Vegetarian Burgers for the Summer

Everyone likes hamburgers. They are so delicious and so un-nutritious. They have a high content of saturated fat and cholesterol, too enemies to the heart. Their content of vitamins and minerals is very limited. Eating them frequently can even bring about obesity.

Even though hamburgers are not a good for you food, I still like to eat them. Figuring that they were probably clogging my arteries, I decided to start making vegetarian burgers. They tasted terrible at first. After a lot of practice and experimenting with different ingredients. I came up with five different kinds of vegetarian burgers. They tasted really good to me as well as to friends and family.

Cheesy Mixed Nut Burger
Ingredients:
½ cup of smoked almonds
½ cup of cashew nuts
½ cup of peanuts
½ cup of firm tofu
1 ½ cup of mild shredded cheddar cheese or shredded soy cheese
1 teaspoon of all purpose seasoning
½ cup of cracker crumbs
whole wheat bun
red leaf lettuce
spinach
tomato slices
sweet pickles catchup

Preparation:
Step 1.-Combine all of the ingredients together. In a food processor mix them in the processor at a high speed for 2 minutes or until the ingredients are well mixed and have the consistency of ground meat.

Step 2.-Form the moist mixture into burger patties as you would form a ground beef patty, and place them in a pan. Cover the pan and place it in the oven to cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes to 30 minutes.

Step 3.-Remove the pan from the oven and allow the burgers to sit for 2 minutes.

Step 4.-Place on a whole wheat bun along with red leaf lettuce, spinach, tomato slice sweet pickles and catchup.

Step 5.- Eat! The taste will be nutty, slightly spicy, slightly smoky and cheesy. The sweetness of the pickle and catchup and the mild seasoning of the nutty patty makes a good combination in taste. The cracker crumbs maintain the moistness in the patty.

Mushroom Burger
Ingredients:
1portobello mushroom sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup of Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons of dried mixed herbs
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
2 slices of provolone cheese
2 slices of pepper jack cheese
whole wheat bun
green leaf lettuce
spinach leaves

Preparation:
Step 1.- Mix salad dressing, herbs, and garlic and pour over the mushroom slices. Allow the mushroom slices to marinade for 20 minutes.

Step 2.- Place the mushroom slices on a cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet in the oven. Allow to cook at 375 degrees for 30 minute or until tender. Occasionally brush the mushroom slices with the marinade mixture they were in.

Step 3.- When the mushroom slices are done, remove them from the oven, place them on a whole wheat bun with green leaf lettuce, spinach and both kinds cheese.

The taste is delicious.

Tofu Burgers
Ingredients:
1 package of firm tofu
teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup of sesame seed oil
1 ½ cup sea salt dissolved in 2 cups of water
Whole Wheat buns
spinach leaves
Red leaf lettuce
cream cheese (soft)
1 pepper jack cheese slices

Preparation:
Step 1.-Slice the firm tofu long wise into layers. Make the slices ½ inch thick

Step 2.- allow the slices to marinade over night in teriyaki sauce or in the salt water.

Step 3.-In a pan of hot sesame seed oil cook the tofu until light golden brown.

Step 4.-Spread cream cheese on the whole wheat bun.

Step 5.-Place the tofu on the buns along with two slices of pepper jack cheese slices, spinach leaves, red leaf lettuce, and a little teriyaki sauce.

The taste is delicious.

Wonton Veggie Burger
Ingredients:
½ cup of corn (white or yellow)
½ cup of diced sweet onions
½ cup of diced red peepers
wonton wraps
1 ½ cup of sesame seed oil
½ teaspoon of black pepper
½ teaspoon of paprika

Preparation:
Step1.-In a bowl mix the corn, onions, red peppers, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Be sure to mix the seasoning well.

Step 2.- Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame sea oil in a pan. Pour the vegetable mixture in the pan and cook until they are done.

Step 3.- In a small bowl place three wonton wraps crisscross wise. Then place two large cooking spoonfuls of cooked vegetables in the bowl.

Step 4.-Pull the ends of the wonton wrap over the vegetable to close it in then brush the ends over with water so they will stick.

Step 5.- Place the wonton wrapped vegetables top side down on a spatula. In a pan of hot sesame seed oil place the wrapped vegetables. Allow to fry until the bottom is golden brown.

Step 6.- Remove the wonton wrapped vegetables and place it on the whole wheat bun alone with the lettuce and cheese.

All five burgers are delicious, and they are nutritious. The cheese is the most fattening part of the burger, however I love to eat cheese, and it is not good to be a fanatic. I hope anyone interested in eating vegetarian burgers will try my recipes. I am confident you will enjoy them too.