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| Lentil, Nut & Tempeh Burgers |
I really love the times that I
can spend in the kitchen, experimenting with different combinations of
ingredients until I come up with a new recipe that I can be proud of. These
veggie burgers are one of them, they are packed with incredible flavour but also
texture too. In my opinion there’s nothing worse than a carb-filled mushy
veggie burger that’s about 40% potato and 30% breadcrumbs, with some other sort
of flavourless veg in the middle – definitely not something worth eating! I had some nut cutlets a few
weeks ago and I loved the idea of incorporating nuts into a veggie burger for a
bit of crunch. My aim wasn’t necessarily to make these ‘meaty’ but rather to
make a flavourful, protein packed and textured veggie burger that was enjoyable
to eat and that will also keep you full. The burger itself is made up of
tempeh, lentils, nuts, mushrooms, mixed veg and some seasoning, so it’s almost
a mix of a burger and a nut cutlet but it really works together to produce a
wonderful taste.
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| Lentil, Nut & Tempeh Burgers |
The recipe makes 6 burgers, which
are pretty firm and stay together nicely, so aren’t difficult to cook and also
contain around 7g of protein per serving. By mixing together different
proteins it helps to ensure that you’re getting all of the essential amino
acids in one serving – there are so many mixed messages about protein, and
whilst most of us are getting enough each day, the types of proteins you
consume are also important. There are 20 amino acids that make up proteins, the
essential 9 amino acids cannot be produced by the body and must be received
through the diet, most plant based sources only contain a handful of the 9 we
need and therefore we must eat a range of these incomplete proteins to ensure
we consume all of the 9, for example, by combining lentils and nuts all of the essential amino acids will be present as they are complimentary to one another.
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| Lentil, Nut & Tempeh Burgers |
I served my veggie burgers up with tomatoes, avocado, vegan mayo, on a home made sun-dried tomato flatbread - the recipe for a very similar flatbread can be found here . I haven't tried freezing these veggie burgers but they will last for 3 days in an air tight container in the fridge after making. Other accompaniments for the burgers could include, rice, salad, caramelized onions, southern style fries and even more avocado! These veggie burgers would also be amazing with roast veg and gravy!
Lentil, Nut & Tempeh Burgers | Yield: 6 | Time: 20 mins
You'll need:
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Non-stick frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Food processor/ blender
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- ½ large red onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2 chestnut mushrooms
- 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce/tamari
- 100g tempeh
- ½ cup chopped mix veg (I used frozen)
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- ¼ cup chopped mixed nuts
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Salt & pepper
- Oil
Method
- Finely chop the onion and fry on a medium heat with a splash of oil for about 5 minutes, then add two cloves of minced garlic and 2 mushrooms chopped into small pieces (1/2cm cubes). Fry for a couple of minutes then add in the balsamic vinegar, tamari, crumble in the tempeh, stir and reduce until the pan is dry.
- Blend up the mixed veg with ½ cup cooked lentils until combined and almost smooth. Then, in a large bowl, add the frying pan mixture, the lentil mix from the blender, the rest of the lentils, chopped nuts and a pinch of salt and pepper. Combine together then add 2 tbsp of flour and stir again.
- From the mixture, form 6 equal sized burger patties and then fry with a splash of oil on a medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Serve up with your choice of sides, I’d recommend a burger bun/flat bread with avocado, tomatoes and vegan mayo. Enjoy!
Cassidy xx
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