Buffalo Lentil Loaf

I always hated meatloaf as a kid, and I still do.  I can’t even say the word meatloaf without adding ‘shmeatloaf’ after it.  It’s funny that when I was young, it was more the vegetables, onions and little crunchy bits in the meatloaf that I hated, and now it’s the idea of a tray full of packed meat that turns me off.  A lentil loaf full of vegetables though?  Much more up my alley!

I know some people will have the same reaction I have to meatloaf when they hear the word ‘lentil loaf’.  Indeed, my fiancé in particular was extremely skeptical at the idea.  But even he ended up admitting that this was really good, so if you’re hesitant, I encourage you to give it a chance!

Why should you give this a chance over regular meatloaf?  Because lentils are full of fiber and protein to fill you up and give you energy, along with other important minerals like potassium, folate, and iron.  There’s also oats and a little egg for even more fiber and protein in this, along with vegetables like onions, carrots, and peppers for added nutrition.  Of course, I had to add a little extra appeal to convince the fiancé to try this, so I included buffalo sauce to give it extra flavour and kick, which I loved!  You could substitute bbq sauce though if you’re not into spicy food.

Though it takes a little time to cook, the result is worth it!  I love this lentil loaf on its own with a side of vegetables (mashed potatoes would be great too!), but I ate most of it in sandwiches for lunch.  Toast some whole grain bread, add some lettuce, barbeque or buffalo sauce, tomato, and a couple slices of lentil loaf and you’ve got a hearty, filling, and tasty meal!

Buffalo Lentil Loaf

Lentil loaf recipe adapted from In Sonnet's Kitchen and The Simple Veganista

Makes one 9x5 loaf, serves about 4-6 (or more depending on how you serve the loaf)

Ingredients:

1 cup dry brown lentils

2-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small or medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 a large red bell pepper, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Pinch each of salt and pepper

1 cup rolled oats, pulsed in a blender or food processor a few times to more of a coarse crumb

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buffalo sauce (your favourite brand, such as Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce or PC Buffalo Wing Sauce)

Glaze:
2 tablespoons bbq sauce (plus more for after baking, if desired)

2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Directions:

Add lentils and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and water is mostly evaporated.  Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and puree about three-quarters of the lentils in a blender or food processor (or with an immersion blender).  Set aside to let cool slightly.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, red pepper, and carrot and sauté, stirring often, for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.  Stir in the spices (cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper), then remove from heat. 

Fold together the lentils, sautéed vegetables and spices, oats, eggs, and buffalo sauce in a large bowl or in the saucepan until combined.  Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, spray lightly with cooking spray, and spread lentil mixture evenly in prepared pan.  Mix the 2 tablespoons each of bbq sauce and buffalo sauce for the glaze, and brush in an even layer on top of the loaf. 

Bake loaf in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the top of the loaf is dry, firm, and golden brown.  Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then use parchment paper to lift out of pan.  Top with a bit of additional bbq sauce if you like. Slice into 10-12 slices and serve however you desire – either on its own, in a sandwich, on top of a salad, etc.

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers

When I made these lemon & feta chickpea quinoa burgers for my boyfriend Ryan and I last month, I was worried that he wouldn’t even be willing to try them because he doesn’t eat a lot of veggie burgers and isn’t the biggest lemon fan.  Fortunately, he not only tried them, but actually quite liked them!   Of course, he commented that they’d be much better if I’d made them with buffalo or chipotle sauce instead of lemon though.

I love all things lemon but I’m also a big buffalo sauce fan, so I decided to give Ryan’s “manlier” version a try.  We love these buffalo chicken burgers, but finding a protein-packed vegetarian substitute to replace them with once in a while was a pretty good idea.

Turns out he knew what he was talking about, because I think I liked these even better than the lemon version!

I used the same combination of chickpeas and quinoa as the base of the burger; with shallots and garlic added in for flavour and crunch; oats, breadcrumbs, and an egg to bind them; and buffalo sauce mixed into the patty and served on top for maximum buffalo flavour.  Combined with some blue cheese, lettuce, and avocado as toppings, these were hearty and full of flavour, and we both loved them!  Lesson learned: I should perhaps start listening to my boyfriend’s ideas more often.  Just don’t tell him I admitted that :)

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers

Adapted from my lemon chickpea quinoa burgers

Makes 5 burgers

Ingredients:

For the Burgers:

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 (540mL) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup minced shallot

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup buffalo sauce (your favourite brand, such as Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce or PC Buffalo Wing Sauce)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

For Assembly:

5 whole grain hamburger buns

Crumbled blue cheese

Additional buffalo sauce

Lettuce

Ripe sliced avocado (optional)

Directions:

Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil.  Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, add chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until they are broken down into crumb-sized pieces.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Add oats to same food processor and pulse a few times to break them down into fine crumbs (but not a powder).  Add to chickpeas in large bowl.  Add to the bowl the shallots, garlic, buffalo sauce, egg, salt, and pepper.  Add the cooked quinoa.  Mix everything together with a large fork until well combined.  If mixture is still too wet to form patties, add the 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs (or enough to hold the mixture together).  Divide and shape into 5 patties.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook patties for about 4-5 minutes per side.

