Holiday Rice With Fruit and Nuts

This has been a staple on my Thanksgiving table for over 20 years. It was my late Mother-in-law's favorite and she requested I bring it every year. She'll be missed this Thanksgiving.

Maple-Sage Holiday Rice with Fruit and Nuts

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 1/2 cups vegetarian "un-chicken" broth
1 cup apple juice or orange juice
3/4 cup uncooked jasmine rice (white or brown)
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, pine-nuts, pecans or hazelnuts

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
2 Tb. minced fresh sage (please use fresh if at ALL possible!!)
1 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 tsp. all natural maple flavoring
1 Tb. brown sugar

*optional - 2 links Field Roast Apple-Sage Vegetarian Sausage, crumbled and browned

Rinse wild rice in fine strainer under cold running water. Drain. Combine wild rice, veg-chicken broth and apple juice in 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, about 45 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, cook jasmine rice with as much water as needed, in whatever manner works for you. (Sorry that's vague, the only way I can cook rice is in my rice cooker).

Melt Earth Balance in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 10 - 12 minutes until tender and browned. Stir in nuts and sage. Cook and stir 2 minutes.

Add rice mixtures to skillet. Add remaining ingredients; cook and stir over medium heat about 2 minutes or until heated through, taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

This can be kept warm in casserole dish in the oven for an hour or so. The dried fruit will get a bit softer and less "chewy", so I usually add it right before serving, but that's a personal preference.

Trying to use up some BEETS!

This salad was thrown together the other day to use up random kitchen and garden surplus.

The results? So yummy I decided to make it again, and share with you!!

Baby Beets and Greens Salad

4 cups baby spinach, baby arugula or mixed greens    (even some baby beet greens are nice here) 
12 baby beets 
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts or pecans 
1 blood orange or two tangerines, peeled and sliced 
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 
1/4 tsp. salt 
1 bay leaf 
5 whole black peppercorns 
fresh ground black pepper

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup fresh blood orange or tangerine juice 
1/4 cup honey (*gasp* yes, I know), agave or brown rice syrup 
1/3 cup olive oil 
1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or olive oil) 
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar 
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

In a saucepan place cleaned beets with enough water to cover. Add rice vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from heat, strain beets and allow to cool. Cut beets in half or quarters and refrigerate until ready to use.

Vinaigrette:
Combine juice, honey and rice vinegar in a bowl. Slowly drizzle oils in a steady stream while whisking continually to create an emulsion. Season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir in chopped mint when ready to serve.

To Serve:

Lay greens on platter or individual serving plates. Lay slices of oranges on greens. Sprinkle with nuts and beets. (Or arrange all fancy-like if that's your thing...) Fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Drizzle with dressing.

Oatmeal-Tofu Veggie Burgers

I was craving veggie burgers tonight but didn't have the greatest selection of stuff in my pantry. It's amazing and amusing what can happen when faced with bits of this and that.

I combined ideas from previous burger-making recipes to go with what I had to work with: firm tofu, some oatmeal, a few nuts, shredded carrots and onions and stuff, and then smushed it all together in the food processor.

Sorta turned to mush, but the texture held together nicely.

This attempt isn't my finest burger, they're awfully flat and thin, but my kids liked them and they did turn out quite tasty, I think you'll enjoy them.

Oatmeal-Tofu Burgers

1 package firm, water-packed tofu, drained and mashed a bit
1/4 cup pecans
3 large white mushrooms, chopped (not portabellos)
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 Tbsp gluten flour (like you make seitan with)
1/4 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 a medium white or yellow onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sesame or sunflower seeds

Mix in the bowl of the food processor by pulsing on and off, until well mixed, but try not to turn into complete paste.

Stir in seasonings.
Season with:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 tsp sage
couple shakes black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or one crushed clove
1 tsp onion powder

You may want to taste and make sure they are salty enough, add some if needed, they will be more bland after cooking.

Form about 6 large patties or if too moist, just spoon into a circle in a hot, well oiled skillet, and cook slowly over medium heat. Cook the first side with the lid on, then remove lid for the second side.

My kids ate these before I got a chance to take a picture of one on a bun all purdy with all the "fixins"... so just imagine that part. They'd be good baked with a mushroom gravy I bet, too!