Savory Vegan Eggplant Tomato Burger

I would almost call this “The best vegan burger I’ve ever put in my mouth” but then again, it would be weird calling a burger that. Seriously, I hold 100% to that, because this is seriously the best tasting thing I’ve had in a while! I don’t know what, it’s the combination, I say. The sweetness!
I think a huge part of it has to do with Rao’s Arrabiata sauce just fitting in perfectly, so if you can get your hands on that, you must use it here. Otherwise, it simply won’t be the same.

Today’s a sad day for me, because I’m getting BRACES. I shouldn’t say sad, but more like – life won’t be the same afterwards, because there’s a bunch of foods I won’t be able to eat, or if I wanted eat this burger, I’d have to throw it in the blender or something (just kidding, why would you blend a burger?!) but chop it in tiny pieces. Not only that, I’d have to brush my teeth after every meal, which is going to be a huge challenge. Let’s see how long I can keep that up! No, I MUST do it, MUUUST!
So anyway, back to appreciating biting into a whole burger one last time.

OH MAN this was good. Seriously, I don’t know why though because eggplants and bell peppers are something I can get sick of easily, especially bell peppers, they’re nice but definitely not a “favourite food” but made this way, they are simply the best tasting things ever. I think this has taught me that sometimes, it’s not about what food you’re eating, but the combination.
This kind of reminds me that when you’re eating bananas on its own, they taste like bananas, but freeze and blend them, they’re like ICE CREAM and even banana haters may like it.
So anyway, if you’re making this, make enough for two, or ten!Not exactly, haha. But you get my point. You would probably want more, and MORE, and MORE AND MORE! My recipe is only enough for one burger, and one person!

Savory Vegan Eggplant Tomato Burger
2 slices large, round eggplant
2 slices red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 teaspoons extra light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
A few sprinkles Himalayan/sea salt
A sprinkle of fennel seeds
1 whole wheat burger bun (or 1/3 whole grain bun)
1 tablespoon high quality pasta sauce (I used Rao’s Arrabbiata)
1 purple/Boston lettuce leaf
1 slice tomato
A sprinkle of pepper
Chop two slices of eggplant (not too thin or thick), two slices of red bell pepper and about 1/2 cup of red onions.
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).

Mix the three in a large bowl and add the extra light olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and fennel seeds. Give it a good stir and make sure the spices marinate all the vegetables.
Place them in an oven tray without overlapping and bake for about 15-20 minutes until the eggplants and onions are soft.
Meanwhile, prepare the bread or bun by cutting it in the middle so the bun splits in two and put it in the toaster oven or oven for a few minutes until the edges have browned. Also, prepare the sliced tomatoes and pasta sauce.
Once the veggies are ready, lay the bread out on the table.

Assembling the Burger: First, add the lettuce leaves, then an eggplant, tomato slice, pepper slice, some onions, another eggplant slice, another bell pepper slice and top it off with any remaining onions. Finally, add the pasta sauce and some pepper, and close the burger.

Of course, you can assemble it in any order you want, because it really doesn’t matter which goes first. Though I will say that having the lettuce in the bottom does make things much easier.
Note: This burger tastes better if it’s warm, so don’t let it cool down too much. You may also want to warm up the sauce.

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Savory Vegan Eggplant Tomato Burger

Serves: 2

 

Ingredients

• 2 slices large, round eggplant
• 2 slices red bell pepper
• ½ cup sliced red onion
• 2 teaspoons extra light olive oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• A few sprinkles Himalayan/sea salt
• A sprinkle of fennel seeds
• 1 whole wheat burger bun (or ⅓ whole grain bun)
• 1 tablespoon high quality pasta sauce (I used Rao’s Arrabbiata)
• 1 purple/Boston lettuce leaf
• 1 slice tomato
• A sprinkle of pepper

