Spicy Veggie Burgers with Avocado Mayonnaise

Happy Friday! Today is the first day of Carnival and I'm looking forward to checking out some blocos, block parties organized by samba schools with lots of live music and good street food. In an effort to avoid tempting salgadinhos, I'm thinking of making a big batch of these burgers so that I can just grab and go. They are delicious and filled with goodness. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Spicy Veggie Burgers
1 1/2 cup soaked black beans
1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, 2 whole and 2 minced
1 veggie bouillon cube
fresh cilantro
olive oil
1 red chili minced
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 medium yellow onion, half whole and half minced
1/2 cup canned sweet corn
3/4 cup of wholegrain flour of choice (I used gluten-free linseed flour)
sea salt

Avocado Mayonnaise
1 avocado
juice of 1/2 lime
couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro
sea salt to taste

I basically prepared my beans the same way I did for my smokey vegan feijoada. Soak your black beans overnight then straight and throw in a pot with 2 whole garlic cloves, half of a whole yellow onion, the bouillon cube, few sprigs of cilantro and sea salt. Fill the pot with fresh water and with two inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, the down to a simmer and cover for about 1 1/2-2 hours. When the beans are fully cooked like below, remove from the hob and let them cool down. 

Sautee your minced yellow onion with a tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan until soft. Then add the minced garlic, chili, bell pepper and all your spices. Season with a little bit of sea salt and sautee until the peppers start to soften. Strain the bean and put aside to cool down. For the avocado mayonnaise, blend all the ingredients together in a food processor or blender until creamy smooth.

When your beans have cooled down, remove about 3/4 of the black beans and place in a large bowl. Mash up your beans using the back of a fork or potato masher. Once completely mashed add in 1/4 cup of flour, sauteed veggies, sweet corn and remaining whole black beans.

Start heating up a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Place the remaining flour on a plate for coating. Start forming round patties about the size of your palm by hand and coat each side well with your flour.

When your pan is ready, start cooking your burgers and cook about 5 minutes on each side or until the flour starts browning. Helpful tip, don't panic if your burgers crack a little. They just need a little extra love on the skillet and I used my spatula to help keep the shape together.  

 

And poof! I served Hub's bean burger on a fresh baked roll, but I served mine with a nice side salad instead.

Hamburgers are no fun without some fries, so for a healthier version I decided to roast some veggies. I chopped up carrots, sweet potato and zucchini into french fry strips and baked them with a little bit of olive oil and lots of sea salt and rosemary.

What are you up to this weekend? Hope you have a good one and I'll keep you posted of my first Carnival experience later this week. Have a good one.

Great reads for this post:
A raw burger?
Tips for homemade veggie burgers

Welcome to Cidade de Deus

The first time I saw City of God I found it shocking. It was hard to grasp the idea that such a place existed and that people were living such harsh realities. It also never crossed my mind as a place that I would ever visit, let alone want to. 

That is until Father Nicholas Wheeler, a friend of my father-in-law, invited Hub and I on a tour of Cidade de Deus where he works in the Anglican church and with the community. It took about an hour to get to there and as you enter the neighborhood, it appears like any run down neighborhood in Rio. It actually reminded me a lot of El Salvador. We loved the church which is open to the public and is decorated with colorful murals by American artist Joel Bergner. There is a particularly striking interpretation of the last supper - a black Jesus surrounded by women and men disciples with dark African features.

the garden of memory and hope

the last supper

Contrary to popular belief, Cidade de Deus (CDD) is not a favela but a government housing project. The Government of Guanabara State began a removal program in the 1960s to remove people living in favelas located on prime real estate to housing projects in the suburbs. They tried to persuade residents to relocate, but they were also forced. One of Rio's oldest favelas Praia do Pinto formerly located in rich neighborhoods Leblon and Ipanema, was set on fire. The city told residents to gather their belongings and they would try to put the blaze out, but that was never their intention.

mural depicting the fire of praia do pinto

If it was 2007 we would have seen teenage drug lords carrying guns, but since the pacification in 2008 the drug gangs have gone in hiding or relocated elsewhere. Father Wheeler witness the implementation of the UPP and describes the transition as an "occupation" more than anything else. There's real tension between the officers and the community and the UPP have a reputation for intimidating people rather than helping people. Father Wheeler told us that his church was broken into one day and one of the caregivers locked the thief in an office. She ran to the UPP office across the street from the church and they refused to help her because it didn't fall into their remit.

the UPP

As we started our tour, Father Wheeler pointed out the lack of services in CDD. Up until recently there was only one small hospital in town and it was meant to serve approximately 80-100,000 residents. The hospital is only slightly larger than the church, how is that possible? The "new" secondary hospital unit is actually a trailer and only for emergencies. Father Wheeler said that many of the "improvements" in CDD feel temporary and are only in place while all eyes are on Brazil. 

hospital

As we veered off the main road, the side streets were a mix of old homes and new homes and random businesses. Most of the original houses have been upgraded, but occasionally we would spot the original architecture of the 1960s, untouched and just like I remember in the film.

  

original home

still from the City of God

Father Wheeler suggested we have lunch at a government run cafeteria, an opportunity to interact with locals. I was told that I wouldn't be allowed to take photos inside, but would understand why. For R$1, the equivalent of 40 cents and 25 pence, residents could help themselves to a buffet of beans, rice, beef stew, polenta, salad, fruit, and juice. I imagined the room to be filled with homeless people and unpleasant, but it was packed with families and city workers on their lunch break. It felt poor, but surprisingly uplifting. There was camaraderie amongst people and the workers were friendly and welcoming.

restaurante cidadao or city restaurant

After lunch we decided to heads towards the poorer neighborhoods on the other side of the river. We started walking alongside a small canal towards the main river and it wreaked of sewage. There were homes down each side and I wondered if people were bothered by the smell or could they no longer notice it? And as I pondered this thought we stumbled upon a group of people kickin' back on the side of the canal, having a little party.  

The river itself was heartbreaking, completely filled with waste and rubbish. As we approached the bridge I was surprised to see a random horse grazing on the side. Father Wheeler suggested I not take photos once we crossed to the other side.

We made our way towards an area of temporary housing units built by the city while they create more modern housing projects nearby. The new projects look like apartment complexes, completely different to the rows of tiny single unit houses with corrugated roofs where residents currently live. We met two young girls living there and they were about 14-years old, one was covered in tattoos with scars and a chipped tooth and the other was playing with her 2-year old son. They said they were happy and settled where they were and didn't want to move into the new apartments, but they have no choice.

the new housing projects

We were stopped by a young group of kids ages 5-8 playing on the street. I took a quick pick of their toys and noticed that all the girls' barbies were pregnant. I was a bit puzzled because at that age my barbies weren't having sex and getting knocked up, my barbies were re-enacting Disney films. I wondered if these little girls fantasized about having babies? Is that healthy or did they look up to that 14-year old we'd just met?

Our tour came to an end at the road of hope, which lead into the poorest streets of Cidade de Deus. A place we could not go into, but I sheepishly tried to take a quick photo hence Hub's awkward expression. The situation in Cidade de Deus is sad and as Father Wheeler describes it, it is an example of the poverty of democracy. There is no one responsible or held accountable for this infamous place and no one to represent the community in government. It is a creation of the state and as such it is a community that is "done to" rather than "worked with."

 

As we made our way back we stopped for a quick pose at this beautiful mural. I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head when this was taken, reflecting on what I had just seen and feeling grateful for the life Hub and I get to live.

Raw Food by Joan

The other night Hub and I were invited to eat comida viva at this amazing house in Alto da Boa Vista, a neighborhood hidden in the Tijuca forest on top of mountain. Our friend Daniela, whom we met at La Casita Shelter in Buenos Aires, boasted about the chef Joan and his creative concoctions from raw vegan foods. We were super excited and it had been ages since my only raw vegan experience at Pure Food and Wine.

When we arrived to the house, I asked Daniela if I could pop into the kitchen and have a quick peak at the chef at work. Joan is slim, calm and gentle...and he was running a bit behind on dinner. It was perfect timing because he asked me if I wanted to help him out and I was super keen to see raw "cookin'" in action and also to practice my Portuguese. 

Joan was not always a raw foodie. He used to be an overweight scientist and being unhappy with his health was the catalyst for change. He decided to start eating vegan, left his job and began a new life journey. He says he never looked back and no longer craves cooked food. He also doesn't get sick anymore and after years of good health, he cancelled his health insurance. A little radical I know, but I was still inspired.

spicy sweet potato sushi rolls

Avocado cream and linseed pate

"Cheddar Cheese" made from coconut and malanga root

Grated taro root plus...

Green orange equals...

"Goat Cheese"

 

And then there was dessert. Joan mashed up a mix of raw nuts and dried fruits in a food processor then hand molded his base. He added a layer of mashed ripe banana and then a layer of grated apple with cinnamon. He topped his pie off with a puree of papaya and passion fruit and more dried fruit and nuts.

 

It was a magical fruit pie and I ate three slices, however, not the wisest thing to do in my prediabetic state. Although it was completely all natural and no sugar or butter in sight, it was very sweet due to the combination of ripe tropical fruits and dried fruit. It woke up my inner sugar junkie and like any good addict I convinced myself it was okay. It's raw vegan!

 

We finished our meals with herbal teas and a full belly. It was a fantastic and unique meal and and I learned so much. I now know that all vegetables can be eaten raw and potato and coconut go well together. I'm also very inspired by his dessert and would like to create my own recipe with a lower glycemic load. Stay tuned.

In the Kitchen: Smoky Vegetarian Feijoada

 

So it's taken me many, many tries to get this recipe right and I think I've finally nailed it! My smoky and spicy version of Brasil's national dish doesn't taste like the real thing, but it's full of flavor and low in fat. Perfect for vegetarians and healthy for diabetics. Now for a bit of background...

In Rio, restaurants often advertised feijoada like a special Sunday roast, served with a side of live Samba music. Although its origins are linked to Portugal, in Brazil it's a historical dish linked back to slave quarter days when servants would collect the unwanted leftover meats from their masters and stew it together with black beans. Today Brazilian feijoada is made with pork and beef, but you can still find authentic stews with trotters, tails and all. I would assume that all feijoada is made this way; however, the more adventurous bits are removed before it hits tourist plates. 

So traditional feijoada involves stewing the beans for hours with pork and it's the fat and muscle that give flavor to this dish. But all is not lost if you are vegetarian or for diabetics who need to keep tabs on saturated fat. My version has a lovely smoky taste from charred grilled vegetables and takes much less time than the original recipe.

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup of dry black beans
2 garlic cloves whole
2 shallots or 1 medium onion halved
4 sprigs of cilantro
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 can of sweet corn
1/2 large eggplant
1 large red bell pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 red chili halved or 2 chipotle peppers
avocado for garnish
sea salt

Preparation

I recommend using dry black beans, but canned beans will work if your tight on time. Measure out your dry beans, remove any stones or dodgy looking beans and then soak them in a large cooking pot for at least 8 hours. It's important to soak the beans because it will reduce the cooking time, but it will also help reduce gas and bloating. Remember the rhyme? I sure do...

Step 1

Rinse out the beans and refill the pot with fresh clean water. I had a couple of inches of water on top of the beans. Add the garlic, onions, red chili, cilantro, and bouillon cubes. Unfortunately they do not sell chipotle peppers in Rio but I think they would be awesome in this recipe. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Leave the beans to cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Step 2
Whilst your beans are cooking prepare your vegetables. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Drain the canned corn and place on a baking tray with a little bit of oil and tiny dash of salt. Pop in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they start looking a little toasty. There are many ways you can char grill the vegetables - a bbq, in the oven under high heat or grill setting or over a gas stove. We have a gas stove and I find it to be the quickest and easiest way to get my veggies charred. Place your rinsed halved eggplant and whole bell pepper onto a grilling rack over high heat. If you don't have a grilling rack then no problemo, just balance them directly on the hob. Make sure the skin is evenly blackened on all sides and then remove and let cool down. Half the whole bell pepper, remove the core and seeds and then gently scrape off the blacked skin with a knife. The charred skin will actually come off really easily and requires very little pressure. Leave the eggplant with the skin intact. Chop your bell peppers and eggplant into chunks.

Step 3
Now back to the beans...the beans are ready when they are soft and slightly breaking down. Taste your beans and season with sea salt if needed. Remove half of the cooked beans along with the garlic, onions, wilted cilantro, chillies and most of the remaining liquid and put into a blender. Puree and taste the puree to see if it needs more salt. I feel like beans require a good amount of salt, so it's important to taste as you go along. I've also over salted my beans before, so add gradually. Pour the mixture back in with the rest of your beans and add the sweet corn, bell peppers and eggplant.

Continuing cooking over a low heat until the eggplant is fully cooked and voila!

Black beans are really healthy and great for diabetics. Their rich coloring is due to antioxidants, they are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. They are also high in carbs too, but their nutritional make-up actually keeps blood sugars in check. Traditionally feijoada is served with all kinds of goodies including rice and farofa, dried yucca flour, but I think a hearty green salad is more balanced.

Great reads for this post:

Why beans are awesome

If you want to have a go at the real deal, here's a great meaty feijoada recipe