Veggie Burger Throwdown

N’awlins Veggie Burger with Remoulade Sauce

3 cups water

1 cup dry yellow grits

2 cloves garlic (minced or microplaned)

2 Not-Chicken vegetable bouillon cubes

1 large celery stalk

1/2 green bell pepper

1/2 onion

(All pulsed in the food processor until finely chopped)

About 1/2 cup blanched spinach (drained & chopped)

1 can of dark red kidney beans (drained)

4 dashes (or more) of hot sauce

Olive oil

Boil water and add boullion and garlic. Slowly add the grits as you stir. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook grits covered for 40 minutes until they are very thick. Set aside to cool. Sauté the chopped pepper, onion, and celery in olive oil over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent and all of the liquid has evaporated. Add sautéed vegetables, spinach, kidney beans, and hot sauce to the grits. Sir to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate two hours.

For the sauce:

1 celery rib

1 tablespoon mustard

2 green onions

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 teaspoon Braggs (or soy sauce)

Juice from1 lemon

A few dashes of hot sauce

1/2-cup fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

All goes into a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Portion into patties and brown in a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil. Serve on sliced French bread with remoulade sauce, heirloom tomatoes, and iceberg lettuce.

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Chipotle Black Bean Torta

2 cups water

1 cup dry brown rice

1 cube of Not-Beef broth

1 teaspoon dried epazote (optional)

1/2 a large white onion

1/2 green bell pepper

2 cloves garlic

Pulsed in the food processor until finely chopped

1 ear of fresh corn (kernels removed)

1 can black beans (drained & rinsed)

2-3 chipotle peppers

1/2-cup wheat gluten

Olive oil

Dissolve the boullion cube in the water and bring to a boil. Add the brown rice, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook rice for 40 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool. Sauté onion, pepper, and garlic in some olive oil until the onion is translucent and all of the liquid has evaporated. Do not burn the garlic.

In a large bowl, mix together the rice, sautéed vegetables, corn, and black beans. Take 1/3 of that mixture and the chipotle peppers, place it into the food processor, and pulse until it has broken down. Add the two mixtures together, and stir in the wheat gluten. Chill covered for about 2 hours.

Portion into 3-4 inch patties, and brown in a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil. Serve on torta bread with mayo, tomato, sliced red onion, lettuce, avocado, cilantro, lime, and melted Oaxaca cheese.

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Irish Oat Burger

1/2 cup Irish oatmeal

2 cups water

2 cubes low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups shredded Kerrygold Irish Cheddar

1 can of vegetarian baked beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2-cup panko breadcrumbs

Dissolve the vegetable broth cubes in the water, and bring to a boil. Add the oatmeal, and stir until you notice that it has begun to thicken. Reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes or until all water has been absorbed and the mixture is thick. Add remaining ingredients and work the mixture with your hands to incorporate. Portion into 6-inch patties and fry in a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil. Serve on oat bread or soda bread with mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and tempeh bacon strips.

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Falafel

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp tahini

1 can chick peas (drained)

1 cup loose packed parsley (chopped)

salt

1/2-cup panko

Toast the cumin, coriander, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. (Toasting the spices in this way takes away the raw taste inherent in dried spices.)

Everything but the parsley and panko goes in to the food processor, and is blended until smooth. Mix panko and parsley into the chickpea mixture. Form into small balls and fry in olive oil until crispy. Alternatively, you may brush them with olive oil and bake them in a 400 degree oven until golden.

Cucumber Dressing:

1 medium tomato (seeded and diced)

1 cucumber (seeded and diced)

1 shallot (minced)

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

Handful of chopped parsley

Serve on warm pita bread with Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and cucumber dressing.