Here’s another vegetarian recipe from Chef Manolo – healthful and delicious lentil and mushroom burgers. The following recipe will prepare burgers for 6 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mushrooms, sauteed in olive oil
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• ½ cup cooked brown rice
• ¼ cup ground peanuts
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper (to taste)

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• ½ chopped onion
• ¼ finely chopped parsley

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• Hemp seeds (to sprinkle)

Preparation:

1. Place the initial ingredients in a food processor and blend until you have a soft, paste texture similar to pancakes.
2. Pour this mixture into a bowl and mix in the chopped onion and parsley.
3. Form into small hamburger shapes using a kitchen scoop and then place in a pan preheated with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle hemp seeds on top, sautéing both sides evenly.
5. Taste and adjust the mix if necessary and then sauté the remaining burgers in similar fashion

Let us know how your lentil burgers turn out – and enjoy!

Here’s one of the newer recipes that Chef Manolo has been preparing. Quinoa is a tasty seed that functions much like a grain. It has all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein, and is gluten-free and cholesterol-free.

Ingredients:
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
• 1 egg
• salt
• pepper

Prep:
1. Mix everything together in a bowl and, with the help of an ice cream scoop, roll into little balls.
2. Fry these balls in a pan for a couple of minutes until they are lightly-browned on the outside, but still soft on the inside.
3. Finish them by baking in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with salad and any sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!

Millet recipe – makes 12 millet patties

Chef Manolo would like to share one of his special recipes – an oft-requested perennial favorite in the dining room here. Delicious and healthy!

Ingredients:
• 1 cup millet
• 2 cups yams, sweet potatoes or a mixture of both – peeled and chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1-2 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp chipotle purée
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Prep:
1. Dry roast millet until aromatic, add 2 cups water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, place tight fitting lid on and turn down to simmer for 15-20 minutes until water has absorbed.
2. Steam sweet potatoes (or yams)
3. Combine ingredients, use ice cream scooper or 1/4 cup measure and form patties on parchment-lined cookie sheet
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and serve with either roasted red pepper sauce or – my favorite – a dollop of pesto

Enjoy – and let us know what you think!