Recipe: Vegan Lentil Burgers

Have you ever had a bad veggie burger? If you've tried many, you have. They can be fake tasting with a chemically smell. They can taste too salty. Or you can have a problem where ALL of the veggie burgers you can find have cheese or eggs in them. Come on now, we can do better than that!

Now listen here: there are more steps in this recipe than I usually ask of you. More things to wash for sure. But you get a lot of burgers in the end and you can freeze them. Then when you get that craving you just throw it on a nonstick skillet or in the oven. Healthy, easy, and TASTY! (Like there were groans of pleasure at the dinner table from these burgers. Even the kiddo was saying "yummy yummy!")

These aren't flavored like any THING - they are just plain ole good. If you want to go crazy on them try that after you make a "plain" batch first. Not saying they are plain tasting in any way though.

Vegan Lentil Burgers

(makes 10-12 depending on how big you shape them)

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup bread crumbs

1 large carrot, chopped roughly (**see note if you do not have a food processor)

1/2 large zucchini, chopped roughly
1/4 large onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (substitute smoked paprika if desired)
1 Tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Bring the lentils and 3 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Put on the lid, lower the heat and simmer for about 35 minutes. They should be slightly over cooked but there should be a bit of water left in the pan. Stir in the ground flax and cook 3-4 more minutes uncovered. Take off the heat and set aside to cool. 
• Preheat your oven to 375º
• Get out a large mixing bowl. 
• Blend the rolled oats in a food processor until it becomes the consistency of flour. Pour into the mixing bowl. (**see note if you do not have a food processor!) 
• Now add the carrot, onion, zucchini and garlic to your food processor and pulse until the vegetables are small bits. Make sure you don't go overboard and turn it into soup. Pour vegetables into mixing bowl. 
• Add your lentils to the food processor (don't bother cleaning between steps!) Pulse a few times to grind up most of your lentils. Some will be intact and that's what you want. Pour into your mixing bowl. 
• Now add everything else to the mixing bowl. Make sure you mix it well so that everything is moist. 
• Shape the mixture into patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. (If you don't want to make them all at once you can shape the remainder into patties and place onto another lined baking sheet. Place that baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until solid. Then you can bag them up and use them later!) 
• Bake the burgers for 30-35 minutes. 
• Take out and let the burgers rest on the pan. Don't try to take them off the parchment until they have cooled for several minutes. 
• Serve up with your favorite condiments and buns! (May I suggest getting some Dave's Killer Bread Blues Buns if they are in your area [check the website!] They are organic, natural, 100% whole grain and vegan. I love them!!!) 

**NOTE: If you don't have a food processor you can still make this! You can grind the oats in your regular blender (it does not have to be perfect. It may have to run for a couple of minutes to get to a finer flour.) You may also be able to find oat flour in your local natural foods store in the bulk section or gluten free baking section (although oats are not always gluten free.)You can grate the vegetables by hand to add to the burgers. For the lentils you can also put the in the blender for a couple of seconds or smash them up with a fork if you want.