Summer time is for burgers, but that does not mean all of your burgers have to be meat based. Doctors and experts say we should consume less fat and cholesterol, and cut down on our consumption of red meat. These burgers make a flavorful substitute for the ground meat variety, and accent such flavors as walnuts and fresh marjoram. Low in fat, you can toss these guys on the grill instead of frying them, just make sure to spray the grill first to ensure that they do not stick to the grill.
Ingredients:
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread
- 1 tbsp. of fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
- 2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tsps. canola oil
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 pieces of lettuce
- 4 slices of tomato
- 4 slices favorite sweet onion
Instructions:
Peel and chop garlic to a coarse chop, sprinkle the salt onto the garlic and then mash with the back of a teaspoon. Chop walnuts coarsely and add to the bowl of a food processor. Remove the crusts of the bread, tear into coarse pieces, and put into the bowl of the processor with the walnuts. Add marjoram, pepper, and garlic to the bowl. Pulse food processor until coarse crumbs appear.
Add in cooked lentils and Worcestershire sauce, and continue mixing until the ingredients come together. Form 3 inch patties, you should get 4 burgers from the mixture.
Cook patties in a pan with canola oil, or grill on a well-greased grill. Cook until each side is brown and the burgers are heated through. These burgers can be made ahead of time and put in the fridge or freezer until it is time to cook them.
To Cook Lentils: Place lentils in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Bring lentils to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. This typically takes 15 to 30 minutes but check lentils to ensure they are soft before removing from heat. The type of lentils as well as other factors such as altitude can affect how long it takes for them to soften.
