Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day (and congrats to the winners!)

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there.  Keep doing what you do, because we all need great moms!

And congratulations to the winners of the cookbook and Tshirt giveaway Friday night:

#23, Sarah







and #37, DJ





I need your mailing addresses and for you to tell me what color and size tsirts you want!  Woo-hoo!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Viva La Revolucion! (a cookbook an t-shirt giveaway)

I am so excited.  I literally started working on this book over 4 years ago.  It is very satisfying to actually see it finally make its way into this big bad world.  So, I made some t-shirts to celebrate.



















Want one?  How about a copy of the book?  Leave a comment telling me your favorite burger eating memory, and on Friday, May 6, at 7 pm (PST) I will choose 2 winners to receive a free copy of the book, and a t-shirt!    Contest now over.  Congrats to DJ and Sarah!

By the way, there are lots of colors and styles (both men's and women's) of the t-shirst.  Check 'em out HERE!

And of course, if you are interested in The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet, well then, you can click HERE!

And if you just want a really tasty burger, just keep reading!

Bacon Cheeseburgers

Bakin Cheezeburgers

Okay, this delves into the little bit crazy category. But you know what? These babies taste so good and they are extremely hearty and thick, so they hold together very, very well. One really amazing thing about these is that my very-much-not-a-vegetarian husband took a bite and said, and I quote, “You have a winner here!” Oh my gosh, I almost fell over. I also had a few open-minded omni friends over one night and they agreed. The consensus was that they taste almost exactly like a Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger.


Serving Suggestion: I suggest these be served with a dollop of barbecue sauce and a few onion rings, with some baked beans on the side.

1 cup (100 g) TVP granules
1 scant cup (225 ml) vegetable broth
1/4 cup (25 g) imitation bacon bits, store-bought or homemade (page XX)
1 cup (144 g) vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup (60 g) nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) onion powder
1/4 cup (64 g) peanut butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (68 g) barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade (see below)
Salt and pepper
Oil, for frying (optional)

In a large microwave-safe bowl, mix together the TVP granules and the broth, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and cook in the microwave oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Alternatively, bring the broth to a boil, pour over the TVP granules, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Add the bacon bits, flour, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, oil, barbecue sauce, and salt and pepper to taste to the bowl. Knead together for at least 5 minutes, then let sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
Form into 4 patties. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Use your method of choice for cooking: Panfry in oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side over medium high heat, or until a nice crispy crust forms. Or bake them at 350 (180 C, or gas mark 4) on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. Also, these are very sturdy and hold up just fine on the grill.

Yield: 4 burgers

Imitation Bacon Bits
*Wheat-free
I love a challenge, so when asked about the hydrogenated fats in imitation bacon bits, I started on a quest. I normally don’t buy premade meat analogs anyway, so why not figure out how to make these little bits of bacon-y goodness on my own? Of course, buying a jar of Bac-Os is still the easiest. But, if you are a smidge adventurous, try this.

2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid smoke
1 scant cup (205 ml) water
1 cup (100 g) TVP granules
1/4 teaspoon salt
A few drops vegan red food coloring (optional)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola or other vegetable oil

To a measuring cup, add the liquid smoke, then fill with the water to get 1 cup (235 ml).
In a microwave-safe dish, combine the liquid smoke mixture, TVP granules, salt, and food coloring, if using. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Alternatively, bring the water to a boil, pour over the TVP granules mixed with the salt, mix in the liquid smoke, and red food coloring if using, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Preheat a frying pan with the oil.
Add the reconstituted TVP to the pan and toss to make sure it all gets coated with oil.
Panfry until desired crispness. Stir often. You don’t necessarily want to brown them, but rather dry them out, about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. Should last at least a week, but probably much longer.

Yield: About 1 cup (100 g)

2012 Copyright/Permissions/Disclaimers

All recipes written by me, Joni Marie Newman, unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to refer to or link back to any of my recipes, but please ask for permission, and remember to give credit when reprinting recipes in their entirety. I do provide links to affiliate programs (such as Amazon) in which I receive a small commission for items purchased. I do not provide paid reviews. All reviews done on products or books are of my own unsolicited opinion. On occasion I may receive a book or product to review. I will note when this is the case, but rest assured, it will not affect the authenticity of my review. Thanks!--Joni