Veggie Burgers

I have never been able to duplicate the best Veggie Burger I ever ate at Kelsey’s in Sarnia, Ontario (Canada). The char-grill taste of the burger is memorable. The dense texture was unforgettable. It was the closest veggie burger to a burger made with meat that I have ever eaten. Since that memorable moment, I have ordered many vegetable burgers from menus that could not hold a candle to that one. Since I had to change my diet to adhere to a Gluten Free diet, I came to realize that many veggie burgers have a lot of gluten in them to hold the veggies together.

I have experimented with making veggie burgers several times. This is the most successful veggie burger rendition that I have made thus far. Each time I make this dish, I use different vegetables. It is a great way to use leftovers.

Base Ingredients:
1. Broccoli
2. Cauliflower
3. Sweet Potato/Potato
4. Carrot
5. Vegetable Broth
6. Onion
7. Garlic
8. Mushroom
9. Eggs
10. Rolled Oats
11. Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs
12. Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa Flour
13. Olive Oil
14. Chipotle or Cajun Seasoning

Instructions:
1. Steam veggies 1-4 in ½ cup of vegetable broth until al dente (I usually use 4-6 Cups of Veggies)
2. Let cool
3. While it cools, dice ½ an onion, 4-6 cloves of garlic, and 4 small button mushrooms (mushrooms can be omitted if you have an allergy OR another variety can be used)
4. Add to a VitaMix (or other blender) until you have a rough chop
5. Add mixture to a mixing bowl, add diced onion, garlic, and mushrooms if using. Add 1 TBSP seasoning per cup of vegetables. Add 1 egg per cup of vegetables. Stir to mix.
6. To thicken mixture and get it to form into patties, add quinoa flour and rolled oats until desired consistency forms. The amount needed varies according to the moisture content of the vegetables used. Rough calculation, ½ cup rolled oats and ½ cup quinoa flour per cup of vegetables.
7. When desired consistency is reached, add 2 TBSP olive oil to a pan and on medium high heat.
8. Add Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs to a plate (Ian's are the best I have had)
9. Form patties and pat them into the breadcrumbs on the plate. Make sure to get all sides.
10. Put patties in pan. After cooking a few minutes press down with a spatula.
11. Flip after about 5 minutes. Flatten again after 5 minutes of cooking.
12. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
13. Place patties on a paper towel lined plate to allow them to cool.
14. Serve once done cooking or store in an airtight container.

HINT: These taste better WARM than cold/room temperature. Definitely warm before using ones that have been chilled!

Variations:
You can use stalks, leaves, and flourettes of the broccoli and cauliflowers
Add in/substitute chopped peppers with the garlic and onion
Use ½ Bob’s Red Mill Ground Flaxseed Meal for ½ the rolled oats

Serve:
On a bun with toppings of your choice
As a patty "steak" with dipping sauce of your choice
Have with a salad, soup, Gluten Free crackers, or a side of potatoes and/or vegetables