What Everyone Is Saying About Organic Veggie Burgers

By Janine Hughes


Gone are the days when vegetarians, especially those who insisted on eating everything organic, were mocked and ridiculed. Today, ordering organic veggie burgers at the local fast food restaurant is practically mainstream. Note that not all commercially-prepared veggie burgers are better for you than good old-fashioned ground beef. To be sure your burger is the best and most natural that nature can offer, make sure you know what you are eating.

The ordinary Joe on the street hears, "organic, " and thinks, "chemical-free pesticides and fertilizers." That's just horse manure. Today, national government set the standards that include ecological balance, biodiversity and conservation of resources. Organic farmers also avoid using genetically-modified seeds and other products.

While there are many commercial vegetable patty mixes on the market, many of them rely on soya protein as the principle ingredient. Today, much soy is extracted in a process that uses hexane, a recognized neurotoxin and carcinogen. Linked to both nerve damage and brain tumors, there is no FDA-specified limit for the amount of hexane that can be used in food preparations.

In the effort to make food more resistant to pests and increasing crop yields, somehow, both the flavor and nutritional value of commercially grown fruits and vegetables appear to be on the decline. This is partly down to selective breeding, methods of which are becoming more and more technologically advanced. Organic produce retains both nutritive value and taste.

Making your own vegetable patty mix is a good idea, if for no other reason than at least you will know exactly what is in it. This is particularly convenient when dining at the home of a friend or family member, especially if they are barbecuing. There is no standard recipe so once you get a few basics under your belt, there is no limit as to the variety of ingredients you can put in. Try to avoid soy-based protein substitutes, unless you know exactly where they come from and how they are prepared.

Mixtures based on nuts are popular and easy to prepare. They are not suitable for everybody as awareness grows about nut allergies. Lentils are also cheap, popular and make a good base for burger patties. Beaten eggs are often used to hold the ingredients together, but if you have a problem with this then there are substitutes on the market.

Sweet potatoes, or even white potatoes, form a good basis for vegetable patties, as are lentils. Bulk the mix up with breadcrumbs or panko. Experiment with different vegetables and flavorings and you're good to go. Cereal grains like quinoa make good patty mixtures. Scale the recipe up and you have the basis for a tasty vegetarian loaf as a substitute for meat loaf.

Vegetable burger patties are healthy for everyone, not just vegetarians. Making your own patty mix is cheap, healthy and fun. Instead of individual patties, the mixture can be formed into a loaf. With growing interest in healthy diets like Paleo and Daniel, having a versatile vegetable burger recipe is a wise move. You can make them up with whatever you have in your larder on the spur of the moment. Your carniverous friends and family won't know what they are missing.




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