Best Vegan Burgers

I just spent a week at my brother's in North Carolina, and my sister-in-law Carolyn made the most delicious vegan burgers I have ever tasted! As good, or better, than you will find in most restaurants, I am sure. And they are amazingly easy to make, with simple ingredients you will most likely have on hand already.

Be prepared to make them more than once; and you will probably find yourself doubling the recipe and making your own variations, because they will be popular with even the most determined, meat-eating consumers in your family. Experiment with your own creative versions, and enjoy...

Vegetable Burgers

(from an old Century 21 cookbook, published by SDAs)

Grate or grind or chop...

1 medium potato

1 small onion

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

(we also used a small carrot)

Mix together and add...

1 cup cooked oatmeal (my sister tried using some cooked rice)

1 cup bread crumbs (use gluten-free, if necessary)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sage, or other seasoning of your choice (optional)

2 Tbl. soy sauce (instead of soy sauce, try an alternative called "Bragg's Liquid Aminos")

Mix thoroughly and form into burgers (makes about 6, or more, if you make them thinner).

Either fry them in about 4 Tbl. oil, or better yet, bake on an oiled cookie sheet (or one with parchment paper) in 350 degree oven till brown, for approximately 30-35 minutes.

Serves 6 or more.

Carolyn and her sidekick "Honey"

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

My daughter Kayla introduced me to these deliciously healthy cookies. You can call them Banana Oatmeal Cookies or even Breakfast Cookies, and they are exceptionally easy to make and extremely healthy for all you lactose-gluten-sugar-intolerant vegan folk. You can send some with your children in their school lunches, or even send it with them to school as their breakfast if you're running late. I guarantee they will be eaten with gusto!

3 mashed ripe bananas (the riper, the sweeter the cookie--plus they are easier to mash--use a blender, if possible, so there won't be any lumps of banana in your cookie)
1/3 cup applesauce (what, no egg?)
1/4 c. alternative milk (almond, coconut, rice, soy, etc.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups oats
1/2 cup raisins, optional (or other dried fruit)
a little coconut and/or chopped nuts (optional)

Very lightly grease (parchment paper works great) a cookie sheet and spoon batter onto sheet. (The cookies will not spread, so place as close together as you like.) Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Makes about one and a half dozen cookies, or 2 doz. if you use an ice cream scoop. (You may want to double. They freeze well.)

Presto, Pesto!

Here are two recipes for pesto (one vegan and one with Parmesan cheese). The first vegan one was submitted by a friend of mine, Betty Jacobs. Holly, another friend of ours, shared it with her on Facebook.

I understand Holly developed the recipe herself, so I know it would be yummy and nutritious. She said you might want to adjust the consistency and seasonings to taste.

I liked Susan's suggestion of putting hers in ice cube trays and enjoying it on your hot pasta that way, one cube at a time--Susan's pesto only took a little for quite a bit of pasta!

Pesto (vegan, gluten-free)    ~by Holly Hill Jackson

3/4 cup raw almonds (blanched would be best)
1/4 cup pistachios
1 cup fresh basil
1+ cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup navy beans

2-3 Tbl. non-dairy milk
3 ladles of hot pasta cooking water (use gluten-free pasta, if desired)
Garlic salt to taste

2 T. olive oil

Blend or process til smooth and creamy.

(It would have been smoother if I had used blanched, or soaked almonds, but it still had a good texture.)

And here's another pesto recipe a friend shared with me years ago:

Pesto ~by Susan Zacharias-Jutz (Iowa City, IA)

4 c. fresh basil leaves

3-4 cloves garlic, or less

1/2 c. olive oil, or a little less

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, as needed

Chop in blender until smooth. