Wellness

[lolakimono]

If you make your own veggie burgers, what combinations do you put together?

I made some today with the following:

• GF bread, made into crumbs
• Roasted red pepper
• Roasted yellow pepper
• Roasted yellow squash
• One can garbanzo beans
• 2 scallions, sauteed
• 1.5 packages of baby bella mushrooms, sauteed

I combined everything in the food processor, pulsed, and then baked them for about an hour at 350, turning once.  They were still pretty moist (easily falling apart).

I have made them before with different substitutions-

• black beans or white beans for garbanzos
• oats, rice cereal, cooked quinoa or brown rice for bread crumbs
• black olives for mushrooms
• alternate veggies- shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach, kale, whatever I have on hand.

So what do you put in yours to help them stay together when flipped? I am allergic to eggs and I eat gluten free.

TIA

[SandPiper]

@lolakimono I would like to know to. I've tried black bean and veggie burgers so many times and they always fall apart. I gave up. 

[JuLee]

I've tried a ton of combinations as well, and mine always fall apart. Next time I'm going to add a "flax egg" to see if that makes a difference.

One egg equals [1 tablespoon flax meal plus 3 tablespoons water], and you do not need to make each one individually. In a small bowl, add flax meal followed by water (not water followed by flax), stirring with a fork as you go.

Refrigerate. Place the bowl of eggs in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes, but up to an hour is best. This will allow your egg to “set up”.

When the eggs come out of the fridge they’ll have formed a thick sticky goo, just the consistency of egg whites. That is your binder.

[Elizabeth95]

Here's the recipe I use for vegan lentil burgers.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403

[sgraham30]

@lolakimono, I've never tried making my own, I used to buy whatever Costco had in their freezer but to me they tasted funny & they wouldn't stay together. I then found Amy's Sonoma Veggie Burger at a local health food store. The product is gluten & dairy free. I like how it tastes & best of all, it doesn't crumble & fall apart as I'm eating it.

I'm not suggesting that you buy this item, but maybe if you take a look at the ingredients that they use you may be able to determine what they're using a a binder to hold the burger together. veggie burger

Now that I've been talking about them, I want one! These are the fries that I eat with them, I buy this flavor: veggie fries

[lolakimono]

Interesting- both @sgraham30 's and @Elizabeth95 's use walnuts.

Do you think that chia seeds would do anything?  Or would that just gum it up?

[Elizabeth95]

@lolakimono

I think a few chia seeds might be good.  I wouldn't add too many as it would probably become very gummy.  I've also done a burger with beets (delicious). 

[JuLee]

Most of the ones you find in the store have added oil in them, and I personally, don't eat any type of oil. That's why I keep trying to make my own, and maybe why mine fall apart! I'm really interested to see if the added flax egg will work. I wonder if the walnuts would work too, since they do contain a fair amount of fat... hmmmmm

[sidsmom]

@lolakimono

I would sub GF rolled oats for the bread. They soak up the moisture better.

Squash & mushrooms are watery...maybe cook them down

a little bit to release the water before placing in the food processor.

And I know this sounds weird, but...when I form patties,

I form a small hole in the middle...so they cook in the middle.

HTH. 🌼💛

[Justice4all]

@sidsmom@lolakimono@JuLee@Elizabeth95@sgraham30

Which model blender do you recommend?   Need one pronto!