In my last post, I mentioned Veggie Burgers, and while talking about buying them at Gerrards Market in Redlands, a friend said she had just made a batch from scratch. I am not a vegetarian but I do like to eat like one at times, so I asked her to share her recipe. She calls them Lentil Walnut Burgers. I made them last night for dinner and like her, put extras in the freezer for future quick healthy meals. Her recipe included a Carrot Avocado Dressing, which is amazing! I only used 1/2 cup of carrot juice, less than the recipe called for, just to make it thicker. (I have a habit of never following a recipe exactly as written!) The walnut in the burgers gave them a really nice texture. I browned them in olive oil on top of the stove but I think next time, I’ll bake them in the oven which is what I like to do with falafel’s. Along with the avocado dressing, I topped the burgers with cheddar, tomato and onions. It was really filling and a great alternative to a big beefy burger, although I’m not completely giving that up! This recipe was super easy and most definitely better than any frozen patty you can get in a box at the grocery store. Let me know if you try them!

Lentil Walnut Burgers

3/4 c lentils

1 ½ c water

2 T apple cider vinegar

1 T olive oil

1 c onion

5 garlic gloves

½ c minced walnut

1 t salt

½ lb fresh minced spinach

1t dry mustard

½ c wheat germ or bread crumbs

Add lentils to water and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes or until dry, transfer to a bowl. Add vinegar and mash.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except wheat germ/bread crumbs and sauté 5-10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.

Add wheat germ to ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasoning. Chill for 1 hour.

To make patties:

Form lentil mix into patties with your hands. You can either brown them in a skillet with some olive oil or bake them. I love to freeze the patties by forming the patties and stacking them with wax paper in between and putting in a big zip lock freezer bag. You can then take them out individually for a quick lunch or dinner. Or for something a bit fancier, cook the patty and top with the following delicious sauce (my favorite):

Carrot Avocado Dressing

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded

1 garlic clove

1 1/2 cups fresh carrot juice

1 tsp oregano

2 scallions, minced

Braggs (liquid amino acids) to taste

Blend all ingredients. Chill and garnish with scallions