A completely different veggie burger

Tired of the same old veggie burger? Tired of store-bought hard-as-rock burgers? Do you think they're your only option? Think again!



Veggie burgers are fast, easy and healthy.. plus, they rock. They freeze well. So, when you're cooking, feel free to make extra and freeze in an air-tight container. See, there's no excuse for not eating healthy!

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This recipe makes 8 or so veggie patties. I doubled it and made 16. Yum!

INGREDIENTS
2 c cooked red beans
1 c grated carrots
1 cob corn, shaved
1/2 c wheat gluten
1/4 c flax seed (whole)
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1/2 c salsa
2 T soy sauce
2 T bullion
Plus: 1 t garlic
1 t onion powder
2 t rosemary, crushed between your fingers


Make sure your hands are clean because you are going to get messy!

NOTE: Making your own beans is soooooooo easy. Plus, have you ever tried to buy beans in a can without added salt? It's nearly impossible! And do you have any idea how much mark-up there is on pre-cooked beans? A bag of beans is about a buck. A can of beans is around two bucks. The trick is -- that bag will make several dozen, or more, cans of beans!

So... I usually make a batch of veggie burgers after I make a pot of beans. And here's how:

While beans are still warm from cooking, mix beans, carrots and corn in a bowl. (The warm beans are easier to mash.) Using your fist, grab and squeeze, and alternately crush with your fist, all ingredients until almost every bean is squished. Trust me, this is the best way to get your beans the perfect burger-consistency.

Now, add gluten, flax, salsa, soy sauce, nutritional yeast and then all remaining ingredients.

Continue grabbing, squeezing and squishing your burger mixture. You'll notice the gluten start to grab things and try to stick together. This is good!

Let your bowl of goodness sit for a while -- 5 or 10 or even 15 minutes. This will give the flax a chance to become gooey. It will also help hold your burgers together once cooked.

Form patties of desired size. Cook in a small amount of olive or veggie oil. Ta-da!

** Don't be afraid to add your healthy fats. I didn't add any fat into the burger because I cook in it. Your body NEEDS some fat. Luckily, veggie food is so healthy that it's okay -- and necessary -- to add healthy fats to it. **