I don't have a food processor (yet), and I wanted to make some sort of veggie burger. It was hard to find a recipe that didn't need a food processor, so when I came upon this recipe for black bean fritters, I adapted it to make burgers instead of a dipping appetizer. My friend Lauren was in town and helped make these a successful dish, with the addition of a made up Mexican-style aioli for topping!

black bean fritters
yield varies depending on size of patties

For fritters
3 cups black bean, cooked
1 large yellow pepper, remove seed, chop into small pieces
1 small white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces
1 cup corn, cooked
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons all purpose unbleached flour
2 eggs, room temperature
Sea salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
Cheese of choice (optional, for melting. we used Mexican mix shredded cheese)
Hamburger buns (we used mini pretzel rolls and made sliders)
Veggies of choice for topping (we used tomatoes and onions)
*add breadcrumbs if mixture doesn't bind easily

For aioli
1/2 cup plain mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
*feel free to adjust measurements to taste 

Onion rings are one of those things that I crave fairly regularly, so I love the idea of making a healthier version for myself at home. This recipe uses a combination of crushed cornflakes and panko breadcrumbs to achieve a satisfyingly crunchy coating, and the buttermilk and cayenne in the batter make for a pretty spot-on onion ring flavor. 

Even though I'm a big fan of ketchup, I felt like homemade onion rings warranted a slightly more inventive sidekick, so I mixed together some of my favorite flavors to make a tangy, sweet balsamic-dijon sauce I kind of can't wait to find a bunch of other uses for.

baked onion rings with balsamic-dijon dipping sauce
makes about 4 servings

For onion rings
2-4 vidalia onions
2 cups corn flakes, crushed to fine crumbs (pulse in food processor or simply crush them by hand in a plastic storage bag)
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil spray

For balsamic-dijon dipping sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
salt to taste

A few years ago, I had a version of watermelon feta salad at a friend's house. At the time, the combination was unexpectedly delicious and the recipe was very simple. I came across this recipe on Pinterest a little while ago, and it reminded me of that salad, though with a few delicious differences. This salad is very quick and easy, and it's the perfect light supplement to any summer meal!

watermelon salad with feta and mint
makes roughly 16 pieces (though I've usually gotten more yield from it)

16 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon, chilled (or however many you can get from a watermelon quarter)
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cream cheese or plain Greek yogurt
Pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

I (along the rest of the world's sane population, I'm assuming) have always considered peanut butter and chocolate to be the perfect combination. During a recent sugar craving I discovered this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, where it was adapted from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. I figured both of those sources couldn't be wrong, and let me just say, these cookies do not disappoint. Don't skip the final step of rolling the cookie dough in sugar before baking - not only does it make the cookies look pretty, but it also adds an extra dose of sweetness adequate for satisfying any sugar craving.

peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate chips
makes about 24 cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy to add extra texture)
3/4 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons reserved for sprinkling on dough before baking
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk  I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk because I had it on hand)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chunks

I'm a firm believer that almost anything tastes good in taco form. There are so many different flavor and topping combinations to experiment with, and I'm always drawn to anything that can be used as a vehicle for lots of avocado. These shrimp tacos are the perfect twist on traditional Mexican flavors. They're smoky, just a little spicy and, in my opinion, the ideal spring meal.

The radish-apple slaw is a simple way to add great color, crunch and tartness. Add some avocado to the mix (because it always makes everything better), and you'll end up with a pretty perfect taco!

shrimp tacos with radish + green apple slaw
makes 6 tacos

For shrimp tacos
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
cooking spray (I used canola oil)
6 small corn tortillas
1 avocado, cut into bite-size pieces

For green apple-radish slaw
1-2 granny smith apples, chopped into bite-size pieces
5 medium radishes, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

This is one of my go-to dishes when I have a little bit of time on my hands. I love it because you can pretty much add any veggies you like and it makes great leftovers. I'm also a huge fan of pretty much anything that incorporates peanut butter or sriracha, and this recipe features both prominently!

spicy sesame-peanut noodles
makes about 6 servings

For sesame-peanut dressing
½ cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
¼ soy sauce
⅓ cup warm water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sriracha, plus more to taste

For pasta
¾ lb whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles (I used linguine because it's what I had on hand)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 block extra firm tofu
4 large carrots, sliced into rounds
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 package frozen shelled edamame, thawed
optional: chopped peanuts and/or toasted sesame seeds for garnish

We were in need of a side dish for dinner, and instead of going for a traditional salad or a warm vegetable side, I opted to make this recipe that I found on Smitten Kitchen. The combination of flavors makes for a fresh salad alternative, and it's easy to make first and throw in the fridge until it's time to eat. 

The only change I made to the original recipe was to toast the almonds in the oven and season them later instead of frying them in a pan. It saved me from washing a pan, and tasted the same!

green bean salad
makes about 4 servings

1 pound green beans or haricot vert (skinny ones)
1/2 a fennel bulb (about 1/2 pound)
1 stalk celery, trimmed
1/2 medium red onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon kosher salt (use less if you’re using Morton or table salt)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) whole almonds
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil