The Whole Wheat

Whew! Where have I been? Well vacation then a new job – leads to a hectic life offline! The other night, freshly home from vacation I wanted to make something familiar that I knew we would both enjoy. And I instantly remembered the Potato & Quinoa Croquettes made previously. I made a few changes in order to make them vegan (and based on my mood!), and I made a sun-dried tomato tapenade to top them. Here they are – both versions are delicious and even Brad loved them!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. potatoes (about 4 small yellow ones)
• 1/3 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. garbanzo beans (drained & rinsed from can)
• 1/4 c. leek, thinly sliced
• 2 t. paprika (I used spicey)
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• 1.5 t. corn starch
• panko bread crumbs

1. Peel potatoes then steam for about 10 minutes until tender. Mash with fork.
2. Add garbanzo beans to potatoes and mash them up a bit as well.
3. At the same time bring 2/3 c. of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt then add the quinoa. Cover & lower the heat to a simmer. Let cook about 15 minutes until water is absorbed. (Note: when quinoa cooks, a tiny spiral appears that encircles the grain. This is perfectly normal and should be expected.) Combine quinoa with mashed potatoes.
4. Sauté the leeks in a small skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add spices including oregano. Stir well, it will be very dry now. Continue to cook and stir until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add mixture to potatoes and mix well.
5. In a small bowl mix corn starch with a scant 1/4 c. of water. Add to potato mixture along with parsley.
6. Separate the mixture into four large patties, or eight smaller ones, and shape into patties. Coat each patty lightly with panko bread crumbs.
7. Cook on baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 5-10 minutes per side, until warmed thru and nicely browned.

Sorry to have been so scarce, but I am currently on vacation in Hawaii with family. Hard to beat Hawaii, even when it rains! On our first night here with everyone we made a run to the grocery store for dinner supplies. Steaks & chicken were on the menu for most, but I took a whirl down the veggie patty aisle and discovered Hawaii Taro Burgers – made in Maui. I figured, when in Hawaii, try Hawaiian veggie patties!

For dinner that night I put the patty in the oven while the steaks broiled, then Brad finished it under the broiler. I had it plain with an Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato (ahh, a post in and of itself!) and a big salad. Yesterday for lunch I heated a patty up on the stove top then ate it on whole wheat bread as a sandwich. Both options were equally good!

The ingredient list for these patties is amazing – entirely vegetables and spices. Check it out:

• Taro
• Luau Leaf
• Brown Rice
• Carrots
• Corn
• Onions
• Sunflower Seeds
• Oats
• Tomatoes
• Canola Oil
• Garlic,
• Sea Salt
• Natural Herbs & Spices

Currently it appears on their website that Bristol Farms and some Whole Foods carry these on the mainland. If you have access to either I would recommend checking them out!

Note: Brad asked me to add a reminder to all who were curious that just because these are in the shape of a burger, they don’t taste like beef.

July has come and gone, and so has the vegan experiment. Much to my surprise though, I loved every minute of it! There were a few meals that weren’t worth repeating, but the majority of my discoveries have inspired me to continue down a primarily vegan path since July ended and as August has begun to unfold. Here are few of the things I have found:

• I have been sleeping better – generally.
• I eat *all* the time! My friend and I call ourselves “The Hungry Vegans”
• I have only lost a few pounds – nothing much of note (but I have not been trying to lose weight either), but I feel leaner and slimmer even if there is nothing on the scale to point at.
• My workouts feel different. I haven’t been working out a ton during the month, but since August started I have tried to really get back on track. My stamina is greatly increased and the likelihood of me wearing out before I actually run out of time is nearly non-existent. Plus I have a very short recovery time!
• Having a friend or spouse participating makes being vegan *much* easier. Quite honestly without the daily support of a good friend who also participated in the plant month experiment, I wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun, encouragement, or the desire to push forward. Not having to negotiate social situations solo made life a lot easier!

All in all I plan to continue eating a primarily plant based diet. My exceptions will mostly be social situations where I would rather not make friends feel uncomfortable – and the occasional treat that I know Brad will want.