Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Homemade Grilled Veggie Burger and Salted Caramel Brownies. Enjoy!

ALAMO MUFFINS

Starting off today with a yummy recipe from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. This was posted with the note, "A nice change from tacos or tortillas to accompany Mexican meals. Makes 1-1/2 dozen."

Apparently, the poster was named Carolyn, who added, "*Carolyn's Note: I would just use a can of chopped green chilies, drained, if fresh ones are not convenient."

Yield: 18 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs baking powder(double-acting)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs; slightly beaten

1 cup yogurt; plain

1 can cream-style corn; (8-3/4 ounce)

1/4 cup green chili peppers,* seeded and minced (see note above)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F. Mix together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the consistency is grainy. Beat the eggs into the yogurt, then add to the cornmeal mixture. Add the cream-style corn and chili peppers, mixing just until moistened.

Divide the batter evenly among 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.

SWEET POTATO NACHOS

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “Who won’t want to try orange nachos? The seasoned sweet potatoes with the mellow cheese create a wonderful combination for a snack or healthier game-day appetizer!”

Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/sweet-potato-nachos

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), makes about 6 cups of rounds

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1/3 cup black beans (drained, rinsed)

1/3 cup reduced-fat, shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped tomato (1 plum tomato)

OR

1/3 cup no-salt-added, canned, diced tomatoes (drained, rinsed)

1/3 cup chopped avocado

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cover the baking pans with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes thinly (about quarter-inch rounds). In a bowl, toss the rounds with olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika. Spread evenly on prepared pan (might need two pans). Bake for 10 minutes and use a spatula to flip the sweet potato rounds. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crisp.

Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle beans and cheese over the sweet potatoes. Return to oven until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with tomato and avocado. Serve.

Tip: For easy clean-up, line your baking pan with foil before spraying with nonstick cooking spray, allowing you to toss the foil after use.

Tip: A well-stocked spice cabinet is an easy way to add flavor without added sodium – however, be sure to look for spices and seasoning mixes without added salt.

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

This was in an email from Optum, and begins, "Lasagna is often a go-to recipe for family dinners. It's easy and delicious, but can be unhealthy. Why not try this healthier twist on the standard recipe? It's sure to be a hit."

To view this online, go to https://www.optumcare.com/resources/health-wellness-resources/library/zucchini-lasagna.html.

Ingredients

1/2 pound cooked lasagna noodles, cooked in unsalted water

3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, fat-free*

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups raw zucchini, sliced

2 1/2 cups low-sodium tomato sauce

2 TSP basil, dried

2 TSP oregano, dried

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 TSP black pepper

*To reduce sodium, use low-sodium cottage cheese. New sodium content for each serving is 165 mg.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

In a small bowl, combine 1/8 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese with all the cottage cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Combine tomato sauce with all remaining ingredients, except zucchini. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of cooked noodles. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture on top. Add a layer of zucchini.

Repeat layering until you’ve used all ingredients. Top with a layer of sauce and remaining cheese mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into six portions.

WHITE BEAN HUMMUS WRAPS WITH AVOCADO AND BELL PEPPER

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “The silkiness of the white beans combined with the rich avocado and crunchy cucumbers and bell peppers make this Simple Cooking with Heart vegetarian recipe a winner of a lunch or dinner.”

Makes 4 servings; serving size: 1 wrap

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/white-bean-hummus-wraps-with-avocado-and-bell-pepper.

Ingredients

For the white bean hummus:

15.5 oz. canned, no-salt-added, or, low-sodium white beans (like cannellini) (drained, rinsed)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. water

1/4 tsp. ground, sweet paprika

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

For the wraps:

1 medium tomato (thinly sliced)

1 medium cucumber (thinly sliced)

1 bell pepper (seeded, thinly sliced)

1 avocado (peeled, pit removed, sliced)

4 handfuls lettuce

4 (10-inch) whole-grain, low-fat wraps

Ingredients

For the white bean hummus:

Drain and rinse the beans; add into the bowl of a food processor, along with remaining ingredients.

Puree until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.

For the wraps:

Chop all the vegetables: slice the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and avocado.

Spread about 1/3 cup white bean hummus over each wrap, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Divide vegetables onto each wrap, placing over the hummus-not all the vegetables will be used.

Fold each side of the wrap up and then roll. Cut in half, if desired. Serve wraps with any extra vegetables and dip that is leftover.

Cooking Tip: Any type of beans can be magically turned into hummus. Just follow the instructions above using whatever bean you want – chickpeas, black bean, kidney beans, etc. Layer onto a wrap like in this recipe or use as a dip with veggies.

Keep it Healthy: When choosing lettuce, remember than the darker the color of the greens, the more nutrients and vitamins packed into it. For example, Romaine lettuce is more nutritious than iceberg lettuce.

