Little else says summer quite like a fresh juicy hamburger. So when I quit eating mammal flesh about two years ago, I knew summers were going to be problematic for me. I had opted out of mammal meat for a couple of reasons: one, because I didn’t like the idea of eating something I would be unwilling to kill myself; and two, I always felt bloated and lethargic after ingesting red meats. Getting my body used to new forms of protein was a bit of a challenge of course, but once my body readjusted, my energy level increased, my metabolism sped up, and I dropped about twenty pounds! That’s what I call a win/win!
I would never have been able to accomplish this however, if I had simply deprived myself of all meaty comfort foods – especially the burger. For me the answer was simple: substitution instead of deprivation – a veritable “have my cake and eat it too”! Thus when my first meatless summer arrived, those greasy hamburger patties of yore turned first into turkey burgers, then into black bean patties, and then finally into the garden burgers that would inspire my raw recipe.
These raw veggie burgers are probably my all-time favorite creation because they consistently surprise my skeptical meat-loving friends. No, the patties are not enough to convince them to come to the Dark Side, but they at least get my friends thinking more highly of vegetables. This is likely due to two things: one, because the raw veggie burgers taste delicious; and two, because this hearty, protein-packed recipe satiates the belly similarly to meat. The texture is not too far off either, and you can dress these burgers any way you would a beef patty. Now if only there were a raw version of standing next to a crackling, smoking grill with a cold brew in hand, my summer would be complete! But trust me: I’m working on this…
Raw Garden Burgers
Makes 6-7 Burger Patties
½ yellow onion
3-4 large garlic cloves, mashed
1 large red bell pepper
1 small to medium yellow bell pepper
1 large carrot
2 large celery stalks
1 ¼ c raw sunflower seeds
¾ c flax meal
2 Tbsp nama shoyu sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids
1 ½ Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dark molasses
2-3 drops liquid smoke
¼ tsp of the following:
fresh ground black pepper
paprika
savory or sage
pinch of the following:
rosemary
thyme
cumin
cayenne powder
ground bay leaf
1. Chop vegetables into large chunks and place in food processor. Pulse the blade a few times in order to make room for remaining ingredients.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to food processor and blend until sunflower seeds become small pieces. You may need to take a spoon and scrape bottom and sides of food processor in order to get all ingredients blended well.
3. Place wax paper or plastic dehydrator sheets on dehydrator racks. For each patty, scoop ¼ cup of mixture onto covered tray and smooth into a circle about ½” thick.
4. Dehydrate at 105˚, flipping at least once, until patties are firm and dry to the touch. This should only take about 4 to 6 hours.
5. Enjoy patties warm from the dehydrator, or serve later at room temperature. Store any leftovers for up to a week in the fridge, placing squares of wax paper in between each patty so they won’t stick together. Reheat patties in dehydrator after refrigerating.
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