The perfect veggie burger

I’ve been experimenting with making several different types of veggie burgers lately using ingredients from corn to peppers to beans. By far, the best pseudo beef burger was made with beans. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:  2 cans of beans (i prefer black and pinto but can use chickpeas or lentils), medium yellow onion (chopped), 1 cup oats, 2 eggs, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, pinch of salt and pepper

Recipe:

1. Drain and wash the beans and put them in a large bowl. Add the chopped onion, oats, eggs, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

2. Mix together and put mixture in food processor until all ingredients are well chopped.

3. With wet hands form  thin to medium-thick size patties.

4. Grill the patties on a flat surface (versus a grated one) for approx. 10 minutes on each side on high heat (350-400F).

5. Eat and enjoy immediately or put the grilled patties into individual plastic bags and freeze (taste even better when frozen and reheated!).

And yes that’s the McVeggie at McDonald’s in India – when are they going to bring it to the States?!

You don’t have to be southern to like okra

Not until I moved away from the South did I realize okra was not a separate but equal vegetable. It’s rarely eaten in the rest of the United States. If you think you’re too Yankee for okra because you didn’t grow up with the KKK in your backyard, try this recipe (revised from one of my favorite cookbooks). It will forever change your opinion of the slimy, green vegetable. 

 

What you’ll need:

1 lb fresh, whole okra (chop off the ends and julienne length ways – like french fries)

oil (i prefer grape or corn but any will do) 

1 medium tomato (diced)

1 small red onion (1/2 diced) 

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

garam masala spice (Indian spice…Whole Foods carries it) 

lemon 

salt 

 

What to do:

Preheat the oil (a few inches) to 350F to fry the okra. Once the okra is crispy (turns a little brown) drain it by placing on paper towels. Mix the cilantro, tomato, and red onion in a bowl and add the fried okra sticks. Squeeze fresh lemon as desired and add about a tsp of garam masala. Finally add a sprinkle of salt.