Ooh Mommy! Burgers

It's grillin' season. That means at this point I've been through so many varieties of veggie burgers my eyes might fall out. Bland, goopy, crumbly.. most veggies burgers have some major malfunction that makes them impossible to properly stick together, let alone handle the grill (especially when you take out the magical ingredient that helps bind them). After countless iterations -- I've found THE one. The burger. And it's grillable. Done.

I was attemping to explain "umami" as we were enjoying a trial run of these guys and my mother, who was thoroughly enjoying them, exclaimed, "Of course, these definitely have umami, I eat them and say 'Ooh mommy, ooh mommy this is good!'".  It entertained me at the time so I've decided to brand these the "Ooh Mommy Burgers".

1 c almonds
1 c cooked lentils (~1/2 c dried)
1 c cooked whole grain (I used millet but quinoa or rice would work great, again 1/2ish c dried)
1/2 c onion, medium diced
1/2 c sundried tomatoes, diced
1/4 c kalamata olives, cursorily chopped
2 T tamari
2 T tomato paste
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, cursorily chopped
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t tarragon
1/4 t liquid smoke

First put just the almonds in a food processor (fitted with an S blade) and chop until reletively fine.  Add remaining ingredients and pulse to mix well then run the processor until somewhat smooshy but still defined.. i.e. the lentils should be less than whole but almond pieces should still be distinguishable.  Throw the whole processor bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes then shape into patties and GRILL 'em.  You could of course fry them or bake them as well. But come on.

Zucchini Noodles with Marinara Sauce

As a new Sacramento transplant, I have to say I really like this place. It has so many redeeming qualities and I could see myself enjoying life here for the indefinite future. I'm still adjusting to the nuances of a new places, particularly in the kitchen.  Baking at 30 feet versus 6,000 feet has a measurable impact, a kombucha batch takes about a week less, and holy hell, Batman, do NOT turn on the oven on a summer's eve or you will never be able to sleep.  While we do have central air, I'm a bit militant about actually turning it on.  By a bit militant I mean we've only turned it on once and I ceded because it was JT's birthday. Anyway, a perfect way to combat the blazing heat is to enjoy a cold beverage and a cold dinner. Enter raw foodstuffs!

Zucchini is pretty awesome. It grows so abundantly even if you don't have a plant you are sure to be bombarded with neighbors' and coworkers' excess throughout the summer. Zucchini is great grilled and sauted and really really great as a raw pasta. You can cut it into lasagna slabs or peel wide noodles off or you could go wild a buy a spiralizer. Do you need one? Absolutely not. Would you like one? Probably.  It may seem a bit excessive but I don't even want to discuss statistics about recent temperature trends here. It's fun. However you slice it (pun definitely intended), zucchini pasta makes for a refreshing summer dish.  So here is a recipe for marinana sauce and noodles. Another GREAT variation is a with a mint pesto.

2 zucchinis, thinly sliced (with a vegetable peeler) or SPIRALIZED

1 tomato
1 red pepper
8 sundried tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c fresh basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t salt
1 clove garlic (optional, it can be intense)

Put all but the zucchini in a food processor (or blender) until creamy.  Mix with zucchini. Garnish with chopped nuts, fresh basil, sliced onions., or pretty flowers (like nasturtiums!). You'll probably need a glass of chilled rose.

Granola

Granola is the ultimate versatile food. Packable, portable, and doesn't require refrigeration (although my refrigeration protocol is questionable).  I particularly like having granola for traveling, which can at times present a challenge when you have somewhat strigent eating standards.  I brought an exceptionally tasty batch of granola to Uganda with me and toted it around for two weeks knowing it would be a saving grace in the final leg of my trip. Of course when I went to open it I dropped it ALL onto a dirt floor and ants devoured it immediately. It was somewhat traumatic. Thankfully it turned out vegan gluten free cuisine is ubiquitious in Uganda, but their food pales in comparison to the crunchy delight that is homemade granola.

Most granolas are made with oats, which you can get gluten free, but can be boring after a while. I've been using raw buckwheat as my main ingredient, but you could easily swap for oats --'cause who has buckwheat groats lying around?

Granola:

1 c buckwheat groats, raw or roasted (kasha)
1 c almonds
1/2 c pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 c flaxseed, ground
1/4 c walnuts (or any nut you have)
1/4 c raisins (or any dried fruit)
1/3 c maple syrup or honey (honey sticks together better)
2 Tbsp nut butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

If using roasted buckwheat, you're one step ahead of me, nice job. If not, soak the buckwheat groats for an hour (or 8), then drain and rinse.

Put 1/2 cup of the almonds into a food processor and process until pretty much obliterated. Set aside in a big bowl with the buckwheat. Put remaining 1/2 c almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts in the processor and pulse a couple times until really roughly chopped.  You can also do all of this pretty efficiently with a Slap Chop, if you have one, and it makes it almost twice as fun. Mix with your buckwheat and all remaining ingredients.

Spead on a baking sheet. It might be a good idea to oil the pan or put down parchment paper, but its your kitchen and your call. I didn't. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 300F, checking midway and tossing the granola. When its toasty golden brown take it out to cool. Let it completely cool and it will stick together a bit better.

Kimchi Jeon (& Kimchi)

I've been on a Korean kick lately and wanted to try my hand at some classic Korean dishes. I had some pretty tasty bibimbap and bulgogi tofu.

But only one recipe really shined - kimchi pancakes! This recipe is totally great with store-bought kimchi, but once you are in the mood, why not whip up your own kim chi. It's really quite easy.

Kimchi Jeon:

1 c kim chi, with juices (see recipe below)
1/4 c kim chi juice
1 c blend of flours (more than 50% rice)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 c water

Mix in big bowl, add more water if neccessary for desired consistency. I say "desired" because when recipes call for "pancake" consistency I never have a clue what they mean. Anyway, fry into pancakes, pat excess oil, cool just so slightly then devour.

Kimchi (FYI this makes a LOT):

1 head napa cabbage
16 cups water
1/2 cup salt

8 green onions, chopped
1 daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
6 big cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp white miso
1/2 c Korean chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar

First core the cabbage and chop into managable pieces. Put into a really large bowl and cover with water, mix in salt, and cover with a plate (to immerse all the cabbage). Let set for a couple hours.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a similar sized giant bowl, should you have more than one. Drain and rinse the cabbage and mix it all together.

Pack into jars (I got 3 quarts and 1 pint). Allow 1/2 inch or more headspace and finger tighten lid. Leave in a warm spot for about a day.  The rate of fermentation is highly dependent on your climate.  Some people have a negative thing or two to say about Sacramento's weather, but WOW does it foster some quality fermenation.  I've already had a couple fermenation disasters, it can get out of hand quick here.  Anway. Kim chi. Once it starts bubbling pop in the fridge. It will smell bad, don't worry, totally normal.  Wait another week then start tasting it to see how you like it. It will become increasingly sour the longer you wait, but will stay good for more than a month. Once you realize it's at that point past your preference, you still have 3 quarts to eat --- so make some pancakes, quick!