Veggie Blog

I used to write that a veggie burger can taste better than a meat burger. That is a matter of taste, but a good homemade one is worth the effort, and it is easier than most people expect. Here is how to build one, and what makes a patty fall apart in the pan.

What goes into a good veggie burger?

Think of three parts: a main ingredient, a binder and flavor. The main ingredient can be beans, lentils, mushrooms, cooked grains, nuts, potatoes or tofu. The binder, such as rolled oats, breadcrumbs, ground flaxseed or an egg, holds the mixture together. Flavor comes from onion, garlic, spices, herbs and a little salt. A black bean burger recipe from a Johns Hopkins dietitian shows the idea: rolled oats, bell pepper, shredded carrot, cumin, coriander, paprika and canned black beans, baked in the oven. By the published numbers, one 200-gram patty has about 10 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber.

How do you keep a veggie burger from falling apart?

Most crumbling comes from too much moisture or too little binder. Rinse and drain canned beans well, and pat them dry. Pulse most of the beans so they turn sticky and leave some whole for texture, which is the same method the Hopkins recipe uses. Cook onions or mushrooms first so they release their water before they go into the mix. Chilling the shaped patties for about half an hour is a common cook’s tip that makes them much easier to handle. Then cook them gently with a little oil and turn them only once, when the underside has formed a crust. Baking, as in the Hopkins recipe (300°F for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are crisp), is the least fussy method.

Is it safe to cook with dried beans?

Yes, as long as you cook them fully. Raw or undercooked red kidney beans contain a natural lectin that can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Health Canada advises soaking dry red kidney beans for at least 5 hours, discarding the soaking water and boiling them vigorously for at least 10 minutes. It also says not to cook dry red kidney beans in a slow cooker, because it does not get hot enough. Canned beans have already been heated enough and need no extra boiling, which is one reason many recipes use them.

How do you store and reheat homemade veggie burgers?

Cool the cooked patties quickly and get them into the refrigerator within two hours. According to the USDA, leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, and should be reheated to 165°F. Freezing the patties in a single layer with parchment between them makes it easy to take out just the number you need, and a double batch costs very little extra effort.

Who invented the veggie burger?

The old version of this post said the first veggie burgers were made in 1982. That year holds up for the first commercial one: Gregory Sams launched the VegeBurger in London in March 1982. Recipes for vegetable patties had been printed before that, as early as 1969, according to the Smithsonian. So the idea is older than the product, and cooks have been improvising patties for a long time.

What should you serve with it?

A whole-grain bun, lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado or mustard are a good start. For more bean and lentil ideas see our guide to high-protein vegetarian meals, the vegetarian chili recipe that uses kidney beans and corn, and eating oats, fruit and beans to lower cholesterol. The advantage of cooking at home is that you decide how much salt goes in, which is the main thing to watch with the packaged versions.

The skinny bitches who wrote “skinny bitch” have now sold over 850,000 copies of their diet veggie book. They also report that Victoria Beckham has bought the book so if she bought the book it has to be good right?

They have now made a sequel to their first book called skinny bitch in the kitch. This book is also doing well and despite the ridicules name the book actually sells very good. The books show you healthy veggie recipes and talks about how bad the average person is eating today. So if your belly is getting big and you feel like going veggie style all the way, you better read these books first.

Paul McCartney was recently interviewed by ITN News about how veganism can help saving the planet. Did you know that Paul McCartney has been a veggie for over 30 years now? He however claims that the US has now admitted cattle rearing are devastating the planet. He wants people to listen and understand. Paul McCartney’s wife is also a veggie and according to Paul, his wife managed to turn the whole family into veggies!

Paul also talks about that being a veggie is clearly better for your health and claims that if humans not start to change the way they eat there will be catastrophic for the planet. Paul’s firs thought is about the children of the future because if we continue like this it could be harmful to them.

Do you feel like you might want to be a veggie? Or maybe you want to try something different and be a part of something to save the future of earth’s animal life. If you ever think about these things you should take the step and be a man and try to be a veggie. I know many people love to eat meat but now in 2008 we actually have so many vegetable and veggie products that we feel we don’t need meat anymore. The veggie test goes like this. Ask yourself if you want the earth to have a long life. Then ask yourself if you want your children to grow up in a nice environment, for the last questions you have to ask yourself “would I give up meat to save the future of the earth’s climate problem and my children”. If you answer yes to these questions or even just to one of them I recommend that you become a veggie.

The original title of this post misspelled the word; it is veganism, not “vegatism.” The post described it as a philosophy that says people should not hurt animals, which is close to the official definition. Here is a fuller answer.

What is veganism?

The Vegan Society describes veganism as a way of living that tries to avoid, wherever possible and practical, the exploitation of animals and cruelty to them, whether for food, clothing or any other purpose. For eating, that means dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals: no meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), no dairy and no eggs. The old post was also right that many vegans avoid leather, skin and products tested on animals.

What do vegans eat?

The old post said vegans eat a lot of soy and vegetables. Soy foods like tofu and tempeh are popular, but they are one of many protein sources: beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains matter just as much, along with fruit and vegetables.

Are vegans healthier than non-vegans?

The old post said that the average vegan is healthier because they eat better food than someone who eats lunch at a fast-food restaurant. It depends on what each person eats. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a US professional body for dietitians, takes the position that a well-planned vegan diet can be healthy at every stage of life, and may help prevent some diseases. A vegan diet of chips and sweets would not give that benefit, so planning matters.

What do vegans need to watch?

The first is vitamin B12. According to the NIH, unfortified plant foods contain no vitamin B12 at all, so vegans need fortified foods or a supplement. The second is calcium, because dairy is the main source in most diets; the NIH lists fortified plant milks, calcium-set tofu and vegetables like kale, broccoli and bok choy as options. Iron deserves attention too: the NIH says the requirement is 1.8 times higher for people who follow vegetarian diets, because iron from plants is less well absorbed. Our post on vitamin deficiency and who is at risk explains B12 and iron in more detail.