Thursday: South-of-the-Border Vegan Burger with Orange Slices

 

There is no bland flavor with this burger, not when they have a hint of chipotle chile in adobe sauce! If you or your kids don't care for a spicy kick, you can opt for the milder green chili version. I altered the vegetarian times recipe a little because the burgers didn't stick together very well the first time we made them, and kept falling apart. Add a little flax seed meal to bind them better and stick them in the freezer for a short time, and that did the trick! They are great with toasted english muffins or your favorite bread roll. Stick a couple leaves of lettuce in there and some avocado and your burger is complete!

Burger Recipe
6-8 servings

 2 cups hot brown rice, cooked (simmer 1 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of water for 40 minutes...if you have leftover rice, heat up in microwave before adding to veggie mixture)
1 1/2 TB olive oil
1 onion (1 1/4 cup), chopped
1 red bell pepper (3/4 cup), chopped
3/4 cup (1 medium ear) fresh corn kernels
1 chipotle chile in adobe sauce, minced plus 2 tsp sauce (going mild? From 1 small can of mild chile, chop 1 finely; or skip the chipotle chile all together)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup instant masa harina or yellow cornmeal
2 TB flaxseed meal or if not going vegan use 2 eggs
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 TB lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
3/4 tsp lime zest (from 1 lime)
Cheddar cheese slices, optional

1. Over a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, corn, chipotle or mild chile, adobe sauce, garlic, cumin and salt. Saute 2 minute and then turn heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are soft, stirring once in a while. 
2. Whisk 1/2 cup water with masa harina or cornmeal. Add to skillet mixture, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat.  
3. Whisk flaxseed meal with 6 TB of water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add to skillet and mix well. If using eggs, whisk those together and add to skillet, mixing well.
4. Stir in hot rice, cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. While letting the mixture cool off a little, prepare a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Wet hands and shape mixture into burgers. Place on prepared baking sheet. Stick in freezer for 15-30 minutes, checking periodically to see if burgers are firm enough.

5. Use a grill pan or skillet for stove top or heat up your grill for BBQ. Brush burgers and skillet or grill rack with olive oil. Grill or cook over medium-high heat 7 minutes on each side until crusty on the outside. Top with cheese if you would like in the last 3 minutes. Serve on top of a toasted english muffin or favorite bread roll with your condiments to your liking, sliced avocado and lettuce leaves. YUM!

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Plan and Prep Ahead

Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner.

~Chop veggies ahead of time.
~Make brown rice ahead of time. 
~Make burgers ahead of time, just don't cook them. Keep in freezer until time of use. 

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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP? 

~Instead of cilantro use parsley or just skip it. 

~Use a different grain like quinoa or millet instead of brown rice.

~Replace lime with lemon. 

~Try a pesto sauce with this burger.

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