Tag: leafy greens

  • Spicy rice patties

    Spicy rice patties

    Have some leftover rice? Great! Let’s make patties :). Patties are a great way to use leftover anything: rice, couscous, vegetables: chop together with an egg, spice it up and enjoy your own homemade brilliant burger.

    In fact, I always make sure I make too much rice for one day just so I can make patties (or nasi goreng: fried rice, but that’s for another time) the next.

    The recipe is simple and it changes a bit every time so as always I invite you to work with whatever you have lying around.

    In this batch, I had about one half to one cup of brown (wholegrain) rice from the day before. I added about a tablespoon of sunflower seeds (could be replaced with the same amount of cooked beans, lentils or chickpeas), one clove of garlic and a handful of stinging nettles (this could also be spinach or kale or almost any other veggie, actually), blanched for one minute then tumbled dry.

    I chopped everything in my little electrical herb chopper. It made for a kind of half sticky, half loose dough.

    In a new bowl, I added one egg to the mixture plus some pepper, salt and ras el hanout, which contains cumin, coriander and paprika, and that I think is a golden combo for patties because it gives a ‘meaty’ experience (without the part where an animal actually dies).

    The mixture should taste rather strong, at least I like the rustic burger quality that will give to your plate. Adding a bit of miso also helps with enhancing those flavors!

    Be wise with tasting though; there still is raw egg inside.

    Now divide the mixture in even parts, heat some oil and fry the patties like you would any other burger.

    These are great, I have always had raving reviews about them. Vegetarians, meat lovers and kids will love them alike, I swear! Just remember what I said about that spice combo, I think that really does the trick ;).

  • Mean & green

    Mean & green

    Stinging nettles everywhere! This is a forager’s feast. I’ve made nettle pesto, nettle garlic butter, nettle soup, nettle tea and nettle smoothie in the past week or so.

    Stinging nettles (brandnetels): they tickle the kidneys, cleanse the blood and promote fluid excretion. They contain loads of vitamin c and iron (which is great during menses and pregnancy) as well as minerals. And, did I mention, they are everywhere and they are free :).

    I use a paper bag and a thin glove for carefree picking. I pick only the fresh green tops. Make sure you pick above peeing and pooing level to avoid contamination with worms or eggs in animal feces. Back at home, soak for a minute or so in freshly boiled water, this will remove the sting. Then use the fresh leaves and stalks in this super nice, simple juicy smoothie:

    Recipe for mean & green nettle juice

    • 1/3 cucumber
    • 1 celery stalk (or half, to taste)
    • 1 handful of stinging nettles
    • 1 cup apple or orange juice, or half an apple and some water

    Extra nice with some fresh mint!

    Enjoy 🙂