Savory, Sweet, and Smoky Veggie Burgers

What is this "thing" I have with veggie burgers? There isn't a recipe for veggie or bean burgers I've seen that I haven't wanted to fix. And it's not like they're super easy or quick -- I mean, they're not hard or anything, but usually the ingredient list is pretty long and the batter (is that the right word? The mixture? The pseudo-meat substance?) is sometimes picky. Like when you over process the veggies (like I did this time) and they get kind of watery so you have to increase the bread crumbs. Not a big deal, but you have to make adjustments sometimes.

While we're far from vegetarian, we do have several "meatless" nights per week around here, and it strikes me as odd that many of the vegetarian dishes I fix are running around trying to look like meat. Chickpea filets that look like chicken fried steak, veggie burgers that look a lot like beef...it's kinda weird. These burgers win a special award for looking very beef-like:

These are cooked on the grill, although the recipe directs
you to cook them in a pan. The grill worked just fine.

This recipe caught my eye because it contains dried cranberries (that accounts for the "sweet" in the recipe title). I don't think there's a food out there that isn't improved by cranberries, dried or otherwise.

As with most of the veggie burgers I fix, we ate them on a bed of spinach with some feta cheese and avocado. Delicious and so pretty, too:

Roasted butternut squash on the side

This recipe is from GetNatured.com, a site that I haven't explored fully but intend to very soon; it looks like there are some great recipes on there.

Here's the recipe. Let me know what you think of it when you try it!


Savory, Sweet, and Smoky Veggie Burgers ala "The Counter"
Makes about 6-8 patties

Olive oil
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/3 cup corn
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup black beans
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (I didn't use these, but I bet they would be great)
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF (149ºC). Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Put the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic, and carrots in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Saute the veggie mixture for a few minutes (until beginning to soften). Add spinach, corn, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and salt and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Lightly toss the bread crumbs with a little olive oil. Spread the bread crumbs and walnuts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in a thin layer. Bake until they begin to brown (about 10 minutes).
4. Put the brown rice in the food processor and process until it is beginning to clump together. Add the beans and process to chop them.
5. In a large bowl, combine the veggies, rice and beans, bread crumbs and walnuts, and cranberries. Form into patties and fry in a lightly oiled skillet until browned on both sides (flip once). Serve in a whole grain bun with avocado or on top of salad greens with your favorite dressing.

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Workout of the Day

One on One Vol. 3: Core Synergistics MC:2

Only three days till we go work out with Shaun T! I'm a little nervous about what the workout is going to be, but I'm confident that if things get rough I can hold my knees and hide behind one of the 999 other people that will be there. (Not an exaggeration...there really are 1,000 some odd people signed up to go to this thing! It's gonna be epic!)