made it twice to prove that it wasn’t the recipe, but that I did something wrong.

I didn’t.

Maybe I’ll post it at a later date, but right now, it’s just far too herby, it didn’t crumble like I wanted it to, and it was just….gross.

Roo did try to make me feel better by saying if I covered it with marinara sauce it would be good.

I may have pictured his face melting off after that.

Anyway, 3 cups of quinoa later, I’m giving you guys Sloppy Joes.

More or less because I am in such a sloppy state…

My hormones have been absolutely out of control today.  Granted, it’s that special week, where some single 30-somethings may cry about this “time of the month,” for another missed opportunity to bear children…wait, am I the only one who finds humor in Elliot’s awkward honesty from Scrubs?

Probably.

Well for me, I just want to stuff salty, savory meals intomymouth.

Out of peanut butter? Violently throw salted peanuts into the food processor and not “pulse,” but actually hold down the button, yelling at the blade to hack up the nuts faster, smoother, I want creamy, dammit!  Slather said freshly made peanut butter onto hacked open apple. Devour.

Why don’t we have any chips? Cry and wail (wailing is key), after bending finger nail backward when trying to open popcorn kernel container.  Then, like a starved hyena, tear into the “safety seal” with teeth.  Once the lid is off, smash a measuring cup into the container, throw kernels into an oiled pot and crank the heat to high, just to get it to. pop. faster. GAH! Pop faster!!! 

And why oh why is our Keurig still broken?  And why hasn’t Cuisinart sent the replacement machine yet?  And why is the Starbucks barista looking at me like I’m a meth addict demanding their next fix when I ask why the soy pumpkin spice latte isn’t vegan?  What do you mean the pumpkin spice syrup has dairy? Am I lactose intolerant? No, but I can’t have dairy. What do you mean, what do I mean, “I can’t have dairy?”  It’s VeganMoFo!!!! Oh my god, please, just please give me something, anything.  My mind feels like it’s melting out of my ears while I am exploding, not out of pants with an actual waistline, but leggings. How can you feel uncomfortable in leggings!?!

Yeah, my day kind of went like that.

At lunch time, I decided on Sloppy Joes because I wanted to throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and not have to worry about it.  But then halfway through I wanted something more than just “(fake) meat sauce.”  I wanted more spice.  I wanted bright flavors, like lime, and maybe something sweeter.  Maybe even something creamy.

I wanted the slaw that I made the other night.  But…different.

What came about was a mango lime slaw with red pepper flake (when do I not put in red pepper flake?) and slices of avocado folded in.  When I piled it on top of the thick slice of grilled artisan bread and joe-sauce, I didn’t care that it looked like it wouldn’t be able to fit into my mouth.

I like my sandwiches, how I like my men: tall.

The bread grilled with (vegan) butter enveloped a sauce that was full of body (um, from beer…rough day people!), earthy from toasted cumin, and slightly tangy from the tomato paste that was able to reduce down into something almost velvety.  Unlike a strange pairing you remember from a childhood school dance, the spicy, mango and lime slaw, with generous amounts of avocado, embraced the joe-sauce like they were meant to be, all along.  Without sweaty hands.  I’m thinking of you, MF.

And if there’s anything that can cure you of “your week,” this is it.  At least, if only during the time you’re eating.

–

Sloppy Joes Adapted from Delish Meglish (warning, link is not vegan!)

Slaw Adapted from Oven Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with a Spicy Bright Slaw

Serves Four Generously

–

Ingredients

For the Slaw

2 cups purple cabbage, very finely sliced (about half a small head of cabbage…If you only have green on hand, you can use that)

1 mango, cut into easily edible pieces

1 avocado, cut into easily edible pieces

Half cup of red onion, diced (we love red onion, so if you’re not much of a fan, try a quarter)

4 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped (um, we also love cilantro…start with 2 and taste in case you’re weary)

2 limes, juiced by hand

1 green chile pepper, diced (optional)

Red pepper flake to taste (I used about a tablespoon, but I love heat. If you don’t, start with half a teaspoon and then adjust.)

