BAKIN' WITH BACON

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Saturday, August 7, 2010

Southern Style Veggies Burgers



Ok let's play a little game here. What's missing from this post, do you think? Is it...meat? You are correct! Look, I love pork, steak,chicken and all things meat. But not even I can eat meat everyday. I was a vegetarian for 10 years, vegan for half of that time. Finding good wholesome complete delicious meals was hard, so I started cooking a lot at home for myself. I've worked at Vegetarian restaurants and for vegan catering companies, and I currently cook for a family of vegetarians. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I'm going to do a series of posts of some of the original recipes I've been doing this summer. Everything is approved as delicious by yours truly.

BLACK EYED PEA, COLLARD GREEN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS

I'm so in love with sweet potatoes these days. They act as part of the binding ingredient in these healthy, complete, low fat, low carb, extremely healthy but still delicious burgers. They are also SUPER CHEAP to make and you can substitute a lot of different grains depending on what you have. This is just a building block, as many of my recipes are. Feel free to let your imagination go, it rules.

INGREDIENTS: makes 8 large patties

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes. (can also use butternut squash)
3 eggs
3 oz grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry lentils (can use quinoa too, it's one of my faves)
1/2 cup dry black eyed peas
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp dry oregano
2 tsp salt
1 carrot
1 onion
2 stalks celery
1 bunch collard greens (kale, chard...all greens work-whatever you want bro)
2 cloves garlic

THE DEAL:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
Boil 3 quarts of water with salt, and add the black eyed peas and 1 bay leaf.
In a separate pot boil 2 quarts of water with salt and add lentils and 1 bay leaf.
Cook until over-done (mushy) usually about 20 minutes.
Dice onions, carrots, garlic and celery and cook over medium-low heat until onions are translucent. (about 4-5 minutes)
Chop up the Collard Greens and sautee over medium heat until withered.
Cool all above ingredients until room temperature, put them all in a big bowl.
Add the eggs, salt, cheese, thyme, oregano, and ground black pepper and mix well.

Form into large patties with your hands. Should make about 8 medium to large sized ones.
Use baking spray (like Pam) or wipe oil on your sheet pan. Place patties on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until they have a slight crust on the outside and hold together well.

They can be eaten alone as a complete meal or in the form of a burger with melted cheese, tomatoes, pickles, onions lettuce...whatever you want!!! Yummy alternative to those nasty Boca burgers or whatever. Make this batch and eat them for days!!

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