Almond Grain “Cantinas” – Recipe by Vegan Athlete, Cheryl Fairweather

This recipe was sent to us by Cheryl Fairweather, a vegan athlete whom we’ve dubbed “Solmate #1” (click on the photo above to read about Cheryl and her experiences as a vegan athlete). A skillful Sol Cuisine chef-at-home, Cheryl shared this recipe, named “Cantinas” by her daughter, Rachel.

Cheryl writes, “As a mother, sometimes I have to be a little more creative and make things fun for the kids. One day, I was trying to come up with an idea on how to send Sol Cuisine burgers with my son to school. I wanted something that was quick, bite-sized, portable, not messy and still upheld my vegan values for my son’s lunch box. Thus, this little nifty recipe was born! Cantinas are a perfect way to incorporate a meal that is convenient and fun to eat for both you and your family. An additional perk is that one Sol Cuisine burger produces about 15-18 pieces. Consider this a great budget meal!”

All you need are a few simple ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. of oil – we recommend olive or grapeseed.
• Sol Cuisine veggie burger – any will do (we chose the Almond Grain Burger).
• Cheese of choice – we recommend Daiya’s Mozzarella or Cheddar.
• Pizza Dough of choice – Whole Foods Market has a great pizza dough made of wheat, water and yeast. If you’re gluten-intolerant, Bob’s Red Mill has a pizza dough mix that is gluten-free.

Now the fun begins!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly oil your pan and warm the Sol Cuisine Almond Grain Burger on stove until both sides are just warm enough to slice through.

3. Cut the burger into tiny squares by making vertical and horizontal cuts.

4. Take small amounts of the dough and flatten them between your hands (this is a recipe for kids, remember!). These are meant to be bite-sized; the flattened dough shouldn’t be any larger than the palm of your hand.

5. Once the dough is spread out in your hand, take one square of the Almond Grain Burger and place it in the centre of the dough. Finally, top with a pinch of Daiya Cheese (the less Daiya, the better, as Daiya cheese spreads really easily).

6. After adding the Daiya cheese, pull the corners of the dough up to meet each other. ROLL the dough between both hands until you get a nice ball shape The kids love this part! Repeat steps 4-6 until the Sol Cuisine patty is gone. One patty will produce about 15-18 Cantinas.

7. Place the Cantinas on a baking sheet at least 2″ apart, then place in the oven for approximate 10-12 mins, ensuring the Sol Cuisine burger has cooked thoroughly.

Once the Cantinas have finished cooking, PLEASE ALLOW THEM TO COOL! The center has Daiya cheese in it and they can be very hot if you’re not patient!

Serve the Cantinas on their own or add a salad on the side. To get even more creative, pick a sauce to dip the Cantinas into!