Black Bean Veggie Burgers

I can't believe I haven't posted in nearly a month! I guess that being home has taken up a lot of time. I was cooking though! I have a couple new recipes to share, and plan on adding even more very soon. First up, a new protein packed veggie burger that I created from scratch, on a whim.

I have some serious issues with lots of frozen veggie burgers that you can buy at the supermarket. They're often packed with additives, preservatives, and are very overly processed. Honestly, I don't think most of them taste that great either. When it comes to burgers, homemade is best. That's why I decided to make my own, healthy, baked patty.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers
By Caroline Mac

Ingredients:

1 can low sodium black beans

2/3 c edamame, shelled and cooked

1/4 c corn kernels, cooked

1/2 c walnuts

1/2 c bread crumbs

4 T tomato paste

1/2 southwestern- style seasoning (I used Penzey's Arizona)

1/4 t garlic powder

1 T BBQ sauce, plus more for topping

Olive oil

Topping Suggestions: Guacamole, BBQ sauce, lettuce, ketchup, whole wheat hamburger buns

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Puree black beans in a food processor until mostly smooth, with a few chunks. Chop mushrooms in food processor until finely ground. Do the same with the edamame and walnuts

Step 2: Combine beans, edamame, and mushrooms in a large bowl and mixed with your hands until blended. Add corn, tomato paste and ground walnuts. Mix again until even blended. Add breadcrumbs, seasoning, and BBQ sauce, mixing again.

Step 4: Bake patties for 8-11 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy. Flip patties, brush other side with olive oil, and bake for another 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and serve warm with toppings of choice.

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

Raw Vegan Zucchini Lasagna

What's better than lasagna? Raw vegan lasagna! I recently came across this recipe on Pinterest and after a few alterations produced my own! This is truly delicious and, despite some doubts on my part, held its shape remarkably. The flavors really jump out at you and the texture of the zucchini noodles is great. You can pack even more veggies and toppings into the "casserole" to make this dish unique!

Raw Vegan Zucchini Lasagna
By Caroline Mac, after This Rawsome Life

Ingredients:
Noodles
1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

Cashew Cheese
2/3 c cashews
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T lemon juice
2 t Italian seasoning
3 T nutritional yeast
Water

Broccoli Pesto
1/2 head broccoli
3 T sun dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
1 T olive oil
3-4 leaves fresh basil
Lemon-garlic seasoning (I used Penzey's Trinidad)
Water

Toppings- To taste
I used...
3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tomatos, thinly sliced
Basil leaves, ripped into small pieces



Step 1: Blend all cheese ingredients in a food processor, adding water until mixture reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency. Set aside.

Step 2: Blend all pesto ingredients, adding water until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Step 3: Layer your ingredients in a small casserole dish, starting with a layer of zucchini noodles, until you have used all ingredients. My pattern was "noodle, cheese, pesto, tomato, mushroom, basil, repeat". I ended with a layer of cheese and pesto.

Step 4: Slice and serve!

Enjoy!

~Caroline~