Thai Sweet Chili Chip Veggie Patties with Ginger Slaw

As a nutrition ambassador for Way Better Snacks, this post is sponsored by Way Better Snacks and I was compensated for my time. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I love working with the brand.

I still remember tasting my very first veggie burger. It was more than fifteen years ago at a restaurant called Café Mosaics on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton.

While I’ve always been drawn to vegetarian meals and dishes on restaurant menus, this one in particular left such an impression because it was that good. I’ve experimented with tons of veggie patty recipes since that first veggie burger bite, but this recipe is certainly my new favorite.

I love how uncomplicated making these are, and the Sweet Chili Way Better Snacks gives the veggie patties excellent flavor. Using a 100% whole grain, sprouted chip provides a boost of nutrition over an ordinary white breadcrumb, too.  

These patties pair wonderfully with the Ginger Slaw so I wouldn't skip that step. And any leftover chips can be used to scoop up your favorite dip, such as guacamole, homemade salsa, or hummus. 

In my mind, any meal chock-full with so many good-for-you ingredients, and still makes room for a few extra chips paired with your favorite dip, is a winner in my book! 

Thai Sweet Chili Chip Veggie Patties with Ginger Slaw

Since these veggie patties are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, they appeal to a variety of dietary preferences and are a delicious option to serve at your next BBQ. Top each patty with the Ginger Slaw and avocado for a satisfying, well balanced meal.

Makes 8 small patties

Ingredients:

Patties:

¾ cup crushed Sweet Chili Way Better Snacks Tortilla Chips

½ cup lentils, uncooked

1 (15oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed

½ onion, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon diced Serrano chili

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

¼ cup packed fresh cilantro

~ 2 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

Ginger Slaw:

2 cup cabbage, thinly shredded

2 carrots, julienned

1 cup snap peas, sliced

2 scallions, diced

dressing:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or vegan alternative)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Directions:

1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients for the Ginger Slaw in a large bowl and toss with the cabbage, carrots, snap peas, and scallions. Set aside.

2. Cook lentils in boiling water until very soft. Drain and set aside.

3. Process Way Better Snacks Sweet Chili Chips in food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Remove and set aside.

4. Next in your food processor, add onion, scallions, garlic, and Serrano chili until finely diced.

5. To that, add the beans, cooked lentils, cumin, soy sauce, ginger, and cilantro, and pulse until just incorporated.

6. Lastly add the processed Way Better Snacks Chili Chips and pulse until a soft dough forms together.

7. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts and lightly flatten into small patties.

8. In a large frying pan, adding about 1 tablespoon of oil at a time, cook the patties in batches, a few minutes on each side, until lightly brown and crisp. Remove to a piece of paper towel to drain.

9. Top the patties with the Ginger Slaw and serve with sliced avocado.

Nutrition analysis for Thai Sweet Chili Chip Veggie Patties per serving:

Calories: 174; Fat: 6.4g; Saturated Fat: 0.7g; Carbohydrates: 23g; Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 7g

Enjoy, preferably with those you love!

Three-Bean Vegetarian Southern Chili

Since most of the country is in a deep freeze, it seems appropriate to give you a stick-to-your ribs, warm-you-up-from-the-cold kind of recipe. 

When I was growing up in Kentucky, we didn’t get snow all that often.  So when we had a snow day, it was a celebration.  We’d pull on layer after layer of sweatpants and sweatshirts, gloves, toboggans and scarves, until we looked like the Michelin man.  We’d grab our plastic sleds and gleefully head outside, only reluctantly coming back to the house after snow and cold had seeped through every soggy layer to reach our icy skin.

We’d walk in the house and strip down to our long underwear in front of the fireplace, and Mom would sit us down to the table with bowls of steaming chili—the old-fashioned kind, thick with ground beef and kidney beans and seasoned with simple chili powder.  Nothing tasted better.

A thick, rich bowl of chili and a slice of cornbread is still one of my favorite meals.  And while I still enjoy the beef and bean variety, I find that more often than not, I’m making a vegetarian all-bean version, fragrant with toasted spices and a variety of chili peppers.

