Short Rib Sandwich with Caramelized Red Onions, Mushrooms & Cheese Sauce

Shredded beef-like soy curls simmered with carrots, onions, red wine and worcestershire on a poppy seed roll with caramelized onions, oyster mushrooms and creamy cheese sauce.

Short Rib Sandwich
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dried soy curls
2 tbl vegan worcestershire sauce
2 tbl tamari
1 tbl dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups vegetable broth
5-8 dashes hot sauce
2 bay leaves
4 poppy seed rolls
1 cup baby arugula leaves

Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and soy curls and toss to combine. Cook 2 minutes more to toast the garlic. Season with worcestershire, tamari, thyme, salt and pepper. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with red wine and add the broth, hot sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook until all of the moisture has been evaporated and the soy curls brown slightly, 10-15 minutes. Serve on rolls with arugula, onions, mushrooms and cheese sauce.

Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced oyster mushrooms
1 tbl red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp organic light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Saute the onions and mushrooms in olive oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook on low for 20 more minutes.

Cheese Sauce
1 small white onion, small dice
1 small russet potato, peeled, small dice
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbl tahini
salt and pepper

Combine the onion, potato and cashews in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender and fully cooked through. Reserve 1/2 cup water and drain the rest.
Transfer to a blender and add the starchy water, nutritional yeast, tahini, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Sweet Onion Eggplant Burgers, Fig Hazelnut Jam, Black Truffled Fries

These burgers pack AWESOME flavor. Definitely one of my favorite burgers to date. The slightly sweet and caramelized flavor of the onions and eggplant, rounded out with the creamy beans and served on top of nutty hazelnut-fig jam works perfectly together and goes great with store-bought fries gone fancy.
To my dismay, I have never had real truffles and up until tonight I had never even had truffle oil. A few weeks ago the mushroom guy at the farmer's market was selling white truffles. They were going for a low, low price of $15 an OUNCE. Even if I purchased the tiniest one, I'd be paying $20 at least. Since the money tree in my backyard is late on its bloom this year, I had to pass. That day I walked away incredibly bummed. When will I ever get to try truffles?!
Well tonight was the night! Sort of anyway...black truffle oil is only black truffle infused in olive oil, and I've heard it's really nothing compared to the real thing, but the real thing isn't feasible to me! While this oil wasn't cheap by any means ($15 for 3.5oz! gasp!) I like to consider it an "investment." Yeah, that's how I will justify it.....
The flavor was so different then anything I've ever had and nothing I was expecting at all. I don't know if I will run around shaking it on everything I eat, but I will definitely use it sparingly and in different applications in the future.

Use my fig & hazelnut jam on both sweet and savory foods like sandwiched between french toast, dolloped on top of creamy soups or as a spread with apples.

Sweet Onion Eggplant Burgers
6 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 eggplant, peeled, diced (around 1 heaping cup)
1 large sweet onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbl freshly chopped rosemary
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbl onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1-no chicken bouillon cube
1-15oz can great northern beans, drained but not rinsed
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup ap flour
2 cups baby arugula
4 poppyseed kaiser buns, toasted

In a large saute pan, heat 3 tbl of oil and add the eggplant and onion. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until the eggplant and onions start to cook down and soften. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, rosemary, balsamic, onion powder, celery salt and bouillon cube. Use a spoon to crush up the cube and stir to combine. Saute for 5 more minutes.
Transfer to a food processor and add the beans. Pulse until combined with small chunks but not pureed smooth. Scrape mixture into a bowl and add the panko and flour. Stir to combine, season to taste and portion into 4 patties.
Chill for at least 1 hour.
When ready to cook, saute in the remaining 3 tbl of oil until golden brown on both sides.

Fig Hazelnut Jam
5 fresh figs, quartered
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 tbl maple syrup
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
pinch sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and chunky.
Store chilled but serve at room temperature.

Black Truffled Shoestrings
8 oz frozen shoestring fries
1 tbl lemon zest
3 tbl roughly chopped parsley
1 tsp gray salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbl vegan grated parmesan
1 tbl black truffle oil

Preheat the oven to 450.
Bake for 20 minutes until crispy. While hot, lightly toss with remaining ingredients.

Red Lentil Burgers with Lemon Cream, Pickled Radishes, Roasted Garlic Mash, Marinated Avocados

Here's a quick and healthy recipe for a great veggie burger with different topping options. Serve the burgers with quick grilled corn on the cob, drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and lime juice before grilling.

Spiced lentil burgers with a zesty citrus spread. Garlic, roasted until it's sweet and mashed with rosemary and sea salt. Quick pickled radishes and avocado marinated in ginger and lime.

Red Lentil Burgers with Lemon Cream
1 1/2 cup red lentils
6 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
1 tbl ener-g egg replacer plus 1/4c warm water, whisked together
1 tbl salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup vegan sour cream
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest
salt and white pepper to taste
Wheat Kaiser Rolls
lemon cucumbers and spinach for additional burger toppings

In a large saucepan, cover lentils with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well.
In a skillet, heat 2 tbl of oil and saute onions until golden, 6 minutes. Add carrots and 2 garlic minced garlic cloves and cook until carrots begin to soften, 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cayenne and remove mixture from heat. Mix in the egg replacer slurry, 3 tbl of parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1/4c burgers.
Heat 1/4c oil in the same saute pan and cook the burgers until golden brown.
In a small mixing bowl combine the sour cream, lemon juice, 1 tbl of parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.

Pickled Radishes
1 bunch of radishes, greens removed, sliced thin
1c white vinegar
1/4c organic sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbl coriander seeds, crushed

Lay the radishes in a deep baking dish. In a pot, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over radishes and cover tightly. Once cooled to room temperature, strain and serve.

Roasted Garlic Mash
1 head of garlic, whole
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
pinch of black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. On a square of foil, drizzle garlic with oil, salt and pepper Add whole rosemary sprigs. Fold up into a packet and roast until soft 45 minutes. Squeeze cloves from their skin and mash to a spreadable paste.

Marinated Avocado
1 avocado, sliced into thick wedges
1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
juice and zest of 1/2 a lime
1/2c cilantro leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 fresh red chili, seeded
1/2 tsp sea salt

Set avocado in a bowl.
In a food processor, combine remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour over avocado and cover. Marinate for an hour.