Salt to taste

For the Sloppy Joes

1 (8 oz.) square of Tempeh

2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium sized onion, diced

6 – 8 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of red pepper flake

3 teaspoons of ground cumin

1 bottle of pale ale beer (about one and a half cups)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

2 tablespoons of capers, minced

4 teaspoons of chili powder (I love heat, if you don’t, start with 2)

–

Equipment

A medium mixing bowl

Tongs (or you can toss the slaw with your hands)

A Sharp Knife

A Spatula

A Large Saute Pan

A Steamer basket and a large pot with lid, or a large pot and colander to steam the Tempeh with (and something to cover the colander with)

–

In a medium mixing bowl, add the purple cabbage, red onion, cilantro, mango and avocado (and if using, green chile pepper).  Add the lime juice, red pepper flake and salt.  Toss and taste.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Set aside.

Fill a large pot halfway with water and insert either a steamer basket or your colander.  Make sure that the water level isn’t high enough to touch the steamer basket or the colander.  Place the pot over a burner on high heat and bring the water to a boil.  Place the tempeh in either the steamer basket or the colander very carefully.  Cover the pot/colander.  Steam the tempeh for about 15 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large saute pan and place the pan on a burner over medium high heat.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the diced onion.  Stir occasionally until the onion is golden brown, about five to seven minutes.  Add the red pepper flake, garlic and cumin.  Cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.  Add the beer, soy sauce and tomato paste.  Stir until combined.  Add the capers and chili powder.  Stir till combined.  Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to keep the sauce at a simmer.

With a sharp knife, dice the tempeh.  Add the tempeh to the sauce and stir till combined.  Simmer the sauce for about fifteen to twenty minutes, until it’s reduced to the consistency you want.

Once the sauce is ready, remove it from heat, and start assembling your sandwiches!

Oven Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with a Spicy, Bright Slaw

This past week I’ve had lunch with two of my colleagues nearly everyday; sitting behind glass windows that overlooked the parking lot filled with rain puddles and people scurrying between buildings, clad in knee high wellies and wind proof umbrellas.  My colleagues would tuck into lunches, looking absolutely drained, mumbling about how they missed summer and wondering when the rain would stop.  While they both have been working busy days, filled with experiments that may or may not have failed, I felt that they had taken this transition of seasons quite hard.  And with the chilling rain, it’s probably a difficult change for most.

I have welcomed fall with open arms as I love the cooler weather in my kitchen.  Baking loaves of bread, simmering soups, and roasting potatoes were all things that I missed in what became my sweatshop during the summer.  While I love all the sun ripened produce, practically dripping in their own honey, cooking dinner after work was something I rarely looked forward to during those months.

We ate salads, so many salads, and my form of afterwork meditation, baking, was to only be done either before dawn (I’m crazy, yeah…), or on the rare days that it didn’t break 80F.  For me, it felt more like a chore than something I love.

But for those who are missing the sunshine, these bright flavored tacos are a great meal to look forward to in your lunch box, despite what you see outside.  Peppery red onion, warmth from the red pepper flake, and lovely acid tones from the lime make this essential slaw piled on top of the earthy, cumin spiced beans and roasted sweet potato, what I hope, a welcomed dish for my colleagues.

–

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Serves 2 (We were HUNGRY!)

–

Ingredients

For the Potatoes:

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into easily edible pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lime, juiced by hand

red pepper flake to taste (I used about half a tablespoon, but I LOVE heat)

salt to taste

For the Slaw:

2 cups purple cabbage, very finely sliced (about half a small head of cabbage…If you only have green on hand, you can use that)

Half cup of red onion, diced (we love red onion, so if you’re not much of a fan, try a quarter)

4 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped (um, we also love cilantro…start with 2 and taste in case you’re weary)

2 limes, juiced by hand

Red pepper flake to taste (I used about a tablespoon, but again, see above)

Salt to taste

For the Beans:

1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about half a cup)

2 teaspoons of ground cumin (I love cumin, again, this is your recipe, taste as you go!)

