how to make a frozen veggie burger edible

The carnivore loves burgers. Who doesn't, right? When I first became a vegetarian burgers were the one thing I missed. I have tried many veggie burgers over the years and some of them honestly taste like cardboard. There is just no getting around it. So here is what I have learned...

First, I should say handmade veggie burgers are best. I have not mastered this art yet, but there are a few restaurants I frequent that make a mean veggie burger from scratch. And, just like all you carnivores out there I crave them from time to time.

Now, if you do buy frozen ones stick to either black bean burgers or regular looking patties. Steer clear of any strange teriyaki, hawaiian or italian flavors. They are usually just masking a bad burger. My favorite brand is Amy's quarter pound burger. They are huge - just like a real burger. I also like Morningstar Farm's black bean burger.

Here is the most important tip - don't grill the patty. I know this may seem counter intuitive, but the frozen patties don't have much fat in them (unlike a real burger) and thus dry out on the grill. It is better to put a little olive oil in a skillet and fry it. It makes the veggie burger sorta juicy - like the real thing.

Also, toppings and condiments are key. Even the bad veggie burgers can be made more tolerable with the right additions. Cheese is always tops in my house. Any kind will do - american, cheddar, provolone, gouda, etc. Anything to give the burger a bit more fat and taste. I also usually have lettuce, tomato and red onion available. Here is another trick - instead of the usual ketchup or mustard, I always add bar-b-que sauce to my burger.

Finally, don't forget the bun. Don't skimp here. A nice fluffy wheat bun is my favorite - the bigger the better. I like the fresh made ones I can find at the bakery section of my grocery store. And, they are always better toasted.

So, now you now how to make a frozen veggie burger more edible...maybe even a few carnivores out there will like to try it. Just remember this - it won't taste like a real burger, but it will be good in its own right.

menu ideas:
On burger night in my house the carnivore heats up his beef or turkey patties on the grill while I make the veggie burger inside and prepare the toppings. We usually have fries or onion rings on the side. We finish the meal with thick slices of watermelon.

open sesame

Here's the deal. I make don't make Asian food that often. Not because I don't love it, but because it is never as good as takeout. And, picking up that phone and dialing is just so easy...

But, I came across a recipe for restaurant style sesame chicken, which you can find here on recipezaar. I was doubtful, but I thought I would give it a try. I made the chicken as directed. I altered the recipe and made tofu for myself. I am still no expert on tofu, and in the future I will remove more of the excess moisture, but it work fine enough.

It was really all about the sauce, which was as proclaimed as good as what you get in a restaurant. I would suggest cutting the recipe in half though. It was more than enough for both of our dishes and left overs (which we almost didn't have because the carnivore wanted to eat the whole batch). Also, I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth so that it would be safe for both of us to eat. The carnivore had no clue.

So, if you are adventurous enough to make your own Asian food, I highly recommend you try this recipe out. Whether you make it with chicken or with tofu, the plates will be clean!

menu ideas:
I served our sesame chicken and tofu with buttered white rice (but brown would work too) and steamed snow peas. You could also start with a couple of spring rolls. They would be great dipped in the left over sauce.

bowls of art

I love salads in the summer. You can make them so many different ways, with so many different fresh ingredients this time of year. But, since the carnivore would never touch a salad, I only indulge in these little bowls of art at lunch.

Recently I had an abundance of strawberries in the house. No worries - just time to make a salad. I started this delectable dish with spinach leaves. I sliced some tart strawberries. I then added in some creamy goat cheese and crunchy walnuts. To spice it up I added thin wisps of red onion. Finally, I spritzed the whole salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It was nothing short of divine.

Plus, I got tons of nutrients in that one little bowl. The spinach has lots of iron. The strawberries have a good serving of vitamin C and antioxidants. The walnuts are a great source of omega-3s. The goat cheese is an excellent way to get some calcium. Even the red onion provides nutrients that have been shown to help reduce risk of cancer.

