black bean sunburgers
serves 4
Burgers are often the answer when you need a quick and easy meal. But why settle for expensive packaged burgers when it’s so easy (and economical) to make your own? Made with black beans, sunflower seeds, and vital wheat gluten flour, these delicious and sturdy burgers are ready in minutes. They also freeze well, so make an extra batch to have on hand.
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup chopped onion
1½ cups home-cooked black beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup vital wheat gluten flour, or more if needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for frying
4 toasted burger rolls
Condiments of choice
In a food processor, pulse the sunflower seeds until coarsely ground. Add the onion, black beans, vital wheat gluten flour, soy sauce, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Process until well combined, but with some texture remaining.
Shape the mixture into 4 patties, adding a little more wheat gluten flour if the mixture is too wet.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned on both sides, turning once, about 4 minutes per side. Serve hot on burger rolls, topped with your favorite condiments.
vietnamese tofu wraps
serves 4
These flavorful wraps have all the bold flavors and textures of bánh mì sandwiches, but without the French bread. At first I wondered if I’d miss the baguette, but after my first bite there was no doubt—these wraps are absolutely sublime.
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ¼-inch strips
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, plus more for serving
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas or other flatbread
Vegan mayonnaise
1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped bottled jalapeños
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, turning frequently, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the hoisin, soy sauce, and the 1 teaspoon sriracha, stirring gently to coat the tofu. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To assemble the wraps, spread the tortillas with the vegan mayonnaise and drizzle with sriracha to taste. Arrange one-quarter of the tofu strips down the center of each of the tortillas. Top with cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and jalapeños. Roll up each wrap tightly and serve at once.
mediterranean quesadillas
serves 4
A who’s who of vibrant Mediterranean flavors merges deliciously in these tasty sandwiches inspired by quesadillas. Creamy mashed white beans provide the base for the filling that is studded with bits of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and roasted red bell pepper. If your white beans are a little dry when mashing them, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil, water, or lemon juice to make them creamier.
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (see here)
1 cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1½ cups home-cooked white beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and mashed
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the roasted red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, beans, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the tortillas on a flat work surface. Divide the bean and vegetable mixture among the tortillas and spread evenly. Top each with the basil and fold the tortillas over, pressing down to hold them together.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add one or two of the quesadillas (depending on the size of your pan) and cook until nicely browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip over and brown the other side. Keep the quesadillas warm while you cook the rest. Serve hot.
burrito scramble
serves 4
I adore a good tofu scramble, and I’m an ardent fan of burritos, too. It should be no surprise, then, that I combined these two favorites into one satisfying dish. Delicious any time of day, these bountiful burritos are filled with a zesty tofu scramble made with green chiles, red onion, and salsa.
1 ripe Hass avocado (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, hot or mild
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup tomato salsa, hot or mild
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Halve and pit the avocado, if using, spoon out the flesh, and cut into thin slices. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the chiles, tofu, nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, to heat through and mix well, about 7 minutes. To assemble, arrange the tortillas on a flat work surface. Spoon the tofu mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with salsa, cilantro, and the reserved avocado. Roll up the burritos and serve immediately.
sloppy portobellos
serves 4
Sloppy Joes are one of my favorite sandwiches, and over the years I’ve made countless variations using everything from tempeh and seitan to beans and bulgur. This time, the vehicle for all the delicious sloppiness is shredded portobello mushrooms, and I think it may be my favorite version so far.
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, shredded or finely chopped
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
⅔ cup ketchup
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 toasted burger rolls
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms, chiles, and soy sauce and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the ketchup, mustard, chili powder, Liquid Smoke, salt, and pepper. Mix well, adding a little water if the mixture is too dry. Simmer to blend the flavors, 5 minutes.
When ready to serve, spoon the mixture onto the rolls and serve hot.