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

Corn tortillas (we used four)

Another tablespoon of olive oil to pan fry the tortillas in

–

Equipment

A cookie sheet

Aluminum foil (optional) to cover your cookie sheet (if you’re lazy like me)

2 medium sized mixing bowls

A spatula

2 sauté pans

A sharp knife

A plate lined with paper towels

–

Place your oven rack in the middle position in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 425F.  Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, red pepper flake, lime juice and salt.  Place the potatoes onto the cookie sheet and bake until they’re fork tender.  After about twenty minutes in the oven, remove the cookie sheet and move the potatoes around, ensuring that they bake evenly.  Once the potatoes are fork tender, remove them from the oven and set aside.

After placing the potatoes in the oven, add the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, red pepper flakes, lime juice and salt to a medium bowl.  Toss the ingredients together till combined.  Set aside.

Pour the olive oil into your saute pan and place the pan over medium heat.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about five to seven minutes, until the onion is golden brown.  Add the ground cumin and cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.  Add the beans, stirring them into the onions and cumin, until incorporated.  Cook the beans until they are warm.  Add salt to taste.  Set aside.

In your second saute pan, add a little oil, and place the pan over medium heat.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the tortilla, and cook for about a minute or two, on each side.  The tortilla should be lightly browned on each side.  Place tortillas on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.

Assemble your tacos, placing plenty of slaw on top.  Remember, slaw is key.

Yum Yum Soup

It feels like Roo and I have been traveling practically every weekend this past month.

We went to a wedding in Maine, Roo tagged along with me to Virginia for work, and now I’m due to go back to my parents’ house to deal with the car that I “dropped off.”

Parents are smart.

They know when you’re trying to dump stuff at their place for “storage.”

They especially don’t like it when their retirement nirvana is no longer, due to a rusted, three-wheeled, no longer smells of Teen Spirit Outback station wagon that has been parked outside their house for months.

When I dropped it off I told them it’d be taken away by <insert charity I’m donating it to> in a week.

Whoops.

Yes, I’m far from perfect.

Dare I say they raised me, so they should have known it was bad news when the tow truck dropped off the car while they were away on vacation?

What, I forgot to mention that?

Procrastination.  Yes, my parents may have dropped the ball about setting me right with that one.

Being obsessed with spices?  My mother can take the credit for instilling that in me.

Growing up, it was like being audience to an at-home cooking show (but faster, almost manic, fueled by “wine spritzers” and laughs…I should call her…).

My mother’s constant chatter while cooking (she called it “creating”) was informative as any Food Network Star’s dream pilot.  She’d tell me what she loved about that dish, why, how the ingredients all worked together, and demanded that I taste.

Everything.

And when I was flipping through one of my newly acquired cookbooks (for fun, I have a problem) today, I spotted a flavor combination that I knew I’d like, and probably love, with a couple adjustments.

Cumin, garam masala, curry powder.

In a soup?  With peanut butter?

Uh, and coconut milk?

No really, it works.

It has heat, it’s full of body from the coconut milk, and the peanut butter adds a little “something,” that makes the soup quite complex for one that’s whipped up within an hour.

As for what the heck to call it, yes, I really was waving my hands up in the air, not wanting to list every ingredient in the soup to make sense as to what it is.

I stand by the name.

–

Yum Yum Soup, Adapted from Peas and Thank You Cookbook

Serves Four Generously

–

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

One and a half teaspoons curry powder

Three quarter teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 fifteen ounce diced tomatoes (with juice)

Two and a half cups low sodium sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)

1 half can (fourteen ounce) of light coconut milk

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 cup potato, diced or sliced thinly (size depending on what you like in your soup, and how quickly you’d like it to cook)

Half cup of red lentils, drained and rinsed

1 fourteen ounce can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

–

Equipment

A sharp knife

A large pot with a lid

A colander

A spatula

–

Place the large pot with olive oil on an oven burner over medium high heat.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the diced onion.  Stir occasionally with a spatula till the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic.  Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Push aside the onions and garlic, to make a bare spot for your spices to be added.  Add the spices (curry powder, garam masala, cumin and ginger).  Let sit until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Stir the spices into the onions and garlic.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot.  Stir to combine.

Bring the soup to a simmer.