So, if you have lots of left over strawberries I totally recommend you create your own little bowl of art. It is beautiful, delicious, and nutritious.

this little piggy went to market

Downtown Memphis has a wonderful tiny farmer's market. Recently my mom asked if I would go with her, and I jumped at the chance. We packed the car with reusable bags and headed off to see what goodies were available (after breakfast, of course). I am always up for finding new fresh ingredients to put on the table for me and the carnivore. Our first stop, and mom's first purchase was strawberries!
Since it is a very little market, the selection changes from week to week. Their website always gives a heads up for what a shopper can expect though. There a a few things that you can always count on being there. They always have organic meats. Most importantly, they always have the freshest fruits and veggies. Some I know the names of and some I don't. Some I cook with regularly and some would be a challenge for me to figure out what to do with.There are also fresh flowers and plants available. The blooms were in beautiful colors. They had everything from lovely lavender flowers to luscious green succulents in bowls and every color of pink blooms imaginable. These would pretty up any table.
They also have heavenly herbs. Had I not already planted my herb garden I would have snagged some of these myself. There were so many kinds of basil available. Who knew?
There are also some handmade thing available. My mom picked up three bars of goat's milk soap and I purchased a jar of muscadine jam (a flavor I haven't had since my great-grandmother made it when I was a little girl).All in all it was a good girls day. We got to spend some QT together and got some goodies to take home. The carnivore got to sleep in and then enjoy the fruits of my shopping. It was a win-win.

a new goal - the burrito mile

The carnivore and I have taken up jogging. (Note I didn't say running. We aren't there yet.) It seems as though all of our friends have decided to race in one form or another, so on the bandwagon we jump. (We are heading to the beach in a few weeks anyway, so it can't hurt.) We started small. We decided to train for a .5k after seeing one on a travel channel show on about a buffalo wing festival. No, you didn't read that wrong - there is a decimal point there. I am happy to report we have surpassed our goal.

Looking for a new challenge, I happened across this website. In the burrito mile, you down a burrito and then run a mile. While we have made it over a mile now in our jogs, I am not sure we could eat a burrito and then do it. But, in preparation I thought I would make burritos nonetheless. (Not that I need an excuse to eat Mexican food.) As usual the carnivore and I have different takes on what makes a good burrito.


We start with the same base - flour tortillas heat briefly and cilantro rice. To make the rice I simply make some Uncle Ben's and then add in finely chopped cilantro from my herb garden with a little kosher salt. The carnivore then adds some form of grilled meat to his burrito, usually chicken, but sometimes steak. I add in avocados for my protein. We each like shredded cheese and beans. I always have black beans and refried pinto beans on hand. We both like each and alternate between the two. I also top mine with a little pico de gallo and red onion. The options are many but not overwhelming to prepare.

These burritos, depending on how you choose to put yours together, pack in lots of nutrients. The avocado gives you lots of vitamin B, the chicken furnishes lean protein, the beans bestows great fiber, the cheese provides calcium, the red onion dispenses chromium, the pico has vitamin C, and the tortilla and rice give you energizing carbs. Sounds like a good diet for a runner, right? Baby steps...


menu ideas:
These burritos are big and filling enough to serve alone. You can start with chips and salsa or cheese dip (because there is always room for more cheese). If you feel like you need something green on your plate, a small side salad will do.

a mouthwatering watermelon cocktail

It is that time of year again when watermelons are in season. They are a staple of summer and backyard cookouts. I remember when I was a kid my dad would have all of his girls and whatever cousins happened to be over at any given time compete in a watermelon eating contest at holiday weekend cookouts. It wasn't about how much you could eat, but about how fast you could finish your slice with you hands behind your back. We all ended up sticky, smiling, and licking our lips

So, to harken back to those innocent summer days, I thought on this Memorial Day I would share with you a mouthwatering watermelon cocktail that is decidedly more adult, but will leave you smiling and licking your lips (and maybe a little sticky as well).

I received this recipe from an email from Hungry Girl. I would suggest at least doubling the recipe as this only makes one (big) drink. And if you are like me, your manly hubby will be begging for one of your pink and fruity girly drinks once he has one (big) sip. Or, if you are making it for a party, I would suggest making a huge batch as they will go fast! Also, it is easier to make if you buy a seedless watermelon from the start. We found an small one at our local farmers market, along with the limes, all for under three bucks! Plus, the mint came from my new herb garden.

