Moosewood Sweet Potato Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's hard to believe that the original Moosewood cookbook was published in 1974. It's harder still to believe I've been making their pancakes for more than 40 years. It is, however, true. This is, by far, my favorite recipe for sweet potato pancakes and while I've experimented with many recipes over the years, I keep coming back to this one. The Silver Fox and I are trying to get back in the habit of eating meatless meals on Monday, and this is a great way to ease ourselves back into the Meatless Monday program. The batter for these pancakes will keep for several days in the refrigerator, so it's great also a great make-ahead recipe. I plan to serve these with a black bean salad and some homemade bread. If you have never tried the Moosewood pancakes, I urge you to do so. They are fast, easy and inexpensive to prepare and they are delicious. Here is the recipe.

Corn, Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This quick to assemble salad is perfect for picnics or al fresco dining. The salad, which is very easy to make, is prepared with pantry ingredients, and you can have it ready to chill in less than 30 minutes. I've made this several times now, and the only change I've made to the original recipe is to double the ingredients for the salad dressing. I serve this with a simple grilled chicken or lamb chops for the Silver Fox, but given my druthers, I'd serve it as a main course. It certainly would be a perfect meatless addition to your next buffet. While the salad will keep for several days, and will actually improve in flavor, the cilantro will lose its lovely color as it sits. I do hope you will give this simple recipe a try. Here is how it is made.

Lentil, Rice and Walnut Patties

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Following my experiment with the Curried Lentil Rice recipe that I featured here last week, I had leftover rice and lentils that were screaming to be used. Lentils are not an ingredient that I've used a lot in the past, but I'm trying to replace some of the meat in my diet with more planet-friendly choices, so they are appearing more often in the recipes I feature here. I found tonight's recipe on the Whole Food's web site, and because I've had generally good luck with their recipes I thought I'd give it a try. I'm happy to report this reforming carnivore actually liked these patties. They are easy to make and they are a great way to use leftover rice and lentils. I served ours with a shaved kale salad and a loaf of crusty country bread. While the Silver Fox also had a pork chop, he ate two patties, so, it's fair to say they were well received. I did use more salt than the original recipe called for, and the next time I make these I'll double the quantity of walnuts used to prepare the patties. The walnuts add a nice crunch to these gluten-free patties and I think you will enjoy them. Here's how they are made.

Edamame Burgers with Siracha

Today, I'm featuring the first ever guest post on One Perfect Bite. It's Meatless Monday and I thought this would be the perfect time to share a recipe for edamame burgers that was sent to me by Rachel at PF Chang's. You're going to love these easy, figure-friendly vegetarian patties. I know I did. Here's what Rachel had to say about them.

Edamame Burgers with Siracha

Hello readers, Rachel from PF Chang’s here with a new take on burgers. As a young adult working in Chicago, I find myself with less and less time to cook dinner every night. Finding that one perfect bite on a time crunch can be a challenge. In my spare time I enjoy trying new recipes that are simple to follow, easy to make and most importantly full of flavor. One of my favorite recipes to spice up the week is edamame burgers with Siracha mayo!

These Asian inspired edamame burgers with Siracha mayo are the perfect weekday pick-me-up, you will be surprised with how much flavor is infused in these vegetarian patties! Garnishing these burgers with Siracha mayo is the perfect pairing to kick up the heat while complimenting the savory and nutty flavors from the edamame.

Sweet Potato, Mixed Bean and Hominy Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was damp and rainy today. That kind of weather always draws me to the kitchen where nothing but homemade bread and soup seems to satisfy my pioneer spirit. I love the smell of yeast and sweating onions and a thick soup or stew seems perfect for days like these. I didn't want to venture out, so tonight's concoction was conjured using pantry and refrigerator stock that I had on hand. I was happily surprised by what I was able to create. Even the Silver Fox, who is a committed carnivore, voiced no complaints about this vegetarian stew. It is a hearty rib sticker and I love the sweetness of the potatoes that are used in its preparation. They balance the heat that comes from the chipotles in the canned tomatoes I used and they add wonderful color to the finished stew. The dish takes about 30 minutes to get from the stove to the table and other than a knife for chopping, you'll need only a can opener to finish the stew. This is great rainy day food and it's a nice recipe to have in your hopper as winter moves in. Here is how this simple vegetarian stew is made.

Main Course Vegetarian Stuffed Squash

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've recently been looking for more main course vegetarian recipes. For health reasons, several of our friends, have recently adopted  a vegetarian diet and I like to cater to their dietary preferences. When I saw this recipe from Cooking Light, I knew I had to give it a try. I usually avoid recipes for acorn squash because they are so difficult to cut. Fortunately, I remembered a trick that makes them easier to deal with and decided it was time to give acorn squash another try. I used a heavy knife to pierce the squash in several places and microwaved it on HIGH power for 2 minutes. I then let it sit for several minutes before carving it as directed in the recipe below. This is a very flavorful recipe that can feed two as a main course or 4 as a side dish. The recipe is self-explanatory and easy to follow. I hope that those of you who are looking for new vegetarian recipes will gives this one a try. It is perfect for the fall season. Here is how the squash is made.

Pantry Noodle Nosh

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These noodles are so basic that any similarity to Pad Thai or Chow Fun is strictly accidental. They are made from refrigerator and pantry scraps that were thrown together when I found my fresh rice noodles were beginning to dry out and had to used. Unfortunately, the noodles I use come in 2 pound packages and I rarely use them all in one sitting. That means there will be at least a pound of fresh noodles left for another meal. This quick stir fry is one way to use them. To make the noodles substantial enough for a light supper, I gave the dish a protein boost with some eggs and used extra vegetables to give it some heft. It turned out well. My recipe is deliberately vague when it comes to the preparation of the noodles for the dish. I've learned it is best to follow the manufacturers directions for cooking them. Rice noodles can be tricky to make because they will literally "melt" away if you cook them for too long a period of time. When using fresh rice noodles, I use my microwave to get the process started. I've found that nuking then for a minute is sufficient time to make the noodles pliable and ready for the wok where they will be tossed and cooked until they are soft and warmed through. This is a good recipe to use when you have bits and bobs left from other Asian-style meals on hand. I do hope you'll give it a try. Here is how these noodles are made.