It’s happening, guys. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are getting cooler and summer is definitely winding down. (Sorry!!) But that doesn’t mean we have to brace ourselves for winter just yet. We still have time to get outside and enjoy delicious summer foods. This week, we are going to focus our blog on celebrating summer through your culinary skills. We would still like you to enjoy the taste of summer with these healthy recipes that will also be sure to delight the taste buds. Let’s hold on to summer as long as we can!
Black bean burgers:
2 cups cooked or 1 can (15oz) black beans rinsed and drained
½ cup vital wheat gluten
½ plain whole wheat bread crumbs
1tsp Chili powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ cup water
1 TBSP tomato paste or ketchup
¼ cilantro (optional)
2 cloves garlic
½ small onion
2 TBSP olive oil plus spray Olive oil
Whole wheat buns
Mash beans with a fork (don’t puree them)
Add wheat gluten, bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin, water, tomato paste, (and cilantro if using), but don’ t mix yet. Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic in. (A garlic press or very well minced garlic works too) Use the large holes on the box grater to grate the onion. Mix everything together with a fork and then knead with your hands, until the mixture is firm and uniformly mixed.
Preheat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Divide the burger mix into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a firm ball. Use your palm to press the ball down on a clean surface to form a patty that is about 1 and ½ inch thick. Press so that the patty is flat on both sides.
Pour a thin layer of olive oil in the pan. Cook the patties 3 at a time for 5 minutes on each side, gently but firmly pressing down on them with a spatula. Spray with olive oil before turning over for uniform browning. Once cooked the patties should be very firm. Add condiments and serve on whole wheat bun.
If burgers aren’t your thing, you can try Buffalo Cauliflower Wings:
You will need 1 cup of water, milk, or milk alternative
1 cup flour or any nut based flour for gluten free variation
2 tsp garlic powder
1 head of cauliflower chopped into pieces
1 cup buffalo/hot sauce
1 TBSP olive oil or melted butter
To make: Preheat oven to 450 F, combine water or milk, flour, and garlic powder until well mixed. Stir in cauliflower and mix to coat. Bake for 18 minutes. While cauliflower is baking, combine buffalo sauce and olive oil. Pour hot sauce mixture over cauliflower and continue baking for 5-8 minutes. Serve with carrots and celery with blue cheese dressing.
Have a low carb dessert with Chocolate Almond Spice Cookies
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ginger
1 1/3 cups plus ¼ cup white sugar or Swerve to keep it Keto
2 ½ cup blanched almond flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp kosher salt
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Heat oven to 375 degrees with racks in the upper and lower middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Measure ¼ tsp of the mixture into another bowl, stir ¼ cup of the sugar and set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, combine the almond flour and remaining spice mixture. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up any lumps, until fragrant and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until barely warm to the touch, 15-20 min.
Into the almond flour mixture, whisk the remaining sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla until evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate.
Form a few 2-TBSP portions of dough, drop them into the spiced sugar, then gently roll to coat evenly. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake until the cookies’ surface become cracked, 12-15 minutes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
We’d love to hear your feed back or any recipe ideas of your own you have. Enjoy the last bits of summer and we hope to see you, (for happy reasons of course), soon!
Dr. Mike
NP Brooke
