Black bean not-burgers

Inspired by the cilantro-turmeric salmon patties I wrote about a couple weeks ago, I set out to make a black bean burger that I'd actually like. I think the key is to not try to make a burger per se, or to think that, when you are eating one, that it is supposed to be anything like a burger. You will just be disappointed, like I always am.

But when I packed these with chopped cilantro and quinoa, the whole concept changed for me. It didn't hurt that I fried them in that morning's bacon grease.

I served these with buns for those who wished, but just having it with tomato, avocado, and onion - similar to the salmon patties with salad concept - was, imho, perfect.

Black Bean not-Burgers (patties? fritters?)
inspired by these salmon patties

I made my first and only batch so far* with egg because we were challenging eggs last week, but the mixture was very wet (maybe I didn't drain my beans too well, either) and I had to add in gluten-free flour to dry it up. So I'd probably just skip the egg, and add flour only as needed to make a slightly thick batter.

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 t salt
freshly ground pepper
1 egg (optional, see note above)

Throw everything in the food processor and blend together. Add a little flour if it looks way too watery. It's not going to be firm because we're not making burgers, but you do want it to hold some shape. Start with 1/4 cup flour and go from there. Too much flour makes it bready and dilutes the impact of the flavor you're going for here.

Heat up olive oil (or bacon grease!) on medium-high, and fry patties in batches. Serve on buns and/or with salad ingredients

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* Yes, it was on the menu for last week but we didn't get to it.

And here's this week's meal plan, while we're talking about it:

Challenging soy, hence the tofu and soy-sauced based recipes. Also, changed the structure to put Sat and Sun at the end because it's stressful to have to plan Sunday's meal on Saturday night without groceries when there is church on Sunday morning.

Shakshuka baby

I have not a single picture of the shakshuka we made last night because it was all devoured.

However, allow me to present to you Shakshuka Baby:

After my new friend Kayla and I decided to make shakshuka for dinner, her girls couldn't stop saying "shakshuka" over and over (who could blame them?) and then all of a sudden, Emilyn became "Shakshuka Baby." 

We think their future band could be named Rosie, Eleanor and the Shakshuka Baby. Pretty catchy, eh?

Shakshuka is pretty easy to make, especially when you have a baby to hold and then you can make your friend do all the work. I first made it from Smitten Kitchen's recipe but yesterday we followed the NYTimes. I hardly think it matters which you do as long as there's feta involved. Yesterday we used red bell peppers in place of chile peppers, which definitely makes it more kid friendly. And unlike Deb we are not cilantro-adverse, so we used that and I think it pairs so wonderfully with the feta so I like that change from parsley. 

Kayla brought everything for an awesome salad so between that and her practically making the main dish I was set. I was already into our growing friendship but that pretty much sealed the deal.

But, if you don't have a Kayla (slash momcrush), here's how you can make it for yourself:

Shakshuka Baby, hold the baby

inspired by Smitten Kitchen and The NYTimes

Saute 1 onion, sliced with 1-2 red bell peppers, sliced, about 10 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic, sliced. Add 1 t each of cumin and paprika and 1/8 t cayenne (possibly omit for kids). Dump 28 oz can of diced tomatoes and some salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened. Gently crack 6 eggs spread across the surface of the sauce. Cover the pan and let eggs cook until they are soft-set, maybe about 5 minutes. Gently spoon some sauce over eggs. Sprinkle crumbled feta and minced cilantro over all and serve.

Need more shakshuka, baby? 

Emilyn is:

• 5 months. Can't believe it. (22 weeks and 1 day to be exact.)
• still only rolling back to tummy, over her left side.
• most definitely teething. 
• on two naps (seemed early to me but it's really working) and bedtime is slowly and more consistently becoming around 7:15 p.m. 

Theo:

• surprised us with how well he transitioned to the toddler bed this past week. This toddler clock helps a ton, which we put in his crib well before the transition.
• loves a new book we picked up at Half Price the other day called Digger, Dozer, Dumper. I love seeing him bring books into his bed during IP. 
• came up to us and told us "I go nap" when some friends were over after church and it actually was getting close to his naptime. Our extroverted guy telling us he needed to be excused from the party. Heart melted. 

This is how he looked at me when I said, "Theo, sit there so I can take more pictures of you in this glorious light."

And today's closing randomness is brought to you by Chinese American potlucks of the 1990s. Almond jello for the win!

In which I tell you to read Francis Lam

Last week I acquired a box of "seconds" at the produce stand which included a ton of onions, chayote, and tomatoes, all for $3. I made the kids' favorite Vietnamese soup with the chayote and one onion but it still left me with a bunch of onions. Somehow my mind remembered koshary and I looked up the amazing Francis Lam's recipe and got to work. 

With all due respect because he is awesome at everything he does (his ratatouille is the best, and he's introduced the world to a Cantonese classic, ginger scallion sauce), I'm a little surprised that he tells you to use only two onions, and even then only if you love onions. I think that for this recipe three is a minimum, because if you're going to do the work of caramelizing them you may as well do a lot at once.

My three onions cooked down to fit into this Corelle cereal bowl.

I had many more onions that needed to be used up and could have done more but when I looked at my pile I thought, eh, that's enough. It wasn't. Trust me: don't lose heart as you're chopping. You're going to want more than two. The onions are the thesis to the dish.

I won't write much more about the recipe here because he does a much better job at it.

Once again, I'm writing about a not very photogenic dish. But this is why you need to read his recipe. Francis Lam's writing > picture of koshary. 

If, after reading the recipe, you still need some convincing to try the recipe, I invite you to study this lovely picture of pasta that has been fried a bit until it's crusty and chewy. #cornerpieceloversunite

With that, I commend this peasant-y dish to you. I also recommend pairing it with a cold, crisp green salad with a garlicky vinaigrette.

The recipe link one more time, for the lazy.

And now for a little update on the littles. 

Emilyn

• turns 19 weeks today.
• rolled over for the first time yesterday! I hadn't been pushing it at all (I think with second children you don't want them to go anywhere too quickly ;)). But after some recent pressure from some people (not naming anyone), I gave her some practice on Monday and then on Tuesday - like a ninja - she just did it without any fanfare. She's my lovely girl.
• is solidly down to three naps. I bit the bullet and I'm glad we did. We've also had three nights this week where she fell asleep for bedtime before 9pm. Hallelujah! Here's to the end of witching hour and to finally getting David through season 1 of FNL! (Stephie, you can do it!)

Theo

• is 123 weeks old. Oh, you're one of those people who doesn't like when people tell you how old their kids are in months once they are past the first year because it's so hard to divide by 12? Yeah, he's 28 months, or 2 years and 4 months old. 
• says the funniest things. If Netflix is taking a while on the Kindle fire, he'll quickly ask, "iPad work?" He corrects my naming of large construction machinery. Mama that's a "backhoe loader," not just any old excavator.
• loves his sister. He calls her "Emi baby" and almost every day goes up to her and snuggles next to her and says "Oppa, oppa!" I won't be surprised if that becomes her first word. :D