Simmer on low heat for thirty minutes slightly covered, or until potatoes are tender (if they were cut small, they should cook quickly) and the lentils are soft.

Add salt to taste.

Lentils with Caramelized Onions

It has been a very eventful day for the kitties.

Both Evil Monkey

and Stinkee

(yes, those are their real names) had their annual appointment.  Unfortunately, they haven’t been in their individual cat carriers since Roo brought them home from the shelter a year ago.  They also haven’t ventured outside our apartment, like our over-stimulating porch, since Monkey threatened to launch herself off the ledge while chasing a house sparrow.

Roo was left alone to get them into their carriers and bring them to the vet, as I had to work.  And according to Roo, it was a bit of production.  The short of it being that they wanted nothing to do with leaving the apartment.  And there were escapes.  And tantrums.  And mewing.  Lots of mewing.

Luckily that morning was not an indicator of how the actual appointment was, as the kitties were very well behaved.  They sat still for their physical exams and shots, only to mew the whole way there, and the whole way back.  Roo felt quite bad for them, especially when the vet suggested that if it was for only once a year, the cats would be fine in their individual carriers, but more than that, then perhaps they would be happier in something more spacious.  Irish Catholic Guilt is the only level of remorse I can describe for how Roo felt.

Now, don’t feel too bad for them, as the kitties have slept it off and are up to their usual shenanigans of finding new places to explore,

finding new places to call a bed,

no no, this bed is much better,

and claiming things that don’t belong to them.

Needless to say with that last photo, I think they’ve forgiven Roo.

As for me I came home pretty uninspired as to what to cook for dinner.  After asking on Facebook what I should make, my friend JS suggested mujadara.  Mujadara, is a wonderfully creamy dish featuring lentils, rice and spices that I love such as cinnamon and cumin.  Unfortunately mujadara seemed a little heavy for me, but I couldn’t get the idea of lentils out of my head.  I love how a tiny legume has such a complex flavor profile.  They’re peppery, soft and creamy, all in one bite.  And, they’re filling, healthy and cheap!  What girl doesn’t love affordable ingredients?

In the end I decided to do an take on Mujadara, with my three favorite components of the dish: lentils, caramelized onions, and cumin.  It’s still peppery from the lentils, creamy, and a bit sweet from the caramelized onion, and has a lovely, earthy heat from the cumin.  I am seriously addicted to cumin.  And red pepper flake.  I think I need spice rehab.

Now I’m going to warn you.  Unlike the pictures of the kitties, this dish is not cute.  In fact, I’d say it’s uglier than “ugly salsa.”  It may be the ugliest dish I’ve ever made.  But try to remember back when your (insert parent) read to you at bedtime and it ended with the important moral of the story.  No, I’m not talking about don’t talk to strangers.  How else are you going to get free candy?

Lentils with Caramelized Onions

Serves Four As a Side

–

Ingredients

One cup of lentils

Three to four large onions, thinly sliced (this may seem like a lot of onion, but it’ll cook down, and it’s so so good)

One teaspoon of cumin (if it’s your first time using cumin, start with half)

Three to Four tablespoons of olive oil (at least enough to coat the pan for the onions)

Salt to taste

–

Equipment

A large saute pan

A pot (can hold about four cups of water) with a lid (or something that you can partially cover it with)

A fine colander

A sharp knife

A spatula

–

In a small pot (this just prevents you from using another dish), rinse the lentils with cold water, picking out any debris (I’ve found discolored lentils and once, a pebble).  You can rinse the lentils with cold water, then dump them into a fine colander to drain out the dirty water and pick out the debris.  When you’re done rinsing, put them back in the small pot, and fill with water, about two to three inches above the lentils.    Place the pot over a burner, on medium high heat.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so that your water is at a simmer.  Partially cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until your lentils are soft to taste.  If your water evaporates to expose the lentils to the air (mine usually does), just pour more water into the pot, covering the lentils again, about two to three inches.  As for the end point of your lentils, you want them to be soft, but not be mushy.  Once they’re soft, remove them from the heat (you don’t want them to overcook and lose their shape).  Immediately drain the water from pot, or just dump the lentils back in the fine colander again, and then put the now drained lentils back into the dry pot.

