Veggie Burgers Anyone?

[AlInAz]

Anyone have a great recipe for veggie burgers? I LOVE Morningstar Farms Grillers, but they are not gluten-free so I have had to give them up. (I can make adjustments to recipes that include ap flour, wheat germ, etc. to make them GF.)

TIA
Allison

[travelingfool]

Black bean burgers

1 C dried black beans
2-3 C hot water
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp beef bouillion
these measurements are all a guess- I just dump from the spice cabinet
bring beans to a boil then simmer for several hours, add more water if needed,

once beans are cooked, mash with tomato sauce or any flavored fluid you like-
stir in a bread product- oats, bulgar, panko, bread crumbs, cracker crumbs (I like the panko)
adjust seasonings to taste--add anything you like-red pepper, hot sauce, creole
add finely chopped onion, finely chopped celery, canned corn or cut off the cob
make sure mixture will hold together- if too wet, add more bread product

make bun sized burgers - not too thick- and place on plate. place plate in fridge until burgers are firm. Pan fry with Pam- turn carefully,
If I am making a batch up ahead- then I stop here - if I am ready to eat I add the cheese

If I am re-heating pre-made burgers, then when I am ready to serve, I microwave the burgers and then top with cheese- cover until cheese melts serve immediately with lettuce, tomato, pickle, possibly salsa, avocado---jazz it up

I think that the cheese and all the fixings sell the burger! By the time, I bite through all that stuff, I do know if I am eating a beef burger, pork burger, or veggie burger!

Some people do use canned beans but then the internal beans is not well flavored IMHO.

[AlInAz]

Thanks so much. I will try them.

Allison

[ameeker]

I've been a strict vegetarian, and I've lived GF, but not at the same time! However I can tell you that I've very successfully used potato flakes in place of wheat and eggs in my meatball recipe, specifically russet potato flakes. So if you have a veggy burger recipe you like, try replacing the wheat flour with potato flakes or mashed russet potatoes, and if you're not vegan, possibly an egg or two. You might also want to investigate recipes for falafel, which would probably make a dynamite veggy burger. Personally I never got in to veggy burgers much, because once I tried a grilled, marinated, portabella smothered in A-1, the burger search was over.

[AlInAz]

Thanks ameeker for the tips. I use potato flakes to thicken cream-type soups, but never thought about adding it to veggie burgers. I'll have to try that.

Thx
Allison

[travelingfool]

AlinAZ- I use potato flakes interchangeably with any other carbohydrate in veggie and meat mixtures like hamburgers or meatloaf. Most of the time, when I cook, I grab whatever is on the shelf--sometimes it is oatmeal, sometimes potato flakes, sometimes home-made bread crumbs--I use what I have available. By the way, I also add "pureed" raw potato to my hamburger mixture sometimes (i medium raw potato to one pound of meat) --but it has to sit overnight--I bet it would work in the veggie burgers, too. The potato makes the burger juicy but you can not taste it.

[AlInAz]

Mmmm. Thanks Travelingfool. I never thought about adding raw potato to meat or veggie burger mixture. Might be a good way to SNEAK more sweet potatoes into our diet. (I love them baked and roasted, oh and as French Fries, but my DD thinks she doesn't like them.)

Allison

[travelingfool]

Have you seen the instant sweet potato? I saw it last fall- I didn't buy it because we eat sweet potatoes all the time. but, if you could find it--you could add to everything just like instant mashed white potatoes. Have you tried giving your daughter sweet potatoes whipped with maple syrup and butter? She is a hard sell if she doesn't like that!!

[AlInAz]

ooohhh! Instant sweet potatoes?? I'll be lookin for those babies. My DD loved sweet potatoes when she was little, but not so much anymore. I just keep giving her tiny, tiny, tiny amounts to try. Her tastes are changing somewhat now (11years old) so I keep hoping. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Allison