Today I will start off with...
Sunday Dinner with the Roomies
Yep Burgers!
Nothing says American like burger. Makes you think of barbecues, 4th of July, fire works. Maybe a 2:00 a.m. adventure to the local fast food place after a bit too much to drink ;)
Food is personal and emotional part of our lives. From Christmas to birthdays to everyday dinners with family and friends, food is an important part of our social interactions and our relationships. So whatever happy memories a burger may conjure, It's imperative you have a burger recipe at the ready for you next gathering!
I used to grill my burger creations back home with a friend of mine down the block. I don't have access to a grill here, so I now use a frying pan.
When I arrived in Peru I was worried about finding vegetarian food. I needn't have worried! I found a great little place that serves Lentil Burgers. They are made from a home-crafted, super secrete recipe, and they are beyond delicious. They've got different options, all are vegetarian and several are vegan, or can be made vegan by removing the cheese.
However delicious Prasada is, it's 12 soles for a burger. (About 4 dollars American, a bit spendy for a meal here) A bit much to indulge in every time I get a nostalgic craving. So I was determined to create my own home crafted version of the lentil burger.
Now that I live in Peru, I don't have as much access to ingredients at I did in the states, but I was determined to create a veggie burger that would appease my hunger and my 4th of July like craving. It took a couple attempts, but I figured out a way to get the patties to hold together really well with out any cholesterol filled eggs!
Alright! I think I've kept you waiting long enough. Without further adieu, here is my recipe for curried lentil spinach burgers! (Again, I need to come up with more creative names eventually)
Ingredients
* 1 Bag (About 3ish cups) uncooked lentils
* 3/4 cup toasted quinoa powder
* 2-3 cups spinach
* 6-7 Tbs. Curry Powder
* 6-7 Tbs. Curry Powder
* Salt and Pepper
* A type of frying oil
* Burger Toppings! (I used garlic guac and tomatoes)
Instructions
1. Soak your lentils for at least a couple hours before you begin. Rinse well.
2. Start a pot of boiling water. Add lentils cook for around 30 minutes, or until the lentils become soft.
3. Drain lentils. Rinse off excess water. Allow to dry for several hours, or pat dry with paper towel.
4. Wash your hands, then get into those lentils! Squish 'em up good! A meat tenderizer might also work well for this step.
5. Add just a bit of water to your toasted quinoa powder, mix until is gets a porridge like texture.
7. Saute spinach in a pan over low heat to rid it of moisture.(I didn't use any oil for this) Add a little curry and salt. Set aside to cool.
7. Saute spinach in a pan over low heat to rid it of moisture.(I didn't use any oil for this) Add a little curry and salt. Set aside to cool.
8. Add the quinoa mixture to the smooshed up lentils and mix it up! It should start to feel nice and thick. Add the salt, pepper, and curry powder. Add cooled spinach. Form this mixture into patty shapes. It should make 5-6 big patties, or several smaller ones. I prefer big patties!
9. Fry in a pan with a generous amount of oil for several minutes on each sides, turning when necessary. Wait for them to turn a bit brown and crispy! Remove from pan and remove excess oil with a paper towel.
10. Toast your bun, and add burger patty. Add your favorite burger toppings! Serve to your amazed friends and family.
If you have time, I would consider doing steps 1,2,3 the night before you plan to cook, and steps 4,5,6,7,8 a couple hours before you plan to serve your burgers! You can keep these in your fridge for about a week. I haven't tried freezing them because my freezer doesn't work, but I think that you probably could if so desired. If you don't have toasted quinoa powder, any type of plain hot cereal and a bit of water might work, otherwise some flour.
The Finished Project
This is a delicious and simple burger that packs in about 33 grams of protein and only about 7 grams of fat (This includes white bread and guacamole), and it does have a little bit of prep time, but the cooking process is actually really easy. Afterwards you can have a few friends over, or put the extras in your fridge and save them for your next few lunch breaks! I recommend serving them with crispy sweet potato like shown in the picture above ;) If you come up with your own version of the lentil burger, I'd love to hear about it! Feel free to post your amazing pictures in the comments below!
Your burgers look amazing! Nice job! Would you be willing to share how to make the crispy sweet potatoes? Also, do you make your own guacamole? If so, how?
ReplyDeleteHi! Yeah, I make my own guac, avocados are pretty cheap here :) I just cut one avo in half, scooped the flesh into a bowl, mashed it up with a fork and added minced garlic, salt and pepper. Its also good with a little lime juice, and that helps keep the guac fresh if you make extra to save for later. You can also throw it in the blender if you want your guac to be super creamy, but I think this is an unnecessary step.
ReplyDeleteFor the sweet potato I peeled on large potato, sliced it as thing as I could (You could also do chunks, but it won't get as crispy) and fried it in a large pan with olive oil until crispy. Take them out and add to your plate with salt when they look like that are starting to burn. (Getting dark spots on them.) :)
Thanks for taking the time to explain it for me! I'm new to this whole foods and plant based diet but very interested and would like to integrate it into my eating habits more!
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