While the lentils are cooking, add the olive oil to the saute pan and place over medium low heat.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the cumin.  Cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.  Add the onions.  Add a good pinch of salt.  Cook until caramelized.  You want them to be soft, sweet, golden brown and practically melting in your mouth.  This should take between ten and twenty minutes, depending on how crowded your pan is with the onions, and how strong your burner is.  Keep an eye on it, stirring it occasionally with a spatula.

When the onions are caramelized, remove from heat.  They can totally hang out on a cool burner until the lentils are ready.

When the lentils are ready, add the lentils to the pan.  With a spatula, fold the ingredients over one another till combined.  Add salt to taste.  Eat immediately.

The Best Veggie Burger Roo Ever Had

I hate veggie burgers.

Roo hates veggie burgers.

I think this is why we get along so well.  Well that and our love of cookie dough.

But lately I’ve been curious about making a meatless burger.

For me to even admit that, to the one reader I have (Hello, self!) is a bit of a feat.  Yes, I’m probably exaggerating, but I love the dramz*. And by dramz, I don’t mean “the situation.” Which, by the way, I 1. hate myself for knowing that catch phrase/title (that sound hear right now is my soul crying), 2. did Abercrombie really pay him to not wear his clothing?  Can I also be labeled “bad for the brand,” and be paid?, and 3. Yes, I like CBS news (although I don’t know what this “Celebrity Circuit” crap is). It’s right before Matlock.  Or Columbo.  Or…

Ramblings aside, it’s taken a lot for me to think about beans.  In a burger.  And it tasting delicious.

Having been scarred by all the commercial ones that tasted akin to a cardboard box that previously housed ten cats, I knew I didn’t want it to have ingredients similar to this.  And if you happen to love those, well, just you wait, I have found you something better.

Thankfully a lot of the….vegan world, has been all about making a homemade meatless burger.  So there were many, many recipes to look at, judge, make snarky comments about, to my only audience at the time, the cat that loves paper bags more than me,

laugh shrilly, because I was still in disbelief that my life of loving thinly sliced, right on the diagonal, grilled flank steak, appears to be coming to an end (not really), and then picked one.  Sometimes a girl is manic about choosing the right meatless burger.  Most often times not.

*One of the words I’m obnoxiously trying to get going again.  But not fetch.  Never fetch.

Recipe Adapted, a little, from Oh She Glows

Makes Six Large Burgers

–

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

Olive Oil (about a tablespoon) for sauteing the onion and garlic

2 large egg whites

1 cup oats, processed into flour (I used old fashioned oats)

One and a half cups bread crumbs (I pulsed two end pieces of whole wheat Pepperidge Farm bread in a food processor)

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup cooked black beans, mashed up (I pulsed them in the food processor)

Half cup of slivered almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon Olive Oil (for the burgers themselves)

1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari (you can use reduced sodium soy sauce)

One and a half teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt to taste (I used half teaspoon coarse sea salt, and I use Diamond)

Another couple tablespoons of olive oil for pan frying your burgers

–

Equipment

A large saute pan

A food processor (optional)

A large mixing bowl

A small mixing bowl

A whisk

A spatula/tongs

–

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the large saute pan and place over medium heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and cook until lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds to one minute).  Remove from heat and let cool for about five minutes.

Add all other ingredients (egg whites to tamari) except spices and salt to a large mixing bowl.  Scrape the onions and garlic with a spatula, into the large mixing bowl.  Wipe the large saute pan clean with a paper towel (or if you must, clean it) for use later.  Mix the ingredients in the large bowl until combined.  Add spices and salt to the ingredients in the large bowl.  Mix until combined.

Start making the patties.  Grab a handful of batter and flatten with palms of your hand.  Don’t be afraid to pat them tightly so they hold together.

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil (or basically enough to coat the pan) to the saute pan that you used for sauteing the onions and garlic with.  Place on a burner over medium heat.  Pan fry the burgers until they’re browned, about five to seven minutes on each side.

Serve on my favorite, brioche buns, with sliced tomato.  It’s kind of epic.