Tip: Serving size 1 wrap

Tip: Transporting this for a work lunch? Place the wrap in foil for each transporting and make sure to drizzle a little lemon juice over the avocado slices to prevent browning.

HOMEMADE GRILLED VEGGIE BURGER

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Making a grilled veggie burger from scratch used to produce a crumbly mess. But thanks to the smart use of chickpeas and other healthy binders like mushrooms and black beans, these veggie burgers bring a whole new level of delicious awesomeness."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Makes 3 - 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-grilled-veggie-burger-recipe/.

Ingredients

8-oz pack baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

5 cloves garlic

Olive oil (for coating veggies and basting burgers)

1 cup chickpeas

1 1/2 cups black beans

2 eggs

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sriracha

2 Tbsp BBQ sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup almond flour (more may be needed for consistency)

Burgers

Burger buns

Cheddar cheese Lettuce Tomatoes Mustard Mayo Pickles

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Mustard

Mayo

Pickles

Special Equipment

Food Processor

Preparation

Preheat your grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Before you make the patties, you must first dehydrate excess moisture from the veggies so the burgers will keep their shape.

Place mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, and garlic cloves in a grill basket. Coat with some olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside.

Punch a couple of small holes in the bottom of a foil pan, then fill it with your chickpeas and black beans. The holes will allow excess water to drain from the veggies while roasting. Set aside.

Before placing veggies on the grill, toss some hickory wood chips on the coals.

Place the grill basket and foil pan on the grill, and roast them with the lid closed for about 30 minutes. Stir them about halfway through the cook.

Once roasted, remove veggies from the grill and allow them to cool. You can extinguish the grill if you’re roasting the vegetables well ahead of time, or you can let it cruise while you prepare your patties if you’re doing this recipe in one go.

Once cooled, pour the veggies from the grill basket into a food processor. Add eggs, soy sauce, sriracha, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, and the mixture of cornstarch and water, then blend until fairly smooth.

Add chickpeas, black beans, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs to the food processor. Lightly pulse a few times in the food processor — you want the beans in your burger mix to maintain some varying texture, so don’t fully purée as in the above step.

Pour burger mix into a bowl, gradually incorporating a little bit of almond flour at a time. Aim for a consistency that’s thick enough to form a patty that’ll hold its shape.

Once your mixture can be easily formed into burgers, sprinkle a light layer of flour onto a dish. Create 3–4 patties and place them on the floured dish to prevent sticking.

Brush olive oil on top of the patties. This will be the side that hits the grill first. The olive oil will help the patties receive some color and easily release from the grates.

Place patties in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before grilling. This will help them keep their form when they hit the grill.

Preheat your grill to 350 degrees, adding more charcoal if necessary.

Brush the grill grates with olive oil just before placing your patties on the grill.

Grill the veggie burgers for about 6–8 minutes a side, until crisp and golden brown on each side. Keep the grill lid down during the cook, lifting it only to baste the top side of your burgers with olive oil before flipping them. OPTIONAL: After flipping, baste the top of the burgers with a bit of melted butter.

Melt slices of cheese over the patties before removing them from the grill. Adding cheese during the final minute of the cook should get the job done.

Plate and serve the burgers with your toppings of choice, and enjoy!

SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES

This comes from Seattle's (Washington) Macrina Bakery's monthly email. It I ever have the chance to take a road trip around the U.S., this is one place I plan to visit.

This recipe begins, "With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, we thought it was an excellent time to send out the recipe for this decadent treat. For chocolate lovers, there’s not much better than the densely-textured, fudgy taste of a brownie. These brownies marry sweet, salty and bitter better than nearly any dessert we’ve tried. Bitter ground coffee finds balance in the caramel, as does the semisweet chocolate in the sea salt. The caramel cream cheese may have you wondering just how many brownies are too many. The caramel sauce is simple to make, but Fran's Caramel Sauce is an excellent substitution if you're in a rush."

Makes nine 3 X 3-inch brownies

Ingredients

Brownies

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp ground coffee

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

4 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup caramel sauce, room temperature

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp coarsely ground Himalayan or Hawaiian pink sea salt

Brownies

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Line the base of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment. Brush the pan sides with canola oil and lightly dust with flour, so the brownies release easily.

Place a stainless steel bowl over a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of boiling water to create a double boiler. Add the butter and unsweetened chocolate to the bowl. Melt until combined and remove from the heat. Add the sugars, coffee, salt and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until each is fully incorporated before adding another. Using a spatula, fold in the flour and semisweet chocolate chips until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. A toothpick should come out dry when the brownies are set.

Let cool for 30 minutes. Remove from pan.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the caramel sauce, brown sugar and vanilla. Cream until smooth and without any lumps.

Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled brownies and sprinkle with pink sea salt. Cut into 9 pieces. Enjoy!