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Vegan Bean-Oat Burger

March 2, 2014 by Zizi

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It’s difficult to find really good vegetarian or vegan burgers in Hungary. At most places the only vegetarian options are made with cheese or mushroom. Restaurants and cafes are not very open to try new recipes and serve the needs of vegetarian customers. Although veggie burgers are a vegetarian delight, but meat-eaters are sure to love them, too.

This vegan beat-oat burger comes from a Hungarian vegetarian cookbook that was written by a vegetarian friend of mine. It satisfies your appetite for a great-tasting veggie burger that’s easy to make and it’s healthy because of using wholesome ingredients to make. Either you are a vegetarian or not , you will love this burger!

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Vegan Bean-Oat Burger

Ingredients (depending on size, it makes 12-20 patties)

– 125 g rolled oats, soaked in lukewarm salty water for 30 minutes
– 1 can of beans, drained and puréed
– 80-100 g whole wheat bread crumbs
– 1 onion, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 medium carrot, chopped
– 1/2 a medium sized celery root, chopped
– small bunch of parsley, chopped
– 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
– 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
– 1 teaspoon oregano
– salt, pepper
– olive oil
– serving: salad, mustard, ketchup, sliced red onion, sprouts, ciabatta or rolls

Method

Drain the soaked oat for a few minutes through a fine strainer. In a food processor chop all the vegetables (onion, garlic, carrot, celery).

In a pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute onion, carrot and celery. After 2-3 minutes add garlic and a few pinches of salt. Saute for a few more minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl mix together the soaked and drained rolled oats with puréed beans, sauted vegetables, parsley and season with lemon juice, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper. Add breadcrumbs and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Form pingpong ball sized balls from the mixture, flatten them with your palm or a spoon. Place the formed patties on a tray.

Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a pan, add patties and cook for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook them on their other side until golden. Cook the remaining patties too. Serve with ciabatta or rolls and with vegetables, ketchup, mustard.

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Filed Under: vegan Tagged With: bean, cooking, oat, vegetarian patties

Market Inspired Meals From Asha Of Fork Spoon Knife Blog

June 25, 2013 by Zizi

Market Basket 1 - Spring-Winter

My fourth guest on this space is my friend, Asha who writes the beautiful blog Fork Spoon Knife. Of course we met through this cyber space, through our blogs and Twitter. I remember that the first recipe I made from her blog was this zucchini chocolate loaf. Finally, last October we had the chance to meet and I could host her in Budapest, Hungary. Here is Asha…

“When I visited Zita last year in Budapest, I was most mesmerized by the abundance and richness of the local farmers’ markets. I was completely awe struck by the total honesty of the produce and its complete nakedness in bringing the health and flavor of the earth and all things good to the palate. So, when she invited me to write a guest post for her that was the first thing that popped in to my head as inspiration. Luckily, with the weather warming up, the farmers’ markets in NYC are also taking a strong hold of my kitchen and I was able to bring some of that nostalgic freshness back to her through some simple and flavorful vegetarian creations. As a new mother, I am also cognizant of the demands on her time by the little time, consequently leaving little room for elaborate meals. These dishes are designed to be quick to prepare or something that will cook away in the background, leaving baby and mommy time sacrosanct! This time of the year is still a touch cool leaving warm meals much in demand but definitely with a lighter note. With that in mind, I give you a few recipes for salads and soups that are nutritious and filling; just enough to keep the energy for the day! And, when the ingredients are this fresh, you don’t need to much to have a great dining experience.”

Quinoa Cakes Salad

Fresh Green Salad with Quinoa Cakes and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the cakes
– 1-1/2 cup cooked quinoa, al dente
– 1 small onion, diced
– handful of fresh peas
– 1 egg, lightly whisked
– 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
– 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
– salt and pepper to taste
– 1/4 cup oatmeal flour + more if needed
– olive oil for sautéing

For the lemon vinaigrette
– juice of half a lemon
– pinch of salt and pepper
– 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Lightly sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the fresh peas and cook for just 2 minutes. Fold in the chilli flakes. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. Mix with the cooked quinoa. Let the mixture cool as much as you can let. Add the egg and fold to incorporate. If the mixture is too wet, add a touch of oatmeal flour.