For one cocktail you need the following:
3/4 cup of watermelon chunks, seeds removed
1 shot of rum (as big as you like)
1 lime
3-4 mint sprigs
2 splendas
5-7 ice cubes

To make the world's most refreshing and addictive watermelon cocktail, start by slicing your lime in half. Cut one half into wedges and place them in a cocktail shaker. Squeeze the juice from the other half. Add in the mint and the splendas (or sugar if you prefer and don't care about counting calories). Bruise with a muddler or an ice tea spoon. Shake and set aside. In a blender combine the watermelon chunks, ice, and rum in your blender. Once your are finished, pout the lime mixture into a large glass and top with the watermelon blend. Stir and enjoy!

I promise you will not be disappointed. This drink is super refreshing on a warm summer night. You could even leave out the rum and make a "pregatini" if you can't have alcohol right now. It would still be mouthwatering. Either way, happy Memorial Day!

what to cook for a vegetarian at your Memorial Day bar-b-que

It is Memorial Day weekend, and for many of us that means one things - backyard bar-b-ques. Many of you will be cooking burgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, sausages, ribs, and whatever other kind of meat you can throw on the grill. Its a great thing, unless you are a vegetarian. Now there is no need to panic if you find out a vegetarian is attending your Memorial Day bar-b-que. We are regular people, and we eat lots of food.



However, on behalf of all vegetarians out there, I beg this of you - please have something other than potato chips and rolls for us to eat. We eat those of course, and will stuff ourselves with them if need be, but we would rather not. Just have a few meat free side options and possibly one vegetarian friendly main dish. You will probably be surprised at how many of the meat-eaters want to partake in some of the fresh summer veggies too. I suggest this - veggie kabobs. You are going to have the grill on anyway, right? So why not take advantage of all of the amazing vegetables that are at you local market right now and make some killer kabobs?


The carnivore recently grilled some for me on a night when he indulged in a steak. To make these kabobs, simply slice up some of your favorite veggies. I used squash, zucchini, red peppers, red onion, and sweet potato. If you have not had grilled sweet potato yet you are truly missing out. But, in order to get them ready for the grill you will have to do an extra step of peeling and placing in your microwave for about two minutes to soften them some. You could also throw on cherry tomatoes or artichokes. After you have the veggies chopped, toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, and some seasoning. I have found a great veggie seasoning, but anything to give it a little more kick will be fine (think Mrs. Dash and the like). Then skewer them through your pre-soaked sticks and grill for a few minutes. Just enough to soften the veggies and get a few char marks on them. Your vegetarian friends,and meat-eaters alike will ooh and ahh over your bar-b-que skills. (Remember the carnivore always keeps my veggies separate from the meat and uses different tongs too.)

But, don't stop there. Have a fresh salad available (without bacon bits please). Maybe some fruit or cheese for snacking. You can even have your traditional sides, like deviled eggs, potato salad, and baked beans (as long as you leave out the bacon). And, of course, potato chips and rolls. So, enjoy your feast this Memorial Day, but don't forget your vegetarian friends...

a southern summer staple

Summer means certain things in the South - muggy nights with lightin' bugs glittering the yard, hydrangeas and azaleas dotting the landscape with bursts of color, and lots of excuses to get together with all your friends and family to eat. And, there are certain things you can expect to see on the disposable dixie plates (who has time to dishes in this pretty weather) of any southerner this time of year - fried green tomatoes, blackberry cobbler, or fresh corn soaked in butter. But, at every get together you will find one thing - potato salad. I don't know why. It is just there, everywhere, ubiquitous at every summer event - be it Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or any other reason we decide to get together. It is as though it has been passed down to us in our DNA - there must be potato salad at summer gatherings in the South.

As I have mentioned before, the carnivore and I love us some potatoes. We eat them many different ways together. But, one of the few potato things the carnivore will not touch is potato salad. I personally am bewildered by this fact as a good southern girl potato salad was a staple at all summer fish fries, bar-b-ques, picnics, bonfires, you name it. If it was warm outside and we were cooking for a crowd, potato salad was on the menu.

