As I enter Week Two, I am preparing myself to expect, some of the excitment of attacking the challange to wear down, and meat cravings to come on. I have the recipe below, on file to make sure I am ready when the burger craving hits.
Scott Jurek's Lentil-Mushroom BurgersFor any reluctant vegan who worries that nothing will ever replace the taste or texture of a juicy beef patty, consider the lentil burger. It might not matter so much that lentils are an excellent source of protein, that they are one of the fastest-cooking legumes, or that they are consumed in large quantities all over Europe, Asia and Africa (even Idaho!). What will impress you is how tender, juicy, and "meaty" they taste. I grew up grilling over campfires, and I know burgers. These are as delicious as they come. Sometimes I'll even take a few patties with me on long training runs and races.
1 cup dried green lentils (2¼ cups cooked)
2¼ cups water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1¼ cups finely chopped onion
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups fine bread crumbs (see Note)
½ cup ground flax seed (flax seed meal)
3 cups finely chopped mushrooms
1½ cups destemmed, finely chopped kale, spinach, or winter greens
2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
In a small pot, bring lentils, water, parsley, 1 garlic clove, and ½ cup of onion to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft.
While the lentils are cooking, combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, and flax seed in a bowl. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and paprika and mix well.
Sauté the remaining onion, remaining garlic, the mushrooms, and the greens in the oil for 8 to 10 minutes, then set aside. Remove the lentils from the heat, add the vinegar and mustard, and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon to a thick paste.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lentils, sautéed veggies, and bread crumb mixtures, and mix well. Cool in the refrigerator for 15 to 10 minutes or more.
Using your hands, form burger patties to your desired size and place on waxed paper. Lightly fry in a seasoned skillet, or broil or grill until lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Extra uncooked patties can be frozen on wax paper in plastic bags or wrapped individually in aluminum foil, making for a quick dinner or wholesome burger for the next barbeque.
Makes a dozen 4-inch diameter burgers.
Note: To make the bread crumbs, you'll need about half a loaf of day-old bread (I use Ezekiel 4:9). Slice the bread, then tear or cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces and chop in a food processor for 1 to 2 minutes, until a fine crumb results. The walnuts can also be chopped in the food processor with the bread.
CALORIES PER BURGER: 188;
CARBS: 21 G;
FIBER: 6 G;
PROTEIN: 8 G;
FAT: 9 G
Resource: Eat Vegan and Run , Click the link to read the entire article
By Scott Jurek & Steve Friedman
Image by Craig Cameron Olsen
From the June 2012 issue of Runner's World