Make patties out of the quinoa mixture. Lightly dredge them in oatmeal flour. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is ready, gently lay the cakes in the pan and let cook for 2 minutes until browned. Carefully, turn the cakes and brown on the other side.

Meanwhile, in a small bottle, add all the vinaigrette ingredients. Close the bottle and shake vigorously until the mixture emulsifies.

To serve, place quinoa cakes on a generous bed of salad leaves and drizzle with the lemon vinaigrette.

Market Basket and Baked Acorn Dish

Baked Acorn Squash Stuffed with Lemon Couscous and Farm Fresh Ricotta

Ingredients

– 1 acorn squash, cut in half and deseeded
– 1 cup couscous
– 1 tablespoon lemon olive oil
– ricotta as needed
– salt and pepper as needed
– 1/3 cup water

Method

To cook the squash, drizzle a bit of olive oil on the inside and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash face down in a roasting pan filled with a third of a cup of water. Roast at 350 F (180 C) for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on size) until soft but not mushy.

Meanwhile cook the couscous according to instructions using water or broth. Fluff with fork and drizzle lemon olive oil to add flavor. Gently fold in as much ricotta as needed.

When the squash is ready, fill the insides with the couscous mixture and serve immediately.

Roast Jerusalem Artichoke and Parsnip Soup with sauteed spring Carrots and Acorn

Roast Jerusalem Artichoke and Parsnip Soup

Ingredients

– 4 Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and diced
– 2 parsnips, cleaned and diced
– 1 small onion
– 3 cloves garlic
– 2 cups vegetable broth
– salt and pepper to taste
– olive oil as needed

Method

Toss all the vegetable in a bit of salt, pepper and olive oil and roast in a oven preheated to 375F for 20 minutes. Puree the roast vegetables and transfer to a pot on the stove. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for a few minutes until the right consistency is achieved. I left mine a little chunky for texture.

Serve with dollops of ricotta and drizzled with fresh olive oil.

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Interview to get to know Asha a bit more…

Where are you from? Where do you live?
A: I was born in India and by heritage, I am Indian. But, New York, where I currently reside, I consider home and the place where I feel the most comfortable and belong to!

What is the name of your blog?
A: Fork Spoon Knife.

How long have you been blogging?
A: As I type this, it has been five amazing years of learning and growing!

When did you start cooking/baking?
A: Hmmm… My earliest memory at the stove is making dosas and omelets for my granddad at around 17. However, for many long years I simply dabbled in the making of food and concentrated on consuming my mothers’ awesome creations and later what Tokyo and NYC had to offer in enticing creations. I became a kitchen enthusiast at the same time I started this blog in 2008.

Who (where) did you learn cooking/baking from?
A: I am really self taught in both cooking and baking. I also watch numerous food shows when I started in 2008 and read a lot of books. I have never to date taken a class. But, I do plan to do a bread course sometime!

What is your signature dish?
A: Madras Crab Curry and Mutton Biriyani.

What is your favourite vegetarian/vegan meal?
A: Dal and Roti! It is perhaps by far the easiest, simplest and most comforting meal!

Where do you get inspiration from?
A: Everywhere! The Internet, cookbooks, chefs on TV, restaurant menus and meals, random cravings when talking to friends.

What was the most memorable food you have eaten during your travels?
A: Ebikatsu in Tokyo. Hands down my favorite meal to date!

Name three things you always have in your fridge!
A: Milk, butter, cheese.

Is there a food that always reminds you of home?
A: Well, since I consider NYC as my real home, this is a difficult question to answer. However, there is one dish, vethai kuzumbu, that reminds me of mom.