The ultimate weeknight family meal, chili is inexpensive and easy.  It gets better and better the longer it sits on the stove, so make this on a Sunday afternoon, and then reheat it for dinner during the week.  Even better, make an extra-large pot and freeze portions for easy lunches or dinners later.  

I hope this chili warms you up from the inside out, and that you enjoy it with the people you love.

Three-Bean Southern Chili

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

2, 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes

1, 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1, 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1, 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups water

Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Add the olive oil, onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and very tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, red pepper and poblano peppers and continue to cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened.

Add the coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper and stir.  Move the onions and peppers to the sides of the pot and add the tomato paste to the center of the pot.  Let the tomato paste cook on the bottom of the pot until it starts to toast and stick to the bottom.  Stir the tomato paste and the onions and peppers together. 

Add cans of whole tomatoes, including their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands as you add them to the pot.  Add the beans, dried oregano and water and stir.

Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.  Serve with bowls of condiments, including shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, sliced green onions or any other toppings you like.

Are you getting enough Iron? And a recipe for Caribbean-Style Rice & Black Bean Salad

Iron is an essential nutrient, meaning we must eat foods containing iron to get the iron our body needs or we become iron deficient.  Iron has many important roles in our body, the most important being its role in transporting oxygen throughout the body and getting rid of carbon dioxide.  Iron is an important part of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen throughout the body and helps our cells produce energy.  If we don't get enough iron in our diet, we may be tired, weak, and feel cold.   

How much iron do we need daily?

Gender and Age                    Iron DRI 

Males, 14-18                           11 mg

Males, 19                                8 mg

Females, 14-18                       15 mg

Females, 19-50                       18 mg

Females, 51 +                          8 mg

Which foods are good sources of iron?

Iron in food exists as two types, heme and non-heme. Animal foods such as meat, fish and poultry provide heme iron, which is the type of iron that is most easily absorbed. Non-heme iron is found in plant foods, like dark leafy greens and beans.  Non-heme iron isn’t as well absorbed as heme iron, although you can get enough iron in your diet solely from plant sources.  If you eat a primarily plant-based diet, just be sure to eat a variety of iron-rich foods, including beans and vegetables, dried fruits, dark molasses, and enriched whole grains and cereals.  Note that corn and cow’s milk are both poor sources of iron. 

What happens if we don’t get enough iron?

If our bodies don’t absorb enough iron, we become iron deficient.  Iron deficiency anemia occurs when the body’s iron stores are so low that the body can’t make normal red blood cells.  Symptoms include fatigue, pale skin and fingernails, weakness, dizziness, headache and inflamed tongue.

Who is at risk for iron deficiency?

• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding have more blood volume, which requires more iron to transport oxygen to the baby and growing reproductive organs.
• Young children have increased iron needs.  When babies are born, they have enough iron stores for six months.  After six months, their iron needs increase.  Breast milk and iron-fortified infant formula are good sources of iron.  Cow’s milk is a poor source of iron. 
• Adolescent girls are often at risk because of restrictive diets or not eating a diverse number of foods.
• Women with excessively heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency.

What can I do to increase iron absorption from food?

• Eat a varied diet.  If you don’t eat meat, choose a variety of plant-based foods to ensure you meet your iron requirements. 
• Vitamin C helps you absorb the iron in plant foods (especially important for vegetarians), so include a good source of Vitamin C in your meals.
• Proper stomach acid aids in iron absorption, so try not to take antacids.

To help you start fulfilling your iron needs, here is a simple recipe for a Caribbean-style grain salad with black beans.  The salad gets its flavor from cooking the rice in a sofrito--the blend of onion, garlic, peppers and herbs essential to Latin cooking.  

Caribbean-Style Rice & Black Bean Salad

Serves 10 - 12

1 medium onion, cut in large dice
2 garlic cloves
1 bell pepper (red or green), cored and diced
½ bunch cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons sea salt
2 cups long-grain brown rice

4 cups water

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 jar green olives with pimientos, drained

zest and juice of two limes

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

First, make the sofrito by putting onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne and sea salt in food processor or blender.  Process until very smooth.

Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat.  Add rice and toast for 3 – 5 minutes, or until rice starts to ‘pop’ like popcorn.  Add sofrito mixture to the rice and stir.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, and cover.  Cook for about 50 minutes, or until rice is done.  Remove cover and fluff with a fork.  Let cool completely.

Add cooked rice to a large mixing bowl with the black beans, tomatoes, red bell pepper, olives, lime zest and juice, olive oil and cilantro leaves.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  

It's Monday! And Bourbon BBQ Baked Beans

Although Sunday is our favorite day of the week, there's something special about Monday. Every week, a new beginning rolls around—a new weekly goal list, filled with possibilities.

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. – Gloria Steinem

This week, I’m going to sign up for the painting class that has been on my mind for months.  I’m going to continue to practice yoga (for at least a few minutes) each morning.  I’m going to spend time each day in silent prayer and meditation.  I’m going to give myself permission to take breaks from my to-do list to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  And I’m going to make these Bourbon BBQ Baked Beans, because they remind me of my childhood and family picnics.

First, make the Bourbon BBQ sauce.  This will make more than you need, but you can use the leftovers as a substitute for ketchup or any other BBQ sauce.  It freezes beautifully.

For the baked beans, you can start from dried (which I usually do), or you can use canned beans (which is absolutely okay!).  Either one will work, and they will both make a delicious dish.  The secret is in the slow cooking, so the beans get silky and the sauce gets thick, with concentrated spicy-sweetness.

Beans, obviously, are filled with fiber and a good source of plant protein.  These Bourbon BBQ Baked Beans are meatless, which makes them a great potluck or picnic dish.  Add a salad filled with beautiful local greens, and you can call it lunch, or dinner.

Here’s to dreaming, and a week filled with possibilities.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Makes about 4 cups

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground

½ teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ginger

1, 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup Kentucky Bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark

2 tablespoons mustard

¼ cup blackstrap molasses

1/3 cup brown sugar

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil, onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt.   Sauté about 20 - 30 minutes, or until onions are almost falling apart and starting to brown.  Add cumin, allspice and ginger and stir. 

Add tomatoes, bourbon, mustard, molasses, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.  Simmer for about an hour, or until sauce has thickened.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.  You can puree the sauce if you want to, or you can serve as is.

Southern Baked Beans

Serves about 8 - 10

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cans of pinto beans or 8 cups cooked pinto beans, with some of their cooking water

1 ½ cups Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 10 – 15 minutes or until onion is translucent and very tender.  

Drain the beans, but reserve the cooking liquid.  Add the beans to the pot and add just enough liquid to come up to the top of the beans.  

Add about 1 ½ cups of the barbeque sauce to the beans and stir.  Pour the beans into a large casserole dish.  

Place in the oven and cook for about 2 hours, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  The beans should be thick.  Alternatively, you can cook this in the slow cooker.  Just cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.   

Enjoy, preferably with someone you love!

To cook the beans from scratch

1 pound dried pinto beans

1 onion, halved

1 carrot

2 stalks celery

2 – 3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water by at least 4 inches.  Cover and let soak at least 8 hours.  Alternatively, bring the beans to a rolling boil for a few minutes.   Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour.

Drain water off the beans and discard soaking water.  Return beans to pot and cover again with fresh, cold water, covering by a few inches.  Add onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking about 1 hour or until the beans are almost tender.  Add the salt and continue cooking until the beans are very tender.  Taste and adjust amount of salt, if necessary.  It should have the saltiness of a good chicken broth.  Discard onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves.

Fiber, Beans and a Recipe for Roasted Vegetable Rice & Bean Salad

We know, we know.  We talk a lot about fiber.  

Why?  Because fiber is just so good for you!  Over and over again, studies show diets high in dietary fiber help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.  Research has even shown that increasing fiber intake improves our mood!

