Destination: Las Vegan, Nevada

Vegan doing Vegas? Look no further than Holsteins Shakes and Buns which offers alluring vegan options any carnivore seatmate will drool over. The new burger concept at The Cosmopolitan Hotel is like a funky West coast den with East Village attitude that custom crafts its whole menu in-house. Can't make it to Sin City yourself? Bring the spirit of Vegas to your own kitchen with two of their signature recipes.

The URTH Burger:

¼ C Celery, small diced

¼ C Carrot, small diced

¼ C Zucchini, small diced

¼ C Yellow Squash, small diced

¼ C white onion, small diced

¼ C broccoli, small diced, blanched

¼ C Cauliflower, small diced, blanched

¼ C Mushrooms, small diced

½ tsp, chopped garlic

3 tbsp, olive oil

2 Tbsp, Quinoa Cooked

2 Tbsp, Barley, cooked

2 Tbsp, Brown Rice, cooked

2 Tbsp, Irish oatmeal, cooked

2 tbsp, frozen peas (not thawed)

1 C Hummus, prepared

¼ C bread crumbs

1 Tbsp, fines Herbs (mixture of parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives), fresh chopped

1/8 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

In large sauté pan over medium heat, sweat celery, carrot and onions until tender with olive oil, set aside to cool. In sauté pan over high heat sauté add olive oil and cook zucchini and squash until tender, set aside to cool. In pan with high heat and olive oil sauté mushrooms with garlic until tender, set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine all vegetables and grains and combine until evenly mixed, (peas are left frozen so they do not much during mixing). Add hummus as binder and combine. Using the breadcrumbs add in quarters and mix until a firm texture is achieved. Season with herbs, salt, pepper, turmeric, cayenne pepper and lemon juice to taste. Allow to set for 30 minutes and adjust texture with breadcrumbs if needed. Form into patties and sauté in a nonstick pan with olive oil until crisp and hot.

And wash it down with this dairy-free delight. Hello, Maple Pecan Bamboozled Shake:

For one shake, plus a shake tin:

·         4 large scoops almond milk ice cream

·         1 oz Jack Daniels whiskey

·         2 Tbsp spiced pecans

·         Maple caramel sauce to swirl in glass

·         spiced pecans for garnish

·         cashew whipped “cream” for garnish

Place ice cream, whiskey, and 2 Tbsp spiced pecans in a blender and blend until smooth. (It is helpful to let the ice cream melt slightly before blending.) Swirl the maple caramel sauce in the glass. Fill the glass with the blended shake. Garnish with cashew whipped “cream” and spiced pecans.

Almond Milk Ice Cream

·         4-1/2 cups almond milk, unsweetened

·         ¼ cup corn syrup

·         1-3/4 cup sugar

·         1 vanilla bean

In a pot, bring the almond milk, vanilla bean, and corn syrup to 113°F. Whisk in the sugar and cook to 185°F. Chill. Process the base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

Spiced Pecans

·         2-1/2 cup raw pecan halves

·         ¾ cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)

·         1 tsp ground cinnamon

·         ½ tsp ground nutmeg

·         ½ tsp ground ginger

·         ½ tsp salt

Soak the pecan halves in hot simple syrup for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid, sprinkle with the spices, and toss to coat. Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Toast in 300°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until browned.

And I don't know about you, but I'm happy to be indulging in this boozy shake in the comfort of my apartment in NYC. Because, hey, it's better to lose your mind a bit, then to lose all your money!

Recipes courtesy of Holsteins Shakes and Buns.