What we ate for dinner

As a general rule, I scoff at veggie burgers. Like many vegetarians, I’ve just been fed too many uninspired Morningstar patties at to feel enthusiastic about them. I have found one reason to get excited about them, though: The Common Roots Cafe. Common Roots is one of my favorite places in the city, and I have never been let down by their food. The veggie burgers (handmade, local ingredients, awesome flavors) are no exception. This month’s offering was Spinach Walnut Burgers and I was so into them, I decided to try to make my own. These are not as good (partly because I don’t have any pickled onions to serve them with), but with a little gouda cheese melted on top, they’d be close.

Spinach Walnut Burgers
Adapted from the New York Times
makes 4-6 patties

1 bag or bunch of spinach, washed
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 C walnuts
1 C rolled oats
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

1. Heat spinach in a pot or pan over medium heat until wilted. Let cool.
2. Put cooked spinach in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
3. Put onions in food processor and process for a few seconds.
4. Add remaining ingredients and spinach to the food processor and process  until well blended, but not smooth.
5. Let mix set for a few minutes, then shape into patties and fry in oil for about 4-5 minutes on each side

I have three whole weeks off school before Summer classes start. This is exciting for a lot of reasons, one being that I get to cook more than once a week. I’ve got plans for several nights this week to use up the ingredients of our CSA box.

Here’s what we got:

Spinach
Arugula
Parsnips
Sunchokes
Sorrel
Nettles
Rhubarb
Chives
Red Radish
Hon Tsai Tai
Green Garlic

And here’s the plan:

Soup: nettles, sunchokes, chives, green garlic
Green curry: hon tsai tai, green garlic
Pesto: sorrel, arugula
Veggie burgers: spinach, radishes, chives
Pie: rhubarb
Side dish: parsnips (roasted)

I’ll post recipes throughout the week.
I love having a plan.

I don’t come from a touchy-feely sort of family, but last week I felt compelled (in the midst of peeling butternut squash and juicing lemons) to call my mother to thank her for cooking healthy meals for us while I was growing up. The impetus: An MPR story on childhood obesity. I realize now what a privilege it was to grow up expecting a home-cooked meal every day — even when my mom was working, grandma would cook for us, or my sister and I would cook with our aunt and serve up meals as part of our favorite game, Starlight Cafe.

My mother’s nonchalant response to this: We lived in the middle of nowhere — where would we have gone out to eat?

True enough. But still, I’m grateful.

And what was I peeling that squash for? Two winner meals this week: a soup and salad that were perfect for the spring weather.

Recipe 1: Lemon Lentil Spinach Soup

This recipe is one of mine:

Lemon Lentil Spinach Soup
Makes 5-6 servings

2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions diced
3 celery ribs diced
2 medium carrots diced
coarse kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 1/2 C red lentils
1/4 C red cooking wine
5 C vegetable broth
3/4 lb baby spinach leaves
juice of 2 lemons

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots, and saute until carrots are tender (about 7 minutes). Use some of the wine for deglazing if necessary.
2. Add garlic, cumin, lemon zest, and a good sprinkling of salt, and saute for about 2 minutes.
3. Add lentils and some more salt and saute for 1 minute more.
4. Add cooking wine and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down head and simmer, covered, until lentils are cooked (about 20 minutes).
5. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted (3-5 minutes).
6. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice.
7. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

I served it with crusty bread and a dollop of cumin yogurt (1 C yogurt + 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp ground cumin).

Recipe 2: Warm Wild Rice Salad from Hola Jalapeno

We got our fill of asparagus last week, so I made this with chickpeas instead (also a good way to add protein since we were eating it as a main course). I doubled the recipe and we had so much we were able to eat it every day and still have some leftover to freeze. It was super tasty, but I think I need a break now.

Time: 2 hours

Soundtrack: aforementioned MPR story