Creative Cooking: Making the Most of What You’ve Got
2 comments Jul 29, 2010 | Blog
With all the traveling I’ve been doing lately, I keep missing farmers’ markets (and even grocery store trips), and I’ve found myself throwing together some interesting meals. Today I’m sharing with you my Greens-Beans-and-Millet “Burgers”, but keep your eyes open for my other interesting, healthy, and totally slapped-together concoctions, including Cherry-Vanilla Coconut “Ice Cream” (coming soon!).
I was driving home late last week, thinking about what I could possibly make for dinner without going shopping, and all I could picture in my fridge was a container of leftover sauteed veggies from the night before. A couple nights earlier I had hung out with my good friend Sadie who’s been on a homemade veggie burger kick of late. So then it hit me. I’d use my veggies to make some sort of burger. It turned out really well. I ate one that night and froze the rest, and it’s been really nice to have homemade veggie burgers these past few days.
(Gluten-Free) Greens-Beans-and-Millet “Burgers” (photos below)
Step 1: The Sauteed Veggies (my leftovers)…
I sauteed the following veggies in olive oil and some Braggs’ Liquid Aminos: 3 cloves chopped garlic, 9-10 sliced shitake mushrooms, 1 med. sliced summer squash, and a bunch of swiss chard leaves (and stems — I like to chop up the stems like celery).
Step 2: Making the Burgers…
- Prepare the following ingredients:
- 1 cup leftover sauteed veggies, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup cooked millet (1/2 cup dry)
- 1 can Eden organic pinto beans, smashed (I used a potato masher) and refried with a dash of olive oil, salt to taste, and the juice from 1/2 lime
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Form into burgers/patties.
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper (optional).
- Bake burgers on cookie sheet for ~30-35 minutes (everything is already cooked. you just want your burgers to get a little crispy on the outside and hold together.). Flip burgers after 20 minutes.
- Top with your favorite condiment (I used some hot sauce). Remember that your burgers will hold the flavor of your sauteed vegetables.
- Enjoy!
So, the next time you find yourself saying, “There’s nothing in here that’s edible!”, take a second look.
Feel like sharing one of your successful (or not-so-successful) desperate dinner creations?
Please inspire us with your story.
Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well. Be Creative.
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Mmm…Those look fabulous. I have been after every homemade veggie burger recipe I can get my hands on. This has definitely inspired me to just start creating my own. I have millet and bulgur in the pantry and plenty of different types of beans and veggies. I will have to start experimenting!
With the summer heat, I have found that it is just as easy to throw the cookie sheet with veggie burgers on the grill as to put it in the oven. My husbands main veggie burger complaint is that they don't hold up on the grill, but just put the cookie sheet right on, and you can get that smoky BBQ taste with your veggie burgers!
Sadie,
That's a great idea about the cookie sheet on the grill (if only I had a grill these days). You're right that the homemade burgers don't hold together quite as well, especially on the grill, but that's a great solution. And the homemade burgers taste so much better, right?
Thanks for the great suggestion. And, once you start experimenting with your own burger recipes, share with us. I'd love to hear how it goes
Jen