Instructions

1. Chop two slices of eggplant (not too thin or thick), two slices of red bell pepper and about ½ cup of red onions.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
3. Mix the three in a large bowl and add the extra light olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and fennel seeds. Give it a good stir and make sure the spices marinate all the vegetables.
4. Place them in an oven tray without overlapping and bake for about 15-20 minutes until the eggplants and onions are soft.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the bread or bun by cutting it in the middle so the bun splits in two and put it in the toaster oven or oven for a few minutes until the edges have browned. Also, prepare the sliced tomatoes and pasta sauce.
6. Once the veggies are ready, lay the bread out on the table.
7. Assembling the Burger: First, add the lettuce leaves, then an eggplant, tomato slice, pepper slice, some onions, another eggplant slice, another bell pepper slice and top it off with any remaining onions. Finally, add the pasta sauce and some pepper, and close the burger.
8. Of course, you can assemble it in any order you want, because it really doesn’t matter which goes first. Though I will say that having the lettuce in the bottom does make things much easier.
9. Note: This burger tastes better if it’s warm, so don’t let it cool down too much. You may also want to warm up the sauce.

MUSHROOM ONION YAM BURGERS: KEEPIN' IT REAL YO

I don't feel like I am missing anything when I eat a good veggie burger; all I want is something dense, flavourful, and hearty to bite into and it's really easy to get that with fresh ingredients. Plus you're getting multiple servings of vegetables in for the day, as well as - with this recipe - some super foods like chia and hemp seeds. But to be honest, I think any edible raw plant can be seen as a super food. I don't miss one thing about meat burgers. A round of rotting, ground-up flesh that was once a sentient being who had a mom? Sorry I'm not drooling... I'll stick to eating veggies.

There is ALWAYS a new study excitedly telling us Westerners that a previously unheard-of herb recently found in the jungle has an antioxidant level off the charts and has a specific nutrient that fights cancer so we should all be sure to include this specific plant in our diets from now on. I feel like no one is getting the broader picture: we should just eat more plants, they are powerful medicine. Like the brilliant Michael Pollen wisely advises in his best-selling book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Bam. Also get in some sunshine, lots of clean water, plenty of z's, a few laughs and a good workout - that is health! There is nothing complicated about it, nor should there be. The simplest solution has the highest chance of being the right one.

Okay getting completely side-tracked but my mom just came in here and handed me a bag full of raw macadamias! Oh. My. Nuts. I am so excited. It's not a huge bag but it cost like $25, so I will savour every macadamia as if it were gold; actually gold probably tastes gross and macadamia nuts are more valuable in any case so scratch that - I will savour every one for the delicious, creamy, crunchy, wholesome treat it is.

Aaaaaanyways - back to burgers. These babies are keeping things juicy and satisfying with only the freshest ingredients and mind-blowing flavours. If you like yams, mushrooms, onions and tastiness then you will love these. I know a lot of you like to keep fat to a minimum (I'm with ya) so these are very low-fat. You're welcome. Hehe.

Of course... we all need fat in our diet so when you ARE looking to get your daily intake, go no further than this chocolate buttercream tart (or any dessert recipe on my blog). Hurray for omega-3's and all the other vital nutrients nuts, avocados, and coconut oil give us! Life is goooood and this song makes it better. So do raw vegan burgers. Let's dance and live long.

yam mushroom onion burgers: makes about 12

Burgers:

1 peeled yam

3-4 chopped white mushrooms

1 peeled, chopped onion 

Salt, pepper and coriander, to taste (and whatever other spices you like)

2 tablespoon chia seeds

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup raisins 

Toppings:

Sliced onions, tomatoes, avocado, nut cheese, lettuce, cilantro, ketchup, hummus (all optional) 

Buns:

Swiss chard leaves or chickpea bread

To make the burgers: pulse all the ingredients in your food processor until it becomes an orange-y mush. Not the most pleasant-looking but it should taste yummy. Form the mixture into patties (mine were about 1/4 cup) and dehydrate for 5-7 hours, or until they are dark and hold their shape. I put mine in the oven at 200 degrees because I'm not too picky about specific temperatures. 

Top off with your condiments and wrap up in green lettuce goodness! Chomp chomp chomp. I eat like a dinosaur. Or a cow.