Monterey Burger

Monterey veggie burger served w/lemon risotto rice

Burgers, burgers, lovable burgers!  I like burgers.  But recently I’ve come to really like burgers.  No, not meat burgers…the idea of a burger.  It makes me start to wonder, is this the reason burgers in general sell so well to the public?  Is it because other people love the idea of a burger just as much as I do?

As a vegan, I can’t help but wonder, maybe typical burgers are so accepted because it’s one of the easiest ways to ignore the truth.

After all, how in the world could you possibly think of a dead cow when what you’re tasting is delectable, juicy, and bursting with flavor?

And why would anyone want to try some kind of “healthy” version of a burger when they can go out and get “the real thing” for cheaper?

But all that flavor is not native to the burger itself.  It’s marinated, doused, seasoned and spiced to death until the remains of a dead body have become convincingly something it’s not.

Well, I quite frankly would much rather skip the meat, thank-you-very-much!  Ethics aside, non-meat meals are more health supportive.  Meat is one of the top aging foods and offers no nutritional benefit.  At least a veggie burger (even ones made from scratch) contain their own natural flavors without the blood.  I love burgers, but I don’t love contributing to my possibilities of colon cancer, constipation and all the other lovely surprises that spring up on the  typical meat-eaters.  Okay, there goes my dry wit again, please curb the chuckling, because I’m certainly not laughing…however, I suppose I amuse myself at least.

Burgers don’t have to be saturated in fat and carbohydrates, with over charred muscle tissue.  In all honesty though, I can duplicate all the like-able qualities of a meat burger and transform it into a healthy vegan version (even some versions that don’t “taste healthy” because of skillfully-combined, flavor-packed combos).  Or how about dozens of versions?  Burgers are more than what’s beneath the bun top!  Discover a wide selection of vegburger buns, patties, spreads, dressings and toppings and let the burger adventures begin!

Newsflash everyone!  Vegburgers (yes, you read correctly–vegburgers, not hamburgers) are the up and coming perfect way to combine the best of all worlds.   Non-clogging, artery friendly, soy free patties nestled in layers of creative and sometimes unusual toppings, dressed in bursting flavors of an array of sauces and spreads, all sandwiched with the convenience of a bun for easy pick-up.  Now you can have your burger and eat it too…without eating animals!

Join me for a burger transformation as I dabble into exploring delectable burger options.  Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be “veganizing” some otherwise famous burgers from a withheld source and sharing my results with you, so keep your eyes peeled; come back, grab some brilliant burger ideas and fire ‘em up on the grill or (as I like it) in the good ol’ toaster oven.   First up?  The Monterey Burger. Recipe is as follows:

What you’ll need:

• Rudy’s Organic White Hamburger Buns
• Sunshine Burgers (1 box of Original contains 3 patties)
• Fresh Arugula
• Follow Your Heart Monterey Jack Vegan Cheese
• Fresh Avocado slices
• Red onion
• Monterey Sauce (see recipe in #6)

1. Cook the patties in the toaster oven for about 12-15 minutes at about 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile rinse the arugula and lightly pat dry.  Sprinkle gently with sea salt and pepper.
3. In a shallow saucepan, put about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and place on low-medium heat.  Cut two big slices of red onion and let cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
4. While the onion is cooking, get the avocado ready.  To slice the avocado, take a sharp knife and make a lengthwise cut around the middle, splitting in two halves.  Use the side without the pit in it.  Take the peel off and put with the pit opening face down on the cutting board.  Slice it in half, and then each half into 4 slices each.  (This half will be enough for 2 burgers.)
5. I like to throw the buns in with the patties for a couple minutes to warm up.  You can try toasting them too if you want.
6. To make the Monterey Sauce, combine 1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar, 2 Tbsp. Vegenaise, 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard, and 1 Tbsp. capers.
7. Spread the sauce onto the top and bottom buns, put red onion on the bottom bun, followed by the patty, then the avocado, followed by the cheese, and top with the arugula.  Serve with seasoned rice or crisp salad!