The reason the carnivore doesn't touch it is because it contains a white condiment. I know this sounds crazy, but he won't touch anything that he knows has either mayo (the way it is traditionally made) or sour cream (the way I usually make it) in it. Plus, the true southern style side has mustard in it as well, another no-no condiment in the carnivores book. If you only knew how picky he really is....But, I still make potato salad occasionally for myself. And, since it is Memorial Day weekend I thought I would share my favorite way to make it with you before your big cookouts commence.

I take 5-6 medium red potatoes and boil them. I then let them cool and slice them, leaving the skins on. I toss these bite sized bits with sour cream (just enough to coat them), a bit of diced red onion, and several celery stalks that have been chopped. I flavor it with freshly ground pepper, kosher salt, and fresh dill (from my new herb garden). It is that simple! I know it isn't the traditional way, but it is lower in fat (especially if you get the low fat sour cream) and just as good on a hot summer day, whether you are in the South or not.

p.s. Please excuse the picture. There is just no way to take a pretty picture of potato salad.

warm and fluffy inside

Since I just wrote a post about pancakes, I thought it would be a perfect time to share with you my favorite pancake related gadget. This wonder is know as the pancake warmer. As I have mentioned before, the carnivore is in charge of pancakes (and other foods that require flipping). So, I got this for him as a gift for Christmas a few years ago. I figured it combined two of his loves - pancakes and gadgets. If it were only electronic somehow...


Alas, it may not be high-tech, but it is genius. It keeps your pancakes warm while you are cooking the rest of the batter. You then simply transport the whole container to the table and pass around the warm fluffy goodness. This ceramic container is nice and roomy. It can hold big pancakes or silver dollar ones. It is also sufficiently tall enough to hold a large stack of pancakes. The little holes allow the pancakes to vent and not get soggy, but trap in the heat until it is time to eat.

We like to go head and pre-butter the pancakes as we place them in the warmer so that it can go ahead and melt. Yum! A word of caution, while this is great for pancakes, it is not so good for waffles. They need to stay a little bit crispier than this gadget allows. In any case, the pancake warmer is a great addition to your kitchen / breakfast table. It can also make a great gift when combined with some specialty pancake mix and syrup. I could not find a similar item at Amazon to place in my store, but you can find this exact model at Crate and Barrel.

blueberry buttermilk pancakes

We have a division of labor in my house. I make sure everyone gets a birthday card, the carnivore makes sure the lawn gets mowed. I make the bed everyday, the carnivore checks to make sure we are safe if there are any scary noises late at night. Why am I telling you this? Well, because while I do a majority of the cooking in our family, the carnivore is in charge of foods that require flipping. That means if we are having quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc. the carnivore is in charge. Pancakes also fall in this category.


Now, I will admit the both the carnivore and I love breakfast foods and we probably over do it on the weekends. When people come to visit they always remark on how much food we have for breakfast, but it is normal to us. Hasbrowns, eggs, toast, bacon or facon - you name it we usually have it. However, we usually skip or eat a very light lunch on these days. There is only so much cooking a girl can do in one week after all!


This past weekend we really outdid ourselves. Not only did the carnivore make me pancakes, but he made me blueberry buttermilk pancakes from scratch! He found the recipe at dreamydish and they were dreamy. Because I didn't look at the recipe closely enough before we went shopping (oops!) we had to substitute regular milk for part of the recipe, but they were just fine. Fluffy and sweet with tangy berries in every bite.

Now, I know pancakes, especially ones lathered in butter and smothered in syrup might not be the healthiest breakfast out there. However, the blueberries do pack in lots of vitamin C and antioxidants. These little powerhouses are reported to help with brain functioning and protect against cancer. So eat up - especially if you can con someone else into making them for you!

lazy summer dessert

Sometimes I want dessert, but after making dinner I am just too lazy to make something too elaborate. And, there are compromises I am willing to make on these nights. For example, in this dessert I didn't make the cake. I got those pre-made shortcakes. I know all the true foodies out there are groaning, and I know they aren't as good as the real thing. But, sometimes a girls gotta do what she's gotta do to get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather. Plus, they are super cheap. I got this pack of four for one dollar - that's twenty-five cents per cake, people. You can't beat that in this economy!

Now, having admitted that I will cheat on making the cake, there are some things I will not skimp on. The first is of course, fresh fruit. I use frozen fruit very rarely. Nothing wrong with it. But, especially this time of year the fruit is so amazingly fresh there is no reason not to buy the real thing. Also, if you shop your farmer's market you can get a good deal and give back to your local economy. Plus, it is a yummy way to go green.

The other thing I won't cheat on is making my own whipped cream. To be fair, my wonderful in-laws did get me a Kitchen Aid mixer as a wedding gift, so that takes a lot of work out of this step too. Simply putting a container of whipping cream in the mixer with a splenda or two and setting it to go is easy and the results are fantastic.

The carnivore always thinks I am spoiling him when I pile on the whipped cream, but in truth I am sneaking in some fruit and doing very little work for a yummy dessert. It is the very definition of getting my cake and getting to eat it too!

an experiment with panko - fish sticks

When people ask if I miss meat, I simply answer no. And, it is the truth. Mostly because they make fake everything - fake burgers, fake hot dogs, fake bacon (known as facon in my house), you name it. Also, I never ate much meat anyway.

But, the truth is I do miss fish. They don't make very many fake fish items. That doesn't mean I don't make fish for the carnivore. It is such a great healthy protein for him, so I try to work it in when I can. In this recipe I used tilapia, which is a very low fat / low cal / low sodium fish with lots of B12.

Here is how my most recent fish dish came about. The short story is, I sent the carnivore to the store for Italian breadcrumbs and got regular panko breadcrumbs. Oh well, I used it as an excuse to make the carnivore fish sticks. It was my first experiment with panko. I searched on the net and found a great recipe at cookingthisandthat. It was a simple recipe of panko, salt and OldBay Seasoning for the crust. I baked the fish as directed. I didn't make the dip, and I should have cut the recipe as it was too much for one man, even a very hungry man. Plus, it isn't the sort of thing you want to reheat. Anyway, they were fantastic according to the carnivore, and he would tell me if they weren't. So, yeah for panko (and fish)!

menu ideas:
I served these homemade fish sticks with fresh peas tossed in butter and a steaming baked potato. Since I am a vegetarian, I heated up fake chicken strips for myself in place of the fish sticks. Morningstar Farms makes a great version.

grilled sausage and peppers

It is that time of year again. The weather is warm, the lawn needs to be mowed, baseball is being played...in short, it is time to break out the grill. Now, the carnivore and I grill nine months out of the year, but we do much more grilling this time of year.

I know what you are thinking, of course the carnivore loves his freshly grilled meat, but was do you grill for a vegetarian? The truth is you can grill a lot! This is just one example.

The carnivore has family from Chicago and has lived there himself, and thus loves a good braut. When we had a good friend and fellow Chicagoan over for dinner the other night I decided it would be a perfect time to make these sausages.

For the carnivore and our guest I got a package of beer brauts. For me (the vegetarian) I got a package of Tofurkey sausages. They can be found at most grocery stores. Even if you can only find the spicy Italian flavor, they will work just fine. While the carnivore grilled both kinds of brauts, I sliced and sauteed some green peppers and red onions inside. Please note - the carnivore sprays the grill and the fake brauts with non-stick spray before he puts it on the grill. He also keeps it in a separate area and uses different tongs for my meatless dogs. Finally, he toasted our whole wheat sesame buns towards the end. In a short time our sausages were ready! I had a soysage with veggies, our guest had a real braut with the fixins, the carnivore had a naked braut - and we were all happy.

So the next time you have a vegetarian over, don't discount grilling out and having some of your traditional summer favorites. These sausages are an easy and filling grilling idea that satisfies both carnivores and vegetarians alike.

