Vegan hash brown burgers (rösti)

I just had to make myself a bowl of quick oatmeal before starting to write this post. It's impossible to do it with an empty stomach. These burgers were born during the project where me and my mom were making her fluffy multigrain buns. Buns like these just have to have an equally delicious patty. This time, I really wanted to try hash browns and see if they'd work as a burger patty. Of course they did! Crispy hash browns made with fresh grated potatoes and served with homemade cashew-horseradish-dill sauce, baked beets, pickles, arugula and red onions make a wonderful vegan burger! All our family enjoyed it and I'm so happy to share this recipe with you.

Vegan olive tapenade

If I remember correctly, then exactly today ten years ago, I ditched meat. Happy veganniversary to me! A decade? It has gone by super quick. At first, I was really missing some good sandwich spreads. I was in high school and really needed some simple lunch recipes to grab with me. One of my early favorites was this mushroom spread that I still love. Then I tried different tofu products. They weren't that fabulous at first, to say the least. But they were still exciting, since I was 100% sure that I didn't want to eat animals anymore. I still remember that tofu and tomato sandwich that quickly got sodden during a long school day. Now we have so many vegan options at the store and many of them are great. But store-bought sandwich spreads are also pretty expensive, so I love to make my own. For example, this simple lentil and onion sandwich spread is divine, very filling and affordable!

Simple lentil and onion sandwich spread

I love to combine really healthy things with comforting old favorites. For me, this is a balanced menu :) Like in this case, lentils with good old crispy white bread. What a magnificent combination! When arriving home and utterly hungry, this is the kind of meal I usually make for us. Just some pan-roasted crispy bread with a hearty spread. Sometimes I like to buy this delicious eggplant preserve they sell in our stores. Buying sandwich spread is quick and easy, of course. But when I can wait for 30 minutes, this lentil and onion spread is such a treat. And you can make it ahead, too. It keeps really well in the fridge.

Lentils and onions. What is there to actually write about? It's just that lentils are one of the most versatile legumes and usually they only need a little salt for seasoning. Of course you can make lentil curry with different spices, lentil loaf, lentil balls with tomato sauce, lentil patties and so on. But this simple lentil and onion spread is just so genius in its simplicity. It reminds me a quick version of this delicious lentil and vegetable pie, which has been a real hit for years in my kitchen.

So you just have to boil some lentils, pan-fry some onions and mix them all together with salt and tomato sauce. And you wouldn't believe how glorious it tastes. I also pan-roasted some Georgian bread (any other bread will work too) with a little bit of olive oil until crispy on both sides. Then I spread the lentils and onions onto the bread and topped everything with juicy iceberg lettuce and tomato salad. That salad was so great! I discovered that when I chop the iceberg and mix it with halved cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper, olive oil and white wine vinegar and then massage and squeeze everything with my hands, it will be a whole new level for me. That squeezing part makes everything so well combined and extra juicy and flavorful.

This spread is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or for school or work lunch. You can also bring it to a barbecue with some quality bread of your choice and a bowl of fresh salad. Then you can roast the bread on the grill and serve it with this luscious spread and loads of salad. Super filling and absolutely delicious. I know I will bring it to lots of barbecues now :)

Lemony mushroom spread with thyme

This has been my huge favorite for many years. It is a perfect party food. Serve this spread with freshly baked whole-wheat buns and you'll definitely get some praise. It has always been a big hit. I mostly use fresh champignons because they are available year round. But you can experiment with many different mushrooms.

Thyme and lemon are must-have in this recipe :)

Fluffy pea spread

I have only good words about peas. They are cheap, protein rich and tasty. Like lentils, I use peas for soups, pates, patties and stews. This spread is dreamy fluffy and very tasty, especially on a roasted bread. Also makes a wonderful pierogi filling.

Roasted carrot and garlic spread

You cannot believe the amazing aromas in my kitchen when I cooked this lovely and easy spread. Oven-baked foods are my big favorites and it cannot be bad if it contains some nice garlic and bright orange carrots. The outcome of this dish isn't that big but it is really tasty and I recommend to preserve it in a little jar like pesto and spread it on a fresh bread...mmm...