When the weather gets hot in Portland this time of year, one of my go-to meals is mezze. If you’re not familiar with mezze, it’s a combination of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern foods that can be served before a big meal or, in my case, in lieu of a traditional meal. Typical foods include hummus, pita bread, falafel, Babaghanoush, tabbouleh, feta, tomatoes, and olives to name just a few. I usually include hummus, pita bread, falafel, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, Tzatziki and olives. I put out a big spread and we just eat until we’re full. It’s beautiful because most of these things take no preparation and keep you from slaving over a hot stove. We have some great recipes for a few of these items on our site and we’ve included an easy-peasy hummus recipe below. Find more ideas for what to serve in your mezza here.

• Falafel
• Pita Bread
• Tzatziki
• Babaghanoush
• Tabbouleh

Hummus

•     4 cups canned or cooked Garbanzo Beans
•     1 cup Tahini
•     4 Lemons, juiced
•     4 cloves Garlic, mashed
•     4 tsp Cumin
•     1 cup Olive Oil
•     1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Directions

In a food processor, add the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. Process to combine well. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the food processor, making the mixture creamy. Add the salt. If you would like the hummus creamier add more olive oil, reserved bean liquid, or water a tablespoon at a time while the food processor is running. Makes approximately 4 cups.

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I’ve gathered together some fun, meatless recipes that you can make today or use to celebrate on the Fourth. Enjoy!

Salads & Sides:

• Patriotic Watermelon & Feta Flag (Fruit and Cheese Plate) from Wenderly: This could be done with pineapple instead for a pure fruit plate or vegan option.
• Red, White & Blue [Green] Salad from Green Lite Bites: A green salad  featuring strawberries, blueberries and feta.
• Cookie Cutter Fruit Salad from Wit & Whistle: Cut watermelon into stars using a cookie cutter, add strawberries and blueberries for a patriotic finish.
• Watermelon Fire & Ice Salsa from Cooking Pinterest: A beautiful salsa served in the watermelon rind.
• Red, White & Blue Potato Salad (version 1) from A Cozy Kitchen: If you can find purple potatoes, this is a fun and pretty recipe. (No mayo in this version, making it perfectly vegan friendly.)
• Red, White & Blue Potato Salad (version 2) from Epicurious: The classic potato salad using three colors of potatoes.
• Red, White & Blue Potato Salad (version 3) from Stuff Your Face : Featuring blue cheese instead of blue potatoes. Skip the bacon to make it veg-friendly.
• Baked Beans from Bob’s Red Mill: Just your standard, vegetarian baked beans.
• Basic Grilled Corn on the Cob from Simply Recipes: Husk on method
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Lime Butter and Feta Cheese from Say Yes to Hoboken

Mains:

• BBQ Tofu Kabobs from Channel 4: Easy, tasty kabobs served with a mustard mayonnaise dressing.
• Grilled Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta from Laa Loosh
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger from Veggie Belly
• Ultimate Veggie Burger from 101 Cookbooks: This one looks like a winner!

Desserts:

• Firecracker Cupcakes from Noble Pig: These are too cute and quite fun (they use PopRocks!)
• Chocolate Raspberry Ice Box Cake from Kitchen Parade: A festive chocolate cake topped with whipped cream, raspberries and blueberries in a flag design.
• Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles: Red velvet cake cookies are cut into stars and filled with cheesecake ice cream. Bet you could put a twist on this with blueberry ice cream for a red, white and blue sandwich.
• Red, White and Blue Chocolate Dipped Strawberries from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles: Not the original recipe, but she does a great job of explaining how to create this super simple, yet completely fancy-pants treat.

An easy to make, versatile veggie burger, this recipe case easily be adapted to use a different kind of bean if Adzuki beans are hard to come by. We love this recipe because it contains barley, a nutritional powerhouse. Barley doesn’t get enough credit, in our opinion, in the culinary world. I guess it’s probably due to the fact that almost all barley on menus is pearled barley. Unlike pearled barley, whole barley is packed with fiber and nutrition. While oats are known for being a good source of fiber, whole barley actually contains more fiber. Oats contain 5 grams of dietary fiber per 1/2 cup, while barley contains a whopping 16 grams per 1/2 cup. Barley has a great, nutty flavor that makes these burgers really shine.

Not a big fan of frying? Do what I do at home and form these into patties on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes a side. It takes longer, but it’s a bit healthier. Bonus! Once these burgers have been cooked, freeze the leftovers they’ll hold their own quite well on a grill.

Bean and Barley Burgers

•     1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
•     2 cups cooked Adzuki Beans
•     1/2 cup Wheat Germ
•     1 Tb. Olive Oil
•     1/2 cup Onion, chopped
•     3 cloves Garlic, minced
•     1 tsp Sea Salt
•     1/2 tsp Sage
•     1/2 tsp Celery Seed, ground
•     2 cups cooked Whole Hull-Less Barley

Directions

Cook beans and barley as directed until soft, then mash beans and barley together. Fry onion and garlic in oil until golden. Add to bean/barley mixture along with spices and wheat germ and stir to combine. Form into 4” patties and fry on medium heat until brown on both sides. Makes about 8 burgers.

A few nights ago, I attempted my first-ever homemade risotto. Instead of rice, I used a grain called freekeh. We don’t carry freekeh at Bob’s Red Mill, but I had been curious after hearing about it from several different blogging friends. I was given some to play with, so I tried to find a recipe to try it in. Since it was my first time using it, I wanted a tried and true recipe. I stumbled upon a freekeh risotto and thought, “I’ve never tried making my own risotto, I’ll give this a shot.” The dish came out great, even if it was time consuming. I tried something I’d never done before and got to try a new grain at the same time.

The point of all this is that I’ve got risotto on the brain and stumbled across this recipe. Steel cut oats are ideal for making risotto because of their inherently creamy nature. The starches are easy to draw out and they hold their texture well. This ris-oat-o recipe from Gluten Free Gigi can be done in 30 minutes and comes out creamy and delicious. Gigi was a contender last year in our Spar for the Spurtle. I’ve included her adorable video here and her recipe below. Enjoy!

Herbed Oregon Cranberry Slow Simmer Ris-oat-o

Contributed by: Gigi Stewart from Gluten Free Gigi

•     1 cup Steel Cut Oats*
•     1/2 cup diced Onion
•     1/2 cup dried Oregon Cranberries
•     3 cups Vegetable (or Chicken) Stock
•     2 Tbsp Olive Oil
•     1 tsp Herbs de Provence
•     1/2 tsp Salt
•     1/4 tsp White Pepper

Directions

Step 1

Add vegetable broth to a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Step 2

Add oats, onion, cranberries, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper to a large skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or spurtle for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Carefully add boiling broth, cover dish, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.

*Use our Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats to make this recipe gluten free.

This colorful salad combines couscous with a variety of vegetables, walnuts and feta cheese. A sweet cinnamon dressing tops it off for a unique and delicious dish. Serve alongside this wonderfully simple recipe for Grilled Eggplant from Martha Stewart, sliced watermelon and crusty bread for a full meal. Use our Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous for a slightly different, whole grain take on this salad.

Couscous Salad with Walnuts & Feta Cheese

Contributed by: Roy Pingo, cookbook author & chef

Serves 10 as a side

• 2 cups Golden Couscous (uncooked)
• 2 cups boiling Water
• 1 large head Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped Walnuts
• 4 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
• 4-5 Mushrooms (washed & sliced)
• 2 medium Yellow Crookneck Squash (thinly sliced)
• 4 oz crumbled Feta Cheese
• Cinnamon Dressing
• 1/2 medium Red Onion, thinly sliced into rings

Cinnamon Dressing

• 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black Pepper
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt

Directions

Place couscous in a heatproof bowl and add 2 cups boiling water; mix, cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes. Reserve at room temperature.

Combine lettuce, walnuts, tomatoes, mushrooms and squash in a large serving bowl and gently toss to combine.

Add the couscous and feta and gently mix. Pour the dressing (directions follow) over the salad, one tablespoon at a time, until dressed to taste. Top with rings of red onion and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Cinnamon Dressing: In a bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper until very well-combined.

This fun recipe comes from Jennifer Daskevich, a 2011 Spar for the Spurtle contender. I thought it sounded like just the thing for Meatless Mondays and a great reminder of how good savory oats can be. Obviously, for Meatless Mondays, you’ll want to skip the shrimp. I left that option here, in case you want to try that another night!  Watch the video to learn a little more about this dish and enjoy!

Oat Corn Cake Canapes with Chipotle Two Ways

Oat Cakes

• 1 cup Steel Cut Oats
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 3 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil + additional as needed
• 3 Shallots, minced
• 1/2 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground Pepper
• 2 ears of fresh Corn – kernels cut off (frozen will work, too)
• 1/2 cup White Rice Flour + additional for coating cakes
• Water as needed to form patties
• 2 Tbsp chopped Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp chopped Chives + 12 larger pieces

Chipotle Raspberry Sauce*

• 1 cup fresh Raspberries
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 Chipotle in Adobo Sauce + 1 teaspoon Adobo
• 1/4 cup Water
• Chipotle Mayo
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Chipotle in Adobo minced (or more if you like it spicy)

Shrimp

• 2 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
• 1/4 lb small to medium Shrimp (about 12 pieces)
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground Pepper

Directions

Oat Cakes

Step 1

Bring water to a boil and add oats. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spurtle. Remove from heat and put into a medium sized bowl.

Step 2

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large pan. Add shallots and saute for about five minutes to soften. Add garlic and stir until fragrant – about 1 minute. Add corn and cook briefly to meld to flavors.

Step 3

Combine oats with the corn mixture and 1/2 cup rice flour. Taste and salt and pepper as needed. Wet hands and form mixture into small fifty cent size patties — add water one tablespoon at a time as needed to form patties.

Step 4

Coat patties in rice flour and shake off excess flour. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in pan and fry cakes until golden brown on both sides — 2 -3 minutes a side.

Step 5

For assembly: On half of oat corn cakes place a dollop of raspberry chipotle sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro.

On other half of oat corn cakes place a dollop of chipotle mayo, a shrimp and garnish with chopped chives and a larger piece of chive.

Makes 24 cakes.

Chipotle Raspberry Sauce*

While oats are cooking, combine chipotle, raspberries, sugar and water in a saucepan and mash together. Simmer for about 7 minutes.

Chipotle Mayo

Mix well to combine.

Shrimp

Toss shrimp in sugar, salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Fry briefly for about 90 seconds a side.

Notes

*You’ll have left over but it is delicious!!
**Use our Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats to make the recipe Celiac friendly.
***The Chipotle Raspberry preparation is Vegan.

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you have the day off and are spending it with your family and friends doing something fun, or at the very least, sleeping in. For most folks, their MO on Memorial Day is to grill something, so I’ve put together a collection of meatless grilling options in honor of Meatless Mondays. Want to see what these dishes look like? I put together a Pinterest board for those that have images and even more recipes. Check it out here. Enjoy!

• Grilled Portobello Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwich or Burger from Veggie Belly
• Grilled Tofu Salad with Miso Dressing from Steamy Kitchen
• Bulgur Veggie Burgers with Lime Mayonnaise from Epicurious
• Grilled Mushrooms with Fried Sage and Poached Egg Yolks from Bon Appétit
• Grilled Tofu & Soba Noodles from 101 Cookbooks
• How to Grill Pizza from Simply Recipes (use veggie toppings)
• Spicy Sirarcha-Grilled Tofu from The Bitten Word (originally from Bon Appétit; warning VERY SPICY)
• Grilled Halloumi with Watermelon and Basil-Mint Oil from Bon Appétit
• Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad from Rachel Ray
• Tamarind Seitan Kabobs from Vegan YumYum
• Grilled Tempeh Kabobs from Whole Foods Market
• Savory Tofu on a Stick from Yum Sugar
• Vegetables on Rosemary Skewers with White Bean Hummus from Shape.com

This is one of my all-time favorite warm weather dishes. It’s wonderful on a hot night served alongside something like these lemon-dill green beans from Eating Well  and crusty French bread. This is a great dish for taking to a barbecue or picnic and the leftovers make for tasty lunches. While it was designed to use flageolet beans and Kamut® berries, you can substitute both with good results if you want something simpler or these two ingredients are not handy. White beans, navy beans or great northern beans would all be a decent substitute for the flageolet beans. Wheat berries, spelt berries, long grain brown rice, farro, oat groats or even our Grandé Whole Grains Blend would sub well for the Kamut® berries. Enjoy!

French Bean and Kamut® Berry Salad

• 2 cups cooked Kamut® Berries
• 2 cups cooked Flageolet Beans
• 1 cup Green Onion, chopped
• 1 cup Tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups Spinach, chopped

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 cup Shallots, minced
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Tarragon
• 1 tsp Parsley Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Soak flageolet beans (about 1 cup) overnight. Drain water and rinse off beans. Place beans in pot covered with plenty of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer, placing lid on pot. Cook until beans are soft, about 1 hour.

Place Kamut® berries (about 1-1/2 cups) in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and place a lid on the pot. Cook until berries are soft, about 1 hour. While beans and Kamut® Berries are cooking, mix vinaigrette ingredients together in a large bowl.

Chop veggies and place in the bowl. Drain beans and berries and rinse in cold water.

Measure out 2 cups of both the beans and the berries and add them to the other ingredients in the bowl. Blend together all ingredients with vinaigrette and chill for a few hours or overnight. Serves 10.

A simple salad from the Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook combining beautiful petite French Green Lentils and Golden Couscous. Pair this dish with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, hummus and warm pita bread for a hearty, Mediterranean-themed meal.

To make this gluten free, try cooked quinoa or millet in place of the couscous and be sure to use a gluten free Worcestershire sauce. See our notes at the end of the post for vegetarian substitutes to make this a truly meatless meal. This would also work well with our pearl couscous or your favorite brand of whole wheat couscous.

Couscous and French Lentil Salad

• 1-1/2 cups dried French Green Lentils, washed and carefully picked over
• 1 sprig fresh Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 whole Garlic Clove
• 1/2 small White or Yellow Onion
• 6 Tbsp Vegetable Stock
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3/4 cup uncooked Couscous
• 1 cup Worcestershire Vinaigrette (recipe follows with vegetarian substitute suggestions)

Combine the lentils, 3 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and onion in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently until tender, but not soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the cooked lentils to a serving bowl and let them cool to room temperature while you prepare the couscous and vinaigrette. Rinse out the saucepan.

Combine the stock and olive oil in the saucepan and set over medium heat. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and remove it from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, while you prepare the vinaigrette.

Fluff the couscous with a fork to break apart any lumps. Allow to cool slightly.

Add the cooled couscous to the bowl with the lentils and toss gently to combine. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add the dressing and mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Worcestershire Vinaigrette

• 4 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 4 Tbsp Lemon Juice (preferably fresh-squeezed, 1 to 1-1/2 lemons)
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce*
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried Oregano
• 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Or combine the ingredients in a jar and shake or use an immersion blender to combine.

*Most Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. To make this a truly meatless meal, look for a brand that does not contain anchovies. Trader Joe’s brand and varieties that are certified kosher should be vegetarian. If you want to go really simple and don’t mind the recipe coming out just slightly different, try soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.

This soup has a nice spring feel to it with green onions and ginger. It is a light, yet flavorful soup- perfect to keep you warm on those chilly Spring nights. Using our Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix as a base, this soup is a meal unto itself, though feel free to pair with crusty bread.

Ginger and Onion Whole Grains and Beans Soup

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup chopped Yellow Onion
• 2 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 tsp minced fresh Ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup sliced Carrot
• 1-1/4 cups sliced Mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 cup Whole Grains & Beans Soup Mix
• 8 cups Vegetable Broth
• Salt to taste
• 7 Green Onions, cut into 3-inch strips

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add yellow onions and saute until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic, fresh ginger and carrots and cook until carrots are just soft, about 5 minutes. Then, add mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their juices, about 4 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes (and ground ginger if using instead of fresh) and cook for a few seconds. Then add the whole grains and beans soup mix and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 1-1/2 hours, until the beans are soft and the grains are toothsome. Season to taste with salt.

About 5 minutes before serving add the green onions to the soup. They will soften just slightly but remain bright green.

Serves 8