Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties, Quick N Easy

Spinach is GOOD for you... remember Popeye loved it! It is loaded with vitamins A, B and C, calcium, potassium and iron. Spinach leaves are dark green and may be flat or curled, depending on the variety available in your local market.

Selection & Storage
Look for crisp, dark leaves with no yellowing. Many markets now have pre-cleaned and bagged fresh spinach.

Fresh stemmed spinach will remain fresh in refrigerator for three days if it is wrapped loosely in paper towels inside a plastic bag.

Preparation & Cooking Tips
Fresh spinach contains sand and grit particles tucked into every nook and cranny. If you have not bough pre-washed spinach, fill the sink with cold water and add the spinach. Swish in the water and remove to a salad spinner and spin dry. I eat a leaf to make sure I cannot feel anymore grit on the leaves. If there is any hint of debris, refill the sink with water and repeat the rinsing step. Spin the leaves again and remove to a plastic bag or cook right away.

Warning
Never cook spinach in an aluminum pan... in fact, don't use aluminum pans at all!

Presentation
Raw spinach is great in salads by itself or with mixed greens.

Spinach is best cooked briefly over a high heat and topped with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Just remember to no overcook this delicate green!!!

Quick N' Easy Vegan
Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties

Frozen vegan mock chicken comes in several forms by Boca Burger, Garden Burger and other food makers. Try several to find the one that you like best. Each one has a different taste experience... Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties are SOOOO GOOD! They are crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Cooks FAST and with vegan mashed potatoes and a few sautéed organic vegetables, I've got another Quick N' Easy Dinner, vegan style.
Fresh Green Garbanzo Beans, Sautéed Cabbage, Mashed Potatoes, String Beans, Boca Chik'n Patty, Sautéed Carrots... a Quick N' Easy Vegan Meal.

Ingredients
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and large dice
4 organic fresh carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bag organic frozen string beans, or fresh, if in season
1 bag frozen fresh green garbanzo beans
1/2 head organic cabbage, thinly sliced on mandoline
1 package frozen VEGAN Spicy Chik'n Patties by Boca Burger
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
brown sugar

Tools
2 - 10 inch cast iron skillets
lid for 10 inch skillet
3 saucepans
spatula
spoons
measuring spoons
mandoline

Preparation
Cooking this meal is like the circus spinners who twirl the plates on top of sticks... you want everything to be cooked and HOT at the same time. So plan on watching several items at once as the meal progresses in the cooking process. Once the potatoes are in the water, start the carrots, once the carrots are in the pan over heat, start cutting the cabbage, once the cabbage in the pan... you get the idea, RIGHT?!

Potatoes, Large Dice for Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes
Fill a medium saucepan with the large diced russet potatoes.

Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and cover with water.

Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook covered until the pieces are fork done.

Remove from heat and drain water off.

Use a Bamix Immersion Blender with the chopping blade and mash the potatoes.

Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup Plain Silk Soymilk Creamer and mix into the potatoes with the Bamix.

Cover and set aside.

Carrots
While the potatoes are boiling, peel and slice the fresh organic carrots on the diagonal using a fine setting on a mandoline.

In a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed fry pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the carrot slices.

Cook the carrots on high heat until the pan gets HOT and then turn down to medium high, cover with a lid and continue to sauté until tender.

Remove the lid and add 1 teaspoon brown sugar, sea salt and black pepper to taste and toss together.

Set aside uncovered.

Garbanzo Beans
The garbanzo beans are fresh, so they should cook in about 10 minutes once they come to a boil.

Put the frozen garbanzo beans in a saucepan with 1 teaspoon sea salt, cover with water and cook over high heat until they begin to boil.

Turn the heat to medium high and put a lid on the pan.

Cook for at least ten minutes, then taste a few to see if they are done... remember that the beans will continue to cook after you drain them, so remove them at the al dente state. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Drain water once cooked and put lid back on pan.

Set aside.

Cabbage
Cut the cabbage in half and using a fine setting on a mandoline, shred the cabbage into fine slices.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the heavy bottomed skillet and over medium high heat, cook the cabbage until it starts to turn brown from caramelizing... don't go too far.

Add sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to suit your taste.

Frozen Spicy Chik'n’an Patties by Boca Burger

Remove the carrots from the skillet and open the frozen package of Spicy Chik'n’an Patties by Boca Burger and remove two... if you are cooking for two!

Spray both sides of the Spicy Chik'n’an Patty with a non-stick oil spray and place in pan.

Cook for three or four minutes over medium heat and then turn each patty over.

The Chik'n Patties should be browned and crispy... your first time you might want to cut a portion off one to test to make sure it has defrosted and warmed throughout.

The Boca Chik'n Patties are already cooked, you are only defrosting, heating and crisping the outsides.

Remove from heat and add the carrots back to the pan on the side to re-heat them before plating everything.

By now, everything should be HOT and ready to serve.

Presentation
Place the chicken patty, mashed potatoes, cabbage, carrots and garbanzo beans on your favorite plate and serve. This plate is colorful and tasty. Obviously lots of variations can be done to the vegetables, but you can see that Quick N' Easy Vegan Meals don't have to be un-gourmet!

"Quick N' Easy Vegan Meals!"