Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Happy New Year friends! I hope you all had a very exciting weekend, bringing in the new year with high hopes for 2011!! I have a feeling this is going to be a great year! Growing up I always looked at odd years as my luckiest years, so I’m excited for what this one will bring! Instead of talking about New Year’s resolutions though (since I know we are all on topic over-load), I thought I would give you a break and just provide a healthy recipe!
I know I’ve said this thousands of times but I LOVE Sundays. We literally only had a few errands to run, including grocery shopping, so I was able to spend the rest of the afternoon cooking and preparing meals for the week! I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book which I’ve only used a handful of times. You might turn your nose up when you hear Lentil-Rice Patties, but they stuck out to me not only because they are vegetarian, but also because I had all the ingredients on hand!! Don’t you just love that??
I added a dollop of organic non-fat plain yogurt!!
The result? Yummy! These would be great to use as a veggie burger or just a topping to a salad! The non-fat plain yogurt was the perfect accompaniment, especially after I broke down and added a little sharp cheddar! Very tasty!! Oh and how great is it that I got 7 patties when I halved this recipe and now I have leftovers to use in my lunches throughout the week!!??
Since most of you are probably looking to lose a few pounds this coming year or get in shape, I would highly suggest broadening your horizons by trying recipes that contain ingredients you may have never used!! This could be one of them!!
Then I dressed it up a little more with some organic sharp cheddar and crushed walnuts!!
Question: What ingredient are you curious to try in this coming year?
Lentil Rice Patties
makes ~12 patties
courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 12th Edition
- 1 (14 oz) can chicken broth (I used vegetable broth)
- 3/4 c. water
- 1/2c. chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1/2 c. uncooked regular brown rice
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 c. brown lentils
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 c. rolled oats
- 2 slightly beaten egg whites (you could try flax eggs but I don’t know how well it would bind)
- 2 tsp dried basil or 1/4 c. fresh basil
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 c. chopped almonds or walnuts, toasted
- lettuce, tomatoes, or plain non-fat yogurt for topping
Directions:
- Bring broth through garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat and cover, simmer for ~20 minutes. Stir in lentils and then cover again to simmer for ~25-30 more minutes (or until lentils are tender). Remove from heat.
- Add garbanzo beans to pan and mash with potato masher. Stir in oats and let stand ~5 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine egg through salt and stir in the lentil mixture. Stir in nuts.
- In a 12″ skillet coated with cooking spray, add ~ 1/3 c. of the mixture in to the heated skillet. Flatter to ~1/2″ thick. Cook ~7-10 minutes (flipping once halfway through).
- Remove from skillet and top as you wish. I found the dollop of non-fat plain yogurt to be the perfect accompaniment!
Nutritional Profile (1 patty): 178 calories, 5 g fat (0.5 g sat. fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 323 mg sodium, 26.5 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g Fiber, 8.5 g protein
I really want to try black rice, fennel, and rhutabaga. I think I’ve tasted all of these before (especially in restaurant dishes) but I have never used them in my own cooking.
The lentil patties sounds delicious! I love your dollop of yogurt on top, that’s what I do too (instead of sour cream).
Happy new year to you!!
This looks great! I have been looking for more vegetarian options. I agree that it would be super tasty on a salad.
Glad you had a great New Years!
These look so yummy and full of protein! I was on a lentil kick for a while, so I have a big bag just waiting to be used
I will absolutely try these! I love lentils and I think this may be the answer to burger night at our house (at least for me!). The teenagers may groan, but maybe I can change their minds!
These sound great. I’m a BIG fan of lentils and chickpeas.
I adore Sundays as well! Mainly because of football, but I”m looking forward to that ending soon and getting some of my life back
I also love finding a recipe of which I have all of the ingredients on hand – such a wonderful thing!
Happy Happy New Year to you!!! I love the idea of giving a healthy recipe as opposed to resolution overload….people are looking for those too!! The pattys looks delish!
the whole reason I barely ever make things is because I never have all the ingredients all at the same time. good for you! haha love the looks of these!
Lentils is a start, lol:)
Happy New Year! I need to definitely up my ambition in the kitchen!
I think I’d like Sundays if it wasn’t for homework! Recipe looks great:)
Happy New Year, Erin! (Not sure if I’ve said it already).
This year, I’m experimenting with wheat. Sounds weird but I’ve been gluten-free for 3+ years to help with my IBS and I’ve added it back in to try out other approaches to managing it. Not sure what’s helping and what’s a problem at the mo (other than lactose- defo not working for me).
xxx
Those look super yummy. I am always looking for things I can make on Sunday night to take for lunch during the week! These are perfect!
Sundays are my “get it together day” and I organize, clean, and get ready for the week!
I have so many things I want to try this year! Including this new recipe you just posted! Happy New Year!
I never thought of using lentils to make a burger! Cool!!!!
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
Yum those look so good! I love cooking with lentils! I am so excited to get back to eating healthy meals again like this one! I love the holidays, but my body is screaming for veggies and water haha
Those look GREAT! I even have a bunch of leftover lentils and split peas from a stew I made this weekend that might need to make their way into a similar dish…
Happy New Year Erin. Hope it’s a good one for you and your family. I’ve bookmarked this recipe, it look great and I’ll give it a go sometime soon. Have a good day.
I love veggie burgers and need to make them more! These look delicious!
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! I love lentils and these look perfect! We are starting a new challenge here where we are going to eat more seasonally. I am hoping that forces me to try more things and broaden my use of seasonal produce.
I love lentils! I think I want to try persimmons this year, and I also want to make my own chile relleno. It such a tasty dish, but I could do without the deep fried part.
Love the recipe, and the picture! Could you email me all the pictures from that night? Even the bad ones…they were hilarious.
I adore Sundays too… love them for being lazy, cooking, and mentally preparing for the week ahead. This year I’m looking forward to trying lots of new things. I’m hoping to finally track down peanut flour since I keep seeing it on blogs everywhere, as well as getting a little more adventurous with sushi! Happy New Year Erin!