Roasted Vegetable Rice & Bean Salad, Recipe Below

Both children and adults need 25 – 35 grams of fiber a day, depending upon age and gender.  However, most people get much less fiber than that!  You can increase the fiber in your diet by following a Mediterranean-style diet, one rich in whole grains, beans and legumes, and fruits and vegetables.

Beans happen to be a particularly great source of fiber, with about 15 grams of fiber per half-cup serving!  Recently, I've had a lot of people asking me how to cook with beans.  Here are a few thoughts.  

Canned beans and cooked dried beans are equally good, although I think home-cooked beans taste better.  It depends on how much time you have.  Canned beans are a great convenience food.  Just rinse them before using in your favorite recipe.  Aside from the taste, cooking dried beans can save you money.  Soaking beans before cooking helps the beans cook faster.   If you have time, soak them, either with an overnight soak or using the quick soak method.  If you don’t have time, skip the soaking, and cook the beans longer.  Fresher beans need less soaking time than beans that have been on the shelf for a while.

Overnight Soak

Rinse the beans and place them in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Let the beans soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and then re-cover with water to cook.

Quick Soak

Rinse the beans and place them in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.  Drain and then re-cover with water to cook.

Place the drained, soaked beans in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 to 2 hours.  Wait until beans are tender before you add salt or acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar or molasses, as these will make the beans tough.

Here are some ideas of how to eat more beans at breakfast, lunch dinner and for snacks:

At breakfast...

-      Breakfast burrito with whole wheat tortilla, scrambled eggs, beans, leftover veggies (any kind) and salsa.  You could also leave out the egg and still have a good source of protein.

-      Breakfast bowl with stewed beans (homemade would be best here), topped with a poached or fried egg, salsa and a sprinkle of cheese. 

At lunch and dinner...

-       Bean soups.  There are so many to try!  Look at www.thekitchn.com and www.food52.com for some great bean soup recipes.  Some of my favorite combinations are kale, chicken sausage and white bean; black beans and stewed tomatoes; and tomato, swiss chard and chickpea soup. Or McKenzie's Game Day Chili.

-       Bean and grain salads.  Combine beans and whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, barley) with roasted vegetables and drizzle with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

-       Bean and corn salad.  Combine beans with fresh or frozen corn, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, diced feta and toss with lemon or lime juice and extra virgin olive oil.

-       Bean wraps.  Make a wrap with a whole grain tortilla filled with a bean spread, spinach, shredded carrots and avocado.

-       Bean tacos.  Corn tortillas filled with the beans of your choice and topped with salsa, cheese or other taco toppings.  Serve with cabbage salad.

-       Bean burritos.  Stuff a whole wheat burrito with beans, brown rice, and vegetables.  Roll, top with cheese and put in 350 degree oven until the cheese melts.

-       Bean enchiladas.  

-       Bean bowls.  Fill a bowl with braised beans (either homemade or canned), a whole grain (like brown rice), braised greens (like kale), and top with an egg and either pesto or a romesco sauce.  Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

For snacks...

-       Make your own high fiber bean dip using whatever canned beans you have on hand—chickpeas, black beans, white beans, etc.  Then dip with veggies, whole grain crackers or pita chips.

-       Crispy oven-roasted chickpeas.  Rinse canned chickpeas and dry well.  Toss with olive oil and desired spices.  Place on a baking sheet and roast in 400 degree oven until browned and crispy, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Rice & Bean Salad

Makes about 10 – 12 servings

4 cups cooked brown and wild rice blend

2 cans cannelini beans (or any beans you like), rinsed and drained

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, roasted*

1 large summer squash, sliced ¼” thick, roasted*

2 large zucchini, sliced ¼” thick, roasted*

1 red onion, sliced and roasted*

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Zest and juice of one lemon

2 – 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Seas salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Toss and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow flavors to blend.

*To roast tomatoes and vegetables:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Toss vegetables in extra virgin olive oil (about 1 – 2 tablespoons) and sea salt.  Place in single layer on baking sheet.  Roast for about 20 – 25 minutes or until browned and caramelized.  Let cool.  Do not roast tomatoes and vegetables in the same pan, as the juice from the tomatoes will prevent the vegetables from browning.