What would people be surprised to find in your kitchen? Is there anything you want to share?
A: I suppose, it is what people will not find. Gadgets. I do not own a Kitchenaid machine or high power blenders or any fancy tools. I bake a lot and prefer to use my hands and simple tools to make everything. I find the process of making from scratch without machination a very therapeutic process!

—

All photos are courtesy of Asha Pagdiwalla.

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Filed Under: guest post, lacto, vegan Tagged With: butternut squash, lemon, parsnip, pea, quinoa, salad, soup, vegetarian patties

Best Of 2012

December 31, 2012 by Zizi

I’m sharing my favourite top 12 recipes from 2012. Some of them were very popular – according to statistics – but I loved these 12 the most. I really enjoyed looking back at all of these vegetarian or vegan meals I cooked or baked over the past year.All in all I shared more sweet recipes than savory. Of course it doesn’t mean we only eat sweets, I just somehow like taking photos of these delicious yuminess!

I’m excited for the new year and all it will bring! I hope you’ll still be here reading my short stories, commenting and enjoying my recipes. You inspire me to make this blog better and better day by day. See you in 2013!

Let’s see the favourites of 2012…

January

This month I really loved cocoa, chocolate and walnut cookies! I bet you did too! Also shakshuka was a new way for me to poach eggs in herby tomato sauce. Yum!

February

In February we challenged ourselves. We were planning to do a 29 day sugar-free (no cakes, no chocolates, no sweet fruits only apple, lemon, orange and mandarin sometimes) vegan challenge but we ended it on the 25th day. 25 days were enough. We enjoyed it, we had ups and downs but we couldn’t bear not to eat anything sweet anymore.

As a result of the challenge this month only brought savory recipes. One of my favourites is this spring roll with citrus soy sauce but I also loved the udon noodles with creamy tahini sauce, roasted kale and tofu.

March

This month it’s unequivocal that the best recipe was the raw chocolate ganache cake. This has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog.

April

In April I shared the first recipe from the cookbook, Veg Every Day. I could cook and bake all the recipes from the book because all of them are vegetarian or vegan. With over 200 recipes and vibrant photography, River Cottage Veg Every Day is a timely eulogy to the glorious green stuff. This kale and mushroom lasagne was a big hit.

May

The biggest challenge in May was making strawberry leather or you can call it the healthy version of gummy candy. This leather thing is exciting not only for children, for adults too. It’s very easy to make (and a few hours) but don’t miss it.

June

Another sweet favourite in June: vegan chocolate popsicles with roasted almonds. They are creamy, thick chocolate-y vegan popsicles to enjoy! Yum! I also loved making and eating this raw zucchini spagetthi with creamy tahini sauce.

July

I love nut roasts and vegetarian/vegan patties. I made these yum quinoa patties for a picnic.

August

From the end of the summer my favourite recipe is this milk pie I baked with my recently deceased grandmother. This is actually a thick pancake baked in the oven. It is not too sweet but moist and soft.

September

Imagine little sweet indigo-coloured berries and little sweetish yellow corn kernels in soft, moist muffins with a bit of crispness from the cornmeal. You got it? These vegan corn blueberry muffins are just like I described.

October

I love cooking pancakes. I used carrot to make this soft, vegan and sugar-free pancakes. You can use  honey, agave, rice or maple syrup to pour over the pancakes. A real autumn Sunday indulgence…

November

I added pumpkin purée to this oatmeal that’s why its colour looks bright yellow. With a bit of maple syrup and spices it is one of the best comfort food breakfast during winter time. It is a small bowl of harmony in terms of its colour and taste.

December

This month was one of the busiest with 11 recipes I shared. It’s difficult to choose one of them so I let you make this decision. 🙂

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Filed Under: lacto, lacto-ovo, vegan Tagged With: baking, cake, chocolate, cookies, pancake, pasta, popsicle, vegetarian patties

Pearl Barley And Roasted Almond Patties

October 23, 2012 by Zizi

I love making and eating nut roasts and vegetarian patties. I have cooked and baked several types. The base for most of them is any kind of grain, spices, herbs, nuts and vegetables.

Great-tasting vegetarian patties are easy to make and more healthfully prepared when you use your own wholesome ingredients. Patties tend to be delicious things you make for a picnic or for a grill party or just for a simple lunch or dinner with a big bowl of salad and yum sauce.

Pearl barley is nutritious and chewy (although its outer husk and bran layers have been removed not like with hulled barley). I didn’t have to use an egg to “stick” the ingredients together so these cute little patties are vegan.

Pearl Barley and Roasted Almond Patties

Ingredients (makes about 20 but it depends on the patties’ size)

– 200 g pearl barley
– 150 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
– 80 g almond, roasted and chopped
– 1 onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
– salt, pepper
– whole wheat breadcrumbs
– olive oil for cooking

Method

Roast the almonds in a dry non-stick pan for 6-8 minutes, chop them and set aside to cool.

Cook the pearl barley according to the instructions on the packet (usually 2 times more water than barley, a little bit of salt, boil in a pot, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes). Set aside to cool.

In a small pan cook the potato until tender. Drain and mash it with a fork. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl mix together: roasted almonds, chopped onion, garlic and parsley. Add mashed potato and cooked barley. Season with salt and pepper and mix until everything combined.

Form pingpong ball sized balls from the mixture, flatten them with your palm or a spoon. Transfer the patties to a place of breadcrumbs and press them firmly to coat on both sides (this breadcrumb coating becomes golden and crisp when they’re baked or cooked). Place the formed patties on a tray. Heat 3-4 teaspoons olive oil in a pan, add patties and cook for about 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook them on their other side until golden. Cook the remaining patties too. (Instead of cooking you can also bake them on a baking sheet in the oven at 170-180C ~ 338-356F for about 25-30 minutes. Don’t forget to sprinkle them with olive oil and turn the patties to their other sides at half time!)

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Filed Under: salty, vegan Tagged With: almond, baking, vegetarian patties

Quinoa Patties And Picnic In Szentendre

July 18, 2012 by Zizi

On a sunny Sunday in February we decided to have a picnic in a little gorgeous town called Szentendre (very close to Budapest). I made these yum quinoa patties for the picnic. We also packed whole wheat bread, goat cheese, sour cabbage, sprouts and freshly pressed carrot juice. I also baked millet, oat and apple muffins to take with us.

This riverside town lays in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital, Budapest. It is known for its museums, galleries and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest.

Even this was in February the sun warmed us up and walking outside in the fresh air made our appetite ready to eat everything. You can see a photo essay about our trip to Szentendre on the Travel Belles website.

I adapted the recipe from Heidi’s book, Super Natural Every Day.

Quinoa Patties

Ingredients (makes about 24 but it depends on the patties’ size)

– 170 g quinoa
– 1 organic egg
– 1 onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 15 g parsley, chopped
– 10 g Parmesan, grated
– 50 g plus more whole wheat bread crumbs
– salt, black pepper
– olive oil

Method

Bring the quinoa, water (about 2-3 cups) and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa opens up revealing a little spiral and is soft and pleasant to chew. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl combine together the cooked quinoa and egg. Add chopped parsley, onion, garlic and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Add breadcrumbs and let it sit for 5-10 minutes (if you find it too moist add more breadcrumbs or if it’s too dry you can add one more egg or water to moisten the mixture).

Form pingpong ball sized balls from the mixture, flatten them with your palm or a spoon. Place the formed patties on a tray. Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a pan, add patties and cook for about 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook them on their other side until golden. Cook the remaining patties too.

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Filed Under: lacto-ovo Tagged With: guide, Hungary, picnic, quinoa, travel, vegetarian patties

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