Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers - Guest post

Hello all! I'm Cat, meal planning addict and recent vegetarian convert. Super happy to talk about some meatless recipes! Thanks for having me, Ashley!
When Ash first invited me to roast some vegetarian and vegan recipes for this blog, I wasn't sure what I could write about. I'm a recipe tweaker, but I didn't think it was fair to review a recipe I never quite made according to spec. Then I remembered these burgers from ConnoisseurusVeg.com! I love them every time, but I have to say that I'm happiest when I just follow the recipe--I haven't been able to improve it (unless you count cooking my chickpeas from dry with some bay leaves? But don't count that, because that makes everything better anyway).
A couple of notes:
I've made these with any onions I had laying around, but the scallions are definitely the best.
These aren't overwhelmingly buffalo-y. My husband has never liked buffalo sauce on anything before, but he loves these patties. Being a hot sauce lover, I just pour a little more sauce on top of mine.
I'm not 100% sure what's going on with the amount of broth in the quinoa. You might want to cook it with less liquid than the usual 2x the quinoa amount to keep things from being too sloppy, but just 1/2 cup doesn't let it "pop". I think it might have been a typo. This is up to you, just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
I hope you like these as much as we do!

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

I've been kind of stingy with the recipes lately, and Summer is also about to make the descent into Autumn, so I thought I would share one of my favorites before the grills are put away. I love these! They're easy, and they're SO delicious. I add some chili powder, cayenne, and hot sauce to the marinade (I don't know how much, I just experiment), and they turn out great every time! We eat them with romaine, salsa, and a little bit of cheese. I think we may need to have these one or two more times before we say goodbye to Summer! You can find the recipe here on allrecipes.com.

Cripsy Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Now this, my friends, was a tasty dish. I have to say, I changed things a little. I'm a picky meat eater, so instead of the chicken legs used in the recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Also, as much as I'd like to own one, I do not own a cast-iron skillet. I used my non-stick skillet for the chicken, then put everything into a lightly greased casserole dish. That's it as far as changes go! This was VERY easy, and very delicious. I'm a little biased though- I love brussel sprouts! Other than the meat and prep change, I wouldn't change a thing. This was perfect! You can find the recipe here on soletshangout.com.

Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir-Fry

This was definitely quick and easy- loved that! I can't say it's the best dish I've ever made, but it's definitely good! It's just simple- I feel it needs a little more. Maybe some mushrooms or something just to give it a little more depth, but definitely a quick, easy, and healthy dinner! You can find the recipe here on skinnytaste.com.

Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl With Peanut Lime Sauce

Heaven. Heaven is a good word to start with when referring to this dish. I can't even tell you how good this was! Just make it! It was a little time consuming, but only because of roasting the spaghetti squash. The rest is a snap! I made a few adjustments (used dry ginger and garlic instead of fresh, skipped the sesame seeds and shallot, used Birdseye Steam Fresh broccoli florets, used olive oil instead of grapeseed, etc.), and I chose cashews as my toasted nut, and cilantro as my herb. If you like things a little spicier, go with 2 T. + hot sauce. I used about 1.5 T. and barely noticed any heat. Also, this made a TON! I'm so full I just might burst and we still have leftovers. Give this a shot, especially if you're trying to get more veggies in your diet/watch your carb intake. You can find this awesome recipe here on thefirstmess.com. Oh, and, as tempting as it may be, it's probably not a good idea to drink the sauce. . .

BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

Oh, man! This was so good! I won't lie, it wasn't quick, but it was relatively easy. We skipped the black beans since the husband doesn't like them (I do though- note a sad face here). I also didn't make my own dressing, since I felt cooking the bacon and chicken took up enough time. I should also say that I cooked extra so that we could do this for two dinners instead of just one, and that's part of why it took so long. This is a great veggie-filled dinner that still kind of feels like you're cheating and eating something junky and delicious! Especially since I kept a little bacon grease in the pan when I cooked the chicken. I definitely recommend this one! Give it a try and let us know what you think! You can find the recipe here on damndelicious.net.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is delicious, healthy, and GLUTEN-FREE! The best part is, it's very customizable. You can make it however you want. The photo above and accompanying recipe can be found here on Ari's Menu! I don't always follow a recipe. I just roast my spaghetti squash (I like the instructions found on eHow.com), and scrape out the shells, then layer everything back in! This is especially quick and easy if you roast your squash the night before. Give it a try! You won't regret it.

Chicken Pot Pie

I love this Chicken Pot Pie recipe! It's easy and quick, but still delicious. I make my own pie crust because I'm overly picky, but frozen works great. Also, sometimes I like to make the filling and pour into a greased casserole dish, and whip up some drop-biscuits to literally drop on top and bake. So good! Definitely a hearty meal. Give this a try! Our rainy weather lately is a great excuse. You can find the recipe here on Allrecipes.com.

Apple Cheddar Burgers

Sorry I haven't posted in a while! This week has been one of those weeks where all of your plans end up changing and most of your meal plan goes by the wayside. Lucky for you all, I'm coming back with an AWESOME recipe for you to try! The first time I saw this recipe, I thought it sounded interesting, but wasn't entirely sure what I would think about it. Then I made these. I am in love! They are so good, and so interesting. Definitely a keeper. I skip out on the red onion and use white, just because I'm not a fan of red onion, but do what works for you. Also, I like to save the Dijon mustard for the bun, but that's just my preference. I also use shredded sharp cheddar just for the convenience. You can find the recipe for these Apple Cheddar Burgers here on the Whole Foods website.