Sunflower burgers

These burgers are DELICIOUS! My husband, who misses eating meat a lot since we both began our vegan journey together says these burgers are one of his favorite meals I've ever made. They are "meaty" enough to resemble meat but still flavorful and tasty in their own way for those grossed out by meat (like myself) to still enjoy. They are filling, and my favorite part about them is that making them is EASY! Recipe was derived from a faux "sausage" recipe in my favorite vegan cookbook, I made them into full on burger patties that taste excellent on their own, or in a bun or lettuce wrap with a little ketchup and other toppings of choice. Wholesome, protein packed, and nutrient rich, these burgers lack the torture and the coagulating red meat, but don't lack the flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 teaspoons of olive oil

½ medium yellow onion

1 minced garlic clove

2 cups/280g of raw hulled sunflower seeds
(I buy them from the bulk section of our healthfood store to save $)

¼ cup of sundried tomatoes (if hard, soak in water first to soften)

2 tablespoons of liquid aminos, tamari or soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons of maple syrup

1 teaspoon of liquid smoke

1 teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of fennel or anise seeds

½ teaspoon of cumin

½ teaspoon of paprika

salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat until translucent and well cooked.

Combine everything, including cooked onion and garlic mixture in a food processor. Blend well, and scrape down sides in between blending until the consistency is as smooth as possible.

Your "meaty mixture" can be eaten raw as is (as a taco or burrito filling, on top of a salad, mixed into a meal, in a wrap etc.) or cooked into "burgers" by rolling into balls and slightly flattening, and cooking in an olive oil coated frying pan on medium heat until well done on each side.

The recipe amount should make about 6-7 mini patties or 3 normal sized ones. Once cooked, enjoy in a bun or on healthy sprouted toast with ketchup and the works.

The cooked burgers can also be crumbled to make "beefy crumbles" and can be enjoyed in numerous ways such as on top of pasta or vegan mac & cheese, in a taco or wrap, with nachos, or layered into other meaty flavored dishes or casseroles. Josh enjoyed his topped with those crispy fried onions you put on top of green bean casserole. You can double or triple this recipe to make a bunch of burgers and store them in the freezer for quick, convenient meals (and to avoid buying prefabbed processed frozen foods).

Enjoy!!