chesapeake chickpea sandwiches
serves 4
This is a vegan version of my crab cake recipe from my days as a chef in a seafood restaurant. Chickpeas seasoned with sea vegetable flakes replace the crab.
1½ cups home-cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons panko crumbs
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
3 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon nori, dulse, or other sea vegetable flakes (see note)
1 teaspoon finely minced capers
½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices ripe tomato
Hot sauce
In a food processor, process the chickpeas until broken up. Add the panko, flour, scallions, parsley, the 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, the lemon juice, mustard, nori flakes, capers, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, pepper, and cayenne and pulse until well mixed with some texture remaining. Scoop out the mixture and divide into 4 equal portions. Use your hands to press each portion into a patty (about the same diameter as your rolls). Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpea cakes and cook until nicely browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn the cakes and cook on the other side until browned.
To assemble, spread vegan mayonnaise on each of the rolls and layer each with lettuce, tomato, and a chickpea cake. Serve immediately with hot sauce on the side.
note: You can find small shakers of nutrient-rich nori, dulse, and other dried sea vegetables in natural food stores.
barbecue pinto–portobello sandwiches
serves 4
Mushrooms and pintos soak up the flavor of zesty barbecue sauce in this hearty sandwich. Serve with creamy coleslaw for a delectable lunch. I use the shredding disc on my food processor to quickly and easily shred the mushrooms. For a smokier flavor, substitute 2 minced chipotle chiles in adobo for the chopped green chiles.
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large portobello mushrooms, shredded or thinly sliced
1½ cups home-cooked pinto beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato puree
¼ cup canned chopped green chiles, hot or mild
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in the pinto beans, tomato puree, chiles, mustard, molasses, agave, chili powder, Liquid Smoke, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, to heat through and blend the flavors, about 7 minutes. To serve, spoon onto rolls.
black bean and green salsa burritos
serves 4
Try these for a change of pace from the usual red bean burrito. In these wholesome and satisfying burritos, black beans share the spotlight with four flavors of green: chiles, salsa verde, cilantro, and avocado. You can use store-bought salsa verde, or make Tomatillo–Cilantro Salsa (see here). For extra flavor and texture, add any or all of the following to your burritos before rolling them up: chopped ripe tomato, vegan sour cream, sliced black olives, or minced scallions.
1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup canned chopped green chiles, hot or mild
1½ cups home-cooked black beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup green salsa (salsa verde), store-bought or homemade
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Chopped tomato
Halve and pit the avocado, spoon out the flesh, and cut into thin strips. Set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the chiles, beans, chili powder, and ½ cup of the salsa, stirring to combine and heat through. Use the back of a fork to mash some of the beans as they cook. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon one-quarter of the mixture down the center of a tortilla, top with a few strips of the reserved avocado, chopped tomato, and a spoonful of the remaining salsa. Roll up into a burrito, tucking in the sides as you roll. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
seitan and slaw wraps
serves 4
These fabulous wraps have it all: chewy seitan coated in a luscious spicy-sweet glaze all wrapped up with a zesty Asian-inspired slaw. Instead of serving as wraps, you can serve the seitan and slaw on toasted rolls or skip the bread altogether and serve as a salad with the seitan arranged on top of the slaw.
2 teaspoons neutral vegetable oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces seitan, cut into ¼-inch strips
3 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce, or more if needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar or sugar
Vegan mayonnaise
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add the seitan and cook, stirring, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the Thai chili sauce, 1 teaspoon of the sriracha, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, to coat and blend the flavors, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, rice vinegar, agave, the remaining 1 teaspoon sriracha, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix well.
To serve, spread vegan mayonnaise on a tortilla, dotting with extra sriracha, if desired. Spoon a line of the seitan mixture down the center of the tortilla. Top with a portion of the slaw, then roll up into a wrap. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
freeburgers
serves 4
These tasty burgers are completely free: soy- and gluten-free, that is. Because they’re baked, they’re also relatively low in fat. And they’re versatile, too—use any kind of cooked beans that you like; black beans or chickpeas are good choices. You can serve them on burger rolls with all the trimmings, in a wrap sandwich, or on a plate, topped with a sauce.
1½ cups home-cooked dark red kidney beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, mashed
¼ cup chopped scallions
⅓ cup finely ground walnuts
2 tablespoons brown rice flour
2 tablespoons chickpea flour, plus more for coating burgers
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 toasted burger rolls
Condiments of choice
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously oil a baking sheet and set aside. In a food processor, combine the beans, scallions, walnuts, brown rice flour, the 2 tablespoons chickpea flour, and the tapioca flour. Add the oil, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and process until well blended.
Dust your hands with a little chickpea flour (the mixture will be sticky). Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces and shape into thin patties. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the patties until golden brown, turning once, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Serve hot on burger rolls, topped with your favorite condiments.
curried chickpea patties in pitas
serves 4
Crisply fried patties seasoned with curry combine with creamy chutney mayonnaise and shredded lettuce for a wonderful flavor combination. The recipe calls for pitas because they’re readily available, but if you can find Indian flatbreads, such as roti, use them instead.
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder, hot or mild
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1½ cups home-cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 tablespoon water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup mango chutney
⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
4 (7-inch) pita pockets
Shredded lettuce
Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add the curry powder, coriander, and cumin, stirring to coat. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor, add the chickpeas, chickpea flour, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Process to mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Shape the mixture into 4 large or 8 small patties and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until browned on both sides, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.
Finely chop any large pieces of mango in the chutney. In a small bowl, combine the chutney and mayonnaise and mix well to combine. Spread the chutney mixture inside each of the pita pockets and stuff some lettuce into each pocket followed by 1 or 2 chickpea patties, depending on the size. Serve hot.