P.S. If you are wondering, the real braut is on the left and the soy one is on the right in the picture.

menu ideas:
Serve these brauts with all the fixins (or not depending on your tastes) along side a simple salad of greens and fresh tomatoes and some french fries.

bar-b-que fest with a vegetarian

If you know anything about Memphis, you know that in May we have a huge bar-b-que fest right on the river. At this festival hundreds of teams from all around the world get together for a long weekend to cook pork, knock back a few alcoholic beverages, and generally enjoy the atmosphere. Oh, and it is a serious competition too. Now, I know what you are thinking - of course the carnivore would love such a gathering, but what would a vegetarian do there?Well, I have to admit at first, I was less than thrilled about attending. As a native Memphian I have been before, but it has been several years. But, I actually enjoyed strolling along the river while checking out the tents of teams, such as Serial Grillers, Contempt of Pork, Porkosaurus, Born in the Que-S-A, Slab yo' Mama, Here for the Beer, the list goes on... And when I say tents, I mean massive structures, sometimes two stories, lit up and decorated with every kind of pig decoration you can imagine. One even had an ice sculpture of a pig that people were doing shots from! (I am regretting the I didn't get a picture of this now.) Plus, the river was beautiful at sunset.
The people watching isn't bad either. Everyone there is having a good time. Many are dancing to the blaring music from the various tents. And some people dress in theme. One lady had on short with piglets all over. I wasn't brave enough to ask her for a picture. I saw another person with a tee shirt that said "I have a culinary boner." Classy.
And there is live entertainment. When we were at the festival there was a great blue grass band playing on the main stage. (The stage by the way decorated with giant pig sculptures and had an enormous blow up bottle of cattleman's sauce on one side.) But at other times they have blues or hog calling contest or even a "Miss Piggy" competition where men dress as pigs in drag - if that makes any sense.
But honestly, people come to this thing for the food right? I mean when else can you eat ribs for days without guilt? Now, for those of you not from here I should note that you can't just walk from tent to tent eating all you want. You either have to know someone with a tent or participate in the people's choice competition (for a fee) to get a taste of several of the teams' bar-b-que. You can also buy directly from some of the vendors that have booths set up. The carnivore knew a few folks and was happily able to get his hands on some free bar-b-que. Happy carnivore...So, what is a vegetarian to do in this pork paradise? Well, there are several other offerings available for meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike. You can get your hands on a veggie gyro or freshly grilled corn cobs at Shucks or or a bloomin' onion or fried sweet potatoes (we do love to fry things in the south) or everyone's favorite - funnel cake (also fried)! It's not exactly a well balanced meal, but you won't go hungry either.
And, if you do eat meat but are over bar-b-qued pork after a day or two of hedonism, you can try a turkey leg or a pronto-pup (Memphis' version of a corn dog that is dipped fully in mustard before being served). They also have lots of smoked sausages with all the trimmings if that's your thing. If you are really adventurous maybe you can try some fried gator on a stick (see my previous comment about southerners frying everything).
All in all it was a good time. So, I say to all of you vegetarians who live with carnivores out there, don't be discouraged at the prospects of attending a meat bash. It can be fun, and you can find something to eat. And, don't worry, they hand out beer and tums to anyone who needs it...

rosemary red potatoes

As some of you know I started my own herb garden this year. It had been doing just fine till we got enough rain to make Seattle look like a dessert. But, I have not lost hope yet. And, before the deluge I did use some of the herb several times. This is just one example.

Potatoes are my go to starch. I know in this carb conscious world they aren't popular with everyone, but they make a regular appearance at our dinner table. They are easy to make and can be made so many different ways. Plus, the carnivore never turns his nose up at them. I like to use red potatoes and leave the skins on to sneak in more nutrients, like added fiber.

This night I simply boiled the potatoes. Tossed them in olive oil. Sprinkled them with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I then added in some fresh rosemary and parsley from my herb garden. If you have chives they would work just as well. They were filling and flavorful. And, they were even better the next day after all the herbs had soaked into the potatoes.

menu ideas:
This night we served the rosemary red potatoes with green beans, another staple on our dinner plate. The carnivore grilled himself a ribeye (look at those grill marks people!) and I had vegan "crab" cakes from the Whole Foods Deli. These faux crab cakes are my little treat to myself. If you are ever at a lose for what to fed your vegetarian friend, I suggest you start at the prepared foods section of your Whole Foods Store. You can either find something there or find inspiration for something you might want to make yourself!