Assemble burgers by placing patty on bun, topping with additional buffalo sauce, a bit of blue cheese (be careful not to add too much so it’s not overpowering – I though the amount I used (in the pictures) was too much), lettuce, and avocado or tomato if desired.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Turkey Meatballs

I know I just posted a buffalo sauce recipe, so I apologize to any buffalo-haters out there - I know it’s not for everyone, but the boyfriend and I are huge buffalo sauce fans and these meatballs would go so well with the Super Bowl so I had to share them this week!  I actually made these for us to enjoy during the playoff games two weekends ago, so I can vouch that they go very well with football!

When I first thought of making buffalo-flavoured meatballs, I also came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea of stuffing blue cheese in the middle of them.  Again, I know blue cheese isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a fan of buffalo there’s a good chance you like the buffalo-blue cheese combination (and if you don’t think you do, you should give it a try!)  Of course, as soon as I started Googling I found that many other people had already had this brilliant idea long before me, but at least it confirmed that it would work!  I based my recipe on a combination of other similar ones, but used turkey instead of chicken because I just like it better, and left out the diced celery that a lot of recipes called for because I don’t like having crunchy bits in my meatballs.  Instead I added garlic, onion, and a dash of worcestershire sauce for extra flavour, and with the addition of buffalo sauce and blue cheese, these tasted (and smelled!) amazing!

A lot of buffalo meatball recipes also call for coating them in a mixture of melted butter and hot sauce afterwards, but since we weren’t planning on eating these on their own, I thought I’d save a few calories by just drizzling them with a little buffalo sauce after baking instead.  They were still delicious on their own, but even better as meatball subs!  Add a little light ranch dressing and some crumbled blue cheese (which I completely forgot in the picture below), and you have a Super Bowl worthy sandwich - or turn them into sliders for a lighter snack!

If you’re starting to look for Super Bowl recipes and either want more buffalo ideas or want nothing to do with buffalo sauce, I’ve been collecting lots of both types of recipes on my Pinterest board!

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo Turkey Meatballs

Adapted from Baked by Rachel

Makes about 30 meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup onion, minced (about half a yellow onion)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup buffalo sauce + more for drizzling

~1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine all ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl – turkey, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, egg, worcestershire, and 1/4 cup buffalo sauce.  Use your (clean) hands to mix everything together until well combined.

Form mixture into meatballs approximately 1 to 1.5” in size.  For each meatball, you’ll roughly form a ball, then place a few crumbles of blue cheese in the center, then push the cheese to the center so it’s covered by meat on all sides, and shape into a round ball, as shown in the pictures below.

Transfer all formed meatballs to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.  Transfer meatballs to a bowl and drizzle with extra buffalo sauce to taste, tossing to lightly coat. 

Serve warm as is, as sliders, or on a sub.  For our subs, we added lettuce, more buffalo sauce, light ranch dressing, and blue cheese crumbles.

Buffalo Hummus Mashed Potatoes

When I first saw hummus mashed potatoes on one of my favourite blogs, Gimme Some Oven, I thought it was such a fantastic idea – I love hummus and love mashed potatoes, so combining the two would not only taste great but would be a great way to healthify potatoes!

Of course, my mind starting immediately whirring with all the flavours of hummus you could use to change things up, and my first choice was buffalo.  If you love buffalo flavour and haven’t tried this hummus yet, you need to do so asap; I eat a lot of hummus and this is definitely one of my favourites!

These mashed potatoes are super easy to make – first you have whip up a batch of buffalo hummus, but that takes only five to ten minutes max, and you can do it while you wait for your potatoes to  boil.  Then you simply mash the potatoes, stir in some hummus, season with salt and extra buffalo sauce for spice, and that’s it!  There’s no adding tons of butter and cream, and you still end up with smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes, but with the added benefit of protein and healthy fats from the chickpeas and tahini in the hummus.

If you’re a fan of the buffalo/blue cheese combination, feel free to add some blue cheese in there - I didn’t have any on hand but I think it would have made a great addition!  This would make a great side dish to some chicken and steamed broccoli for a complete meal, but I liked it so much I ate it all on its own before I had a chance to try it that way!

Update: I realized after writing this post that these mashed potatoes are also vegan (correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read online, Frank's buffalo sauce does not contain milk products), giving you all the more reason to like them!  :)

Buffalo Hummus Mashed Potatoes

Inspired by Sabra Hummus and Gimme Some Oven

Serves 3-4 as a side dish (can easily be doubled to serve more)

Ingredients:

1 pound Yukon Gold (yellow-fleshed) potatoes (about 2.5 cups peeled and cubed)

3/4 cup buffalo hummus

1-2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Salt to taste

Directions:

Prepare a batch of buffalo hummus up to a few days in advance. 

Peel potatoes and chop into about 1” pieces.  Immediately transfer to a large pot and cover with cold water until potatoes are covered.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Drain, then place potatoes back in the dry pot and let heat over medium heat until they appear dry, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and mash potatoes in the pot or in a bowl.  Add 3/4 cup hummus and mix.  Add 1 tablespoon of buffalo sauce, mix in, and add up to 1 additional tablespoon if desired.  Season with salt to taste.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

I had a great long weekend this past weekend, including a Canada Day party, fireworks, plenty of time in the sun relaxing with family and Ryan, and lots of great food!  The best thing I ate this weekend had to be these buffalo chicken burgers that are one of Ryan and my favourite meals.  And with 4^th of July barbecues likely in store for many of my American readers tonight and tomorrow, I thought this would be a great recipe to share today!

These are ridiculously easy to make, and Ryan and I always love them every time we make them.  We’re both big fans of anything buffalo wing flavoured, so infusing that flavour into a juicy homemade chicken burger with fresh toppings and lots of sauce makes for a pretty amazing dinner, and so much better than any storebought frozen chicken burgers, which we have not had good experiences with!

I know the pictures of this burger don’t do it justice, but this was one of those times when I just wanted to eat my dinner while it was still hot, without having to worry about styling it, finding good lighting to photograph it in, taking a million shots to get the best angle, and then reheating it before eating because by that time it would be ice cold.  Instead, I took a few quick pictures right before I ate it, so they’re not great but at least you know I didn’t spend forever making my burger look as pretty as possible but not at all how it would look in real life.  What you see is what you get!  (Well, except that when I took the pictures, I’d forgotten to add the extra buffalo sauce, which for me is a must!)

If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to eat chicken burgers this summer, or a healthier alternative to a beef burger, give these a try!  If you’re a buffalo wing fan, you won’t be disappointed! 

And happy Independence Day to my friends south of the border!

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Serves 4

Note: I have made these many times as both chicken and turkey burgers - both work!

Ingredients:

For the burger patties:

1 lb (450g) ground lean or extra-lean chicken (or ground lean turkey may also be used!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce or Frank's red hot sauce
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

For the rest of the burgers:
4 whole wheat burger buns
Lettuce
Tomato
Buffalo sauce
Low-fat ranch or blue cheese dressing
Cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Mix up all ingredients for the chicken (or turkey) patties in a large bowl (using a fork, potato masher, or clean hands) until well blended, but being careful not to overmix. Form into four patties and press a small indentation in the center of each patty. Always be sure when making burger patties not to press hard on the meat or you will end up with tough patties - be as gentle as possible with every step!

If cooking on the barbecue: Preheat grill to medium to medium-high heat and lightly oil or spray. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. In the last couple minutes of cooking, place cheese on burger to melt, if desired.

If cooking on the stovetop: Preheat two large non-stick skillets over medium-high heat. Cook the patties in the skillets for about 8-10 minutes total, flipping halfway, until cooked through. In the last couple minutes of cooking, place cheese on burgers to melt, if desired.

Place burgers on buns and top with lettuce, tomato, and desired sauces.

I like to serve these with baked sweet potato fries or as pictured above, Emeril Lagasse's oven baked parmesan paprika fries.

Buffalo Wing Hummus

You may have noticed that I have a slight obsession with making hummus (see here, here, and here), but considering that the top two most popular recipes on my blog are hummus recipes, I’m thinking you guys won’t mind if I post another one!

I’d been dreaming about this buffalo wing hummus ever since I first saw it in September’s Food Network magazine, and once I tried it I couldn’t believe I didn’t make it sooner! This is easily my new favourite hummus recipe; it tastes exactly like buffalo wings but in a healthy dip form. It’s also the creamiest hummus I’ve made, even though it doesn’t contain any oil like most recipes. This dip makes a healthy snack served with celery or carrot sticks, but is also delicious served with pita chips or even off your finger ;)

If you love buffalo wings but are looking for a healthier way to enjoy their flavour, try this hummus out, you won’t regret it!

P.S. I want to wish all my American readers a very happy Thanksgiving!! And if you missed it earlier, be sure to check out my Thanksgiving recipe roundup if you need some last minute ideas!

Buffalo Wing Hummus

Adapted from Food Network

Makes about 2 cups of hummus

Ingredients:

1 (19oz) can no-salt added chickpeas (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup liquid from the chickpea can

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons barbeque sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons hot buffalo sauce

1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar (optional, you may want to taste before adding this as some brands of buffalo sauce can already taste quite vinegary)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper for seasoning, optional

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.  For amounts that have a range (i.e. the buffalo sauce and salt), start with the smaller amount and add more after tasting if desired.  Taste and adjust any other amounts to your liking.

Serve with celery sticks, carrots, pretzels, or pita chips. Store in the refrigerator.

*Note: Because this recipe uses the liquid from the chickpea can, it's a good idea to buy no-salt added chickpeas.  If you can't find that and are watching your sodium, you can also make this by replacing the chickpea liquid with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 tablespoons water.

Update: Here are a couple more (brighter) photos from a more recent batch in February 2014: