Vegan Meal Prep With Robin Asbell

The plant-based lifestyle is quite trendy these days; however it’s now a way of life for me. After an unexpected detour in my health, I began this green journey and am grateful for Robin Asbell and Chef Dave Choi for being my GPS.

Whether or not you are fully making the change to plant-based or just adding a little more plants to your plate, Robin Asbell has some delicious dishes for you. In her new book, Vegan Meal Prep, A 5 week program with 125 ready to go recipes, Robin provides a roadmap of recipes for your journey. Robin takes the mystery out of determining proper proteins and helps restructure your weekly approach to food prep.

Once you understand the basics of vegan meal prep, eating whole plant based foods will be easy. Beans, grain, nuts, greens, and roasted veggies can be easily and flavorfully adapted to any type of cuisine.

Recipe below is courtesy of Vegan Meal Prep by Robin Asbell © 2019 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with
permission. Available where books are sold.

Tofu Quinoa Burgers
Why do we love burgers so much? Veggie burgers are the perfect vehicle for quinoa and tofu, with crispy edges and savory centers to bite into. Once you have them prepped, they are a meal in themselves, with an Asian Cucumber Salad (page 158) on the side, or they make a great topping for a grain bowl at lunch (see page 114).
Makes 8 burgers | Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Blender
Rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats
1 cup (250 mL) cooked quinoa (see page 51)
1 tsp (5 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) minced carrot
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) minced green onion
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 lb (500 g) water-packed extra-firm tofu
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme or sage
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
3⁄4 tsp (3 mL) salt
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) almond butter
1 tsp (5 mL) tamari
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Place oats in blender and grind to a coarse flour.
2. Pour oat flour into a large bowl and stir in quinoa; set aside.
3. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot and green onion; cook,
   stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until carrot is soft. Stir in parsley and cook, stirring, until slightly
   wilted. Add carrot mixture to the quinoa mixture.
4. Drain tofu and wrap in a clean tea towel, pressing gently to remove excess water.
   Crumble tofu into the quinoa mixture. Add thyme, paprika, salt, almond butter and tamari,
   kneading with your hands until the mixture is well combined and holds its shape when
   pressed.
5. Measure rounded, packed 1⁄4-cup (60 mL) portions and place them at least 1 inch (2.5
   cm) apart on prepared baking sheet. Press each with the palm of your hand to flatten it to
   1⁄2 inch (1 cm) thick.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tops are brown and a nice crust has
   formed.
7. Serve 4 burgers hot, on hamburger buns. Let the other 4 cool completely on a wire
   rack, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Tips:
If you have oat flour on hand, you can use it in place of the large-flake oats and skip step 1.
Water-packed extra-firm tofu has a spongy texture that works well in burgers.
You’ll need a full pound (500 g) of tofu for these burgers. If you can only find packages in
other sizes, cube and freeze the leftovers to use in stir-fries. Frozen tofu, once thawed,
absorbs flavor and has a chewy texture you’ll love.

Roasted Cauliflower and Walnut Burritos with Cherry Tomato Salsa
Cauliflower and walnuts combine for an almost beefy filling in this burrito, and “nooch” gives
it a rich, cheesy quality. Smoky chipotle adds umami and a little heat. The salsa is so easy
and quick, you can toss it together in a hurry.
Makes 4 burritos
5 cups (1.25 L) roasted cauliflower (see page 48), finely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) walnut halves, chopped
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) nutritional yeast
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) chipotle chile powder
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Four 10-inch (25 cm) whole wheat tortillas
2 cups (500 mL) packed spinach leaves, chopped
Cherry Tomato Salsa
2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, chopped
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) minced shallots
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) hot pepper sauce

1. Burritos: In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, walnuts, yeast, chile powder and salt.
   Set aside.
2. Salsa: In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, shallots, salt and hot pepper
   sauce.
3. Place tortillas on a work surface and place one-quarter of the cauliflower filling in the
   center of each. Pile spinach on top. Fold in ends, roll up tortillas and place one burrito,
   seam side down, on each serving plate. Serve with salsa.
   Tips
   The combination of sweetly roasted cauliflower and rich, earthy walnuts has a meaty quality
   that will satisfy your savory cravings.
   If making the burritos in advance, wrap each one in plastic wrap or waxed paper and
   refrigerate for up to 2 days.
   variation
   Tomato Cilantro Salsa (page 65) or Mango Sriracha Sauce (page 64) would be a nice
   switch for the cherry tomato salsa.

What is your favorite plant-based dish?

Savor the day!

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