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When I’m preparing vegetarian versions of classic recipes like Maryland Mock Crab-cakes, Grilled Seitan or Tofu Phish I’ll focus on recreating the familiar flavors of those dishes by using many of the same spices and flavorings that would be added to the traditional meat or seafood versions. That, by and large is fairly easy. What can be trickier is achieving similar textures and I think texture is equally important as taste when it comes to food. Over the years I’ve had a great many versions of “tuna” that were prepared with tofu, tempeh and even chickpeas. Although they were all really delicious there seemed to be something missing. There was always that texture problem. One day while I was processing artichokes for my Artichoke Pesto I noticed that chopped artichokes actually really looked like tuna! The pesto never materialized however within a day or two I managed to nail down a recipe for “tuna” that was not only tasty and healthy, but had that tuna look and feel. So, with the busy holiday season rapidly approaching and colder weather right around the corner, now is a perfect time to have healthy soup and sandwich meals ready to go. For a nutritious comforting lunch or supper try a pairing of my Creamy Cauliflower Soup and Mock Tuna Salad sandwiches.  That’s what we had this evening and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Like Cilantro it seems that people either love beets or hate them! Tonight I made Beet Burgers (recipe courtesy of Didi Emmons and in my book “Totally Vegetarian”) for a couple of friends who swore they would never (ever) develop a liking for this sadly underused root vegetable. Even though I’m seeing beets making more frequent appearances on menus in upscale dining establishments, I find that very simple preparations not only taste better but are more economical for the everyday cook. This particular recipe is really easy to pull together, full of fiber, nutrients and makes enough for a couple of meals worth of burgers. Extra plus is that there is no added fat. I cook my burgers in a cast iron pan with barely a tablespoon of vegetable oil, however in a ceramic non stick pan they can be cooked fat free. Just watch the heat! I served these crisp on the outside warm and crumbly on the inside burgers without a bun, topped with a generous squeeze of Sriracha sauce. I complimented these flavorful and subtly “beety” burgers with a simple side of rosemary roasted potatoes and sweet organic pears. I’m happy to say, much to everyone’s surprise, that the entire dish was a hit! Be sure to buy your beets with nice fresh leafy tops. Tomorrow all of those glorious greens are going to find their way into a hearty minestrone.

This is just right served on lettuce boats or tucked into pita bread or a lovely wholegrain French baguette. For a Delicious twist, substitute your favorite fruit for the grapes.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/4 of a Quorn Roast, torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 – 1/2 of a chopped white or yellow onion
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 t. curry powder
2-3 T. dairy or soy yogurt
12-15 seedless green grapes
Fresh black pepper

To prepare:
Cook roast according to package directions. Cool and section off about a quarter of the loaf. Tear into bite sized pieces and place in a medium sized bowl. Add grapes. Mix remaining ingredients together into a dressing and pour over Quorn and grapes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: Don’t overcook the Quorn roast. It is best when still moist. I generally start with the roast defrosted for the best results.

Using tempeh with sea vegetables, this is a mouth-watering mixture that is so versatile it can be a sandwich filling or the main dish at dinner.

This “mockfish” mixture is amazing tossed with pasta or used as a stuffing. You can even process it for a delicious paté with the flavor of the sea but without the pain.

Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 pkg. tempeh with sea vegetables, diced
1 small to medium onion, chopped finely
1 sheet Nori seaweed, cut into small pieces
1 T. vegan mayonnaise

To Prepare:
Heat a heavy skillet on medium heat until hot and add the olive oil and onions and sauté until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tempeh and cook, stirring often, until tempeh is nicely browned. Remove the pan from the heat and add the pieces of seaweed. Cool the mixture for 10-15 minutes before adding the mayonnaise, then mix well, and season to taste.

Use as a sandwich, ravioli, or wonton filling, or as a topping for crostini.

Watch how tempeh is made.

This burger is a favorite. Your main mission is to pan fry the burgers until a thick crust forms. Any heavy-bottomed seasoned skillet will work but, to create the perfect texture, my pan of choice is cast iron. Be warned: no-stick pans will not do the job properly!

I like this burger served “naked” with a dollop of Thai hot chili sauce. Another excellent way to serve these is to make small “meatballs” and serve them on top of spaghetti with tomato sauce. Or for a satisfying brunch dish, make one rather large and flat panfried burger for each person and nestle a poached egg on top of it.

Serves 8

Ingredients
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. short or long-grain brown rice
2 t. kosher salt (more or less, to taste)
1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped mushrooms (button, crimini, Portobello)
1 c. kasha (buckwheat groats)
1 c. chopped toasted walnuts (cashews, hazelnuts, or other nuts)
3-4 T. chopped fresh tarragon (or parsley)
Flour for dredging the burgers
Vegetable oil for frying

To prepare:
Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes more.

Add the rice, salt, mushrooms, and 5 cups of water to the vegetable mixture and bring water to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Now stir in the kasha and cook until the rice and kasha are tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about another 20 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the nuts and herbs. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor and pulse until coarsely or finely chopped. The mixture can also be left “whole,” as another option. Put processed burger mixture in a large bowl and cover it if you aren’t forming the burgers right away. Otherwise, proceed as follows.

Dust your hands with flour and, using your hands, form the mixture firmly into large patties. Lightly coat each pattie with flour to create the crust.

Heat a generous amount of oil (1/8- to 1/4-inch depth) in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pan fry the burgers until the undersides are dark golden brown, about 5 minutes, checking frequently to prevent burning. Flip the burgers, and brown the other side in the same manner.

Note: These burgers can be formed into patties, separated by wax or parchment paper and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, up to 2 months, burgers can be frozen. It is best to individually wrap burgers in plastic before freezing. Frozen burgers must be defrosted completely before cooking.

I find that defrosting them in their wrapper in the microwave for two minutes makes the burger easier to handle and able to keep its beautiful rounded shape. The added bonus is that it is already warm inside, therefore it cooks and browns much faster. Microwaving also gives you the flexibility to cook up a burger at a moment’s notice.

My daughter was a little skeptical about this sandwich when I first mentioned making it for our sandwich episode. But, after one bite, it quickly became one of her favorites. This sandwhich is so easy, delicious, and healthy and it’s a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with the nutty taste and texture of tempeh.

Tempeh comes in a variety of flavors. If you are using it for the first time, I recommend either the soy or three grain style. Here’s what you’ll need for two to four sandwiches.

Watch this recipe online .

Makes enough filling for 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 Pkg. Tempeh, any style
1/2 c. shoyu soy sauce
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. maple sugar (or syrup)
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. ground cumin

To Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tempeh in half then slice each piece in half again. Turn the tempeh pieces on their side and carefully slice them through the middle to make eight thin pieces. Lay the pieces in a single layer in the bottom of a 9″ X 13″ baking dish.

Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients and pour this over the tempeh. Cover with aluminum foil and bake the tempeh for about 30 minutes, then check it. When most of the marinade is absorbed – about 45 minutes into cooking time – take the foil off the pan and continue baking uncovered, until the tempeh has absorbed the marinade but isn’t too dry. Remove the pan from the oven.

This tempeh can be eaten hot as part of a Club Sandwich (see below), or cold, or at room temperature.

To make the sandwich:
1 large ripe, firm tomato, sliced thinly
4-8 green lettuce leaves
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
3 sliced roasted red pepper strips
4 slices Swiss cheese (optional)
4 or 5 T. Russian dressing (or mix vegan mayo with ketchup to make your own vegan version)
4-8 slices of hearty sandwich bread
Vegan margarine or vegetable oil for brushing

Heat a heavy skillet on medium heat. Prepare each slice of bread with lettuce, tomato, red onion, peppers, tempeh, and cheese (if using). Top with dressing, then place your top slice of bread on the sandwich. Brush the bread with margarine or oil and grill. Brush the un-greased top, flip carefully, and grill the other side until nice and toasty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 slices good quality rye bread
2 slices swiss cheese or vegan Swiss-style cheese
Four slices fried tempeh (see below for method)
1 T. vegetable oil
¾ c. sauerkraut (coleslaw may be substituted)
Vegan Thousand Island dressing
Softened margarine

Heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Place swiss cheese on two slices of bread and top each with tempeh laid side to side at an angle. Put two tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing on the tempeh, heap on some sauerkraut, then top with the remaining slice of bread. Coat each side with a light scraping of margarine and grill in pan, until toasty and golden. Remove, cut and serve.

Tamari Tempeh

Take a package of tempeh, any style, and cut into quarters. Take each quarter and slice in half through the center, so you have eight thinner slices.

Heat 3-4 T. of oil in a heavy skillet. Fry tempeh slices until golden brown on one side, then turn to brown the other side. When the tempeh is crispy and golden, remove and place slices onto a paper towel for a minute or so to drain any excess oil, then brush each side with tamari or soy sauce while the tempeh is still hot.

Sometimes I surprise myself with a new spin on a favorite recipe. This past week, I made Tofu Cutlets using the basic recipe for Tofu Bites, which are just lightly fried crispy tofu, brushed with Tamari soy sauce and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. For the bruschetta, the tofu is cut into slices rather than into cubes, each slice about a quarter of an inch each.

We had a few absolutely beautiful and perfectly ripe tomatoes which we promptly forgot to put into a salad we made. So after sampling a few bites of the tofu we laid a slice of fresh tomato on top, a little salt and pepper and a touch of fresh cilantro. It was really delicious – very light with a nice blend of sweet, salty, and savory.

With a light drizzle of olive oil it transforms into bruschetta, but without the bread. The next night I was testing tofu recipes again. Starting with lightly fried pieces of tofu – about cracker size – I spooned on some of my homemade salsa and a slice of avocado. It was a great combination that would work well for those family members or guests who are sure they don’t like tofu. The robust tart flavor of the salsa on the crispy, almost cheesy, tofu squares were delicious and definitely on my list of “do agains.” Naturally I had to try this out on my non-veg friends and it was a hit. This is a great example of how just knowing a few good recipes opens the door to endless possibilities.

Didi Emmons came on the show and made these burgers and ever since I was hooked. They’re truly spectacular. Note that these must be cooked over low heat, otherwise, the sugars in the beet will burn. But really, even if you’re hasty and burn the burgers, they’ll still taste fabulous. I recommend eating it bun-less, next to a big salad, with a puddle of hot sauce. You can freeze burgers in individual packages for easy preparation.

Makes approximately 8 burgers

2 T. vegetable oil
3 small beets, scrubbed well (about 1 lb.)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped (roasted)
1 mediun carrot ( scrubbed and roasted)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3-4 good quality beet green leaves
½ c. walnut pieces
1 c. raw millet
2 slices of whole wheat bread, lightly toasted
½ c. wheat germ (optional)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the oil on a baking sheet. Cut the beets into quarters and place them on the sheet pan. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic too. Lightly season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Bake until the beets are cooked, about 25-30 minutes, or until a knife enters the beet easily. Let the vegetables cool for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the millet. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and add the millet. Cook the millet for 30 minutes, over very low heat, and covered. When the millet is finished, put it into a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes.

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, the bread, the garlic, and the pumpkin seeds, and wheat germ, if using. Process until the bread is a nice fine crumb texture. Add the mixture to the millet.

Now add the vegetables to the processor and process until well chopped. Add the vegetables to the bowl as well. Stir the mixture with a large spoon and season liberally with salt and pepper. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, chill it for 1 hour.

Form about 8 generously sized burgers with your hands, packing each down into a nice even height.

To cook the burgers, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan, over low heat. When the pan is hot, add the burgers. Do not move them once they are in the pan because this will cause them to fall apart. Let the burgers cook for a few minutes, then with a spatula, carefully flip them and continue cooking the other side until nicely browned. You want to develop a nice caramelized crust. Repeat with the remaining burgers, or freeze the extras in individual baggies for a convenient burger meal whenever you need it.

A delicious vegetarian alternative to traditional Maryland Crabcakes without any compromise on flavor.

Ingredients:
½ c. celery
½ c. minced yellow onion
1/3 c. minced carrot
½ of a small green pepper, minced
¼ c. chopped parsley
½ t. neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
16 oz. firm tofu, pressed and dry
1 sheet Nori seaweed, chopped
½ c. vegan mayonnaise
5 slices whole wheat bread toasted and processed into fine crumbs (can be done ahead) *
1 T. Old Bay seasoning
2 t. dry mustard
1 t. salt
1 c. Panko bread crumbs (for coating and frying)
Cooking spray

To prepare:
Preheat the oven to 350 if baking.

In a lightly oiled skillet, sauté celery, onion, carrot, pepper, and parsley until the vegetables are softened but firm. Set them aside. Process tofu in food processor until it has a cottage cheese consistency, but do not purée.

In a bowl, combine the processed tofu, vegetables, half of the whole wheat bread crumbs, mayo, seaweed, and seasonings and mix everything well. If the mixture seems too wet and isn’t holding together, add the remaining toasted crumbs a little at a time until you have a mixture that is moist and easy to shape into patties. Usually I use the entire amount of toasted crumbs, however depending on how dry the tofu is, you may need less.

Form about 10 half-inch thick patties, using about 1/3 cup of mixture for each. Coat each pattie with Panko bread crumbs.

Spray or heat a little oil in a seasoned (or nonstick) skillet until the pan is hot but the oil isn’t smoking. Gently lay each pattie in the pan and fry. Don’t fuss with these until they move freely when you gently shake the pan. When the pattie is golden brown on one side, gently turn it over and fry the other side.

Alternatively, you can place the patties on an oiled, seasoned (or nonstick) baking sheet. Spray each pattie lightly with cooking spray and bake about 15 minutes. Then, gently turn the patties and continue baking until toasty brown.

Serve hot or warm with Wasabi Mayonnaise . I like these with oven french fries and coleslaw.