Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Lentil Quinoa Patties

_MG_8751 (2)

 

A quick note before we get to the recipe: these patties are basic for the reason they can be used in many different ways.  You can easily customize them.  I will probably use some for taco “meat” later this week, and I’ll probably use some as “meat” for a spaghetti type sauce.  I wanted to have something basic and easy to make so I can have it on hand in case I needed to make something quickly.  These patties also freeze fairly well, but they will be crumblier once thawed out.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked green/brown lentils (I cooked mine in Better than Bullion’s vegetable base)
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (Again, cooked in Better than Bullion’s vegetable base)
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tbsp oil of choice
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Mash the lentils most of the way, leaving some for texture.  Stir in the quinoa, gluten, oil, and salt and pepper if using.  You can also use a gluten free binder if you’d prefer.  The gluten just helps hold the mixture together.  Measure out 1/3 cup portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet and form into rounds.  Bake at 375* F for 12 minutes, then flip and finish baking for another 7-10 minutes until both sides are slightly golden and the patties don’t squish when lightly pressed.  Cool completely on a wire rack for maximum crispiness.  Store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.

Dressing for the salad above (not pictured, it wasn’t pretty):

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash each of garlic and onion powder, black pepper
Splash of water to thin it out if desired

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the salad.

Salisbury.Fake dinner

Creole Lentils with Smoked Sausage

2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
1/2 cup of lentils
1/2 of a green pepper, diced small
1/2 of a yellow or orange pepper, diced small
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup smoked sausage (I used beef sausage), chopped small
1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning (my recipe for this is below)
1/3 cup tomato sauce (plain sauce)

In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil, and then add in the lentils.  Cook the lentils until they are nearly done. They’ll be somewhat chewy and you’ll still have quite a bit of liquid leftover.  This is okay!  When the lentils are about halfway done, heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil.  Add in the peppers, onion, and garlic, and cook till softened. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and continue to cook.  You might smell the garlic starting to burn, but that’s okay for this dish.  As long as the garlic doesn’t turn black, you are doing it right.  I know it sounds  weird to have burnt garlic in a recipe, but it really adds a nice flavor to everything.  Once the lentils have reached the nearly done stage, crank the heat to medium high and add the sausage to the skillet to heat through.  Pour off most of the liquid from the lentils into the pan with the onion, peppers, garlic, and now sausage. Sprinkle the seasoning on top and mix in.  Cook this until the liquid is reduced by half, about 1-2 minutes.  Add in the lentils and remaining stock, and bring to a boil.  Add the tomato sauce, and continue cooking until the liquid is mostly gone and you have the consistency of a thick sauce.

Serve with goat cheese crumbles, and maybe some hearty bread.
Creole Seasoning:
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp white pepper
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
5 tbsp paprika
3 tbsp salt
Mix all of these ingredients together and keep in an airtight container for up to a year.  If a spice blend doesn’t smell like anything, it’s probably no longer as potent, and you should get rid of it.

Note: The reason why this is called Creole and not Cajun is because I read recently that Creole food uses tomatoes, while Cajun food does not usually use them.  I am happy to be corrected if that’s incorrect, however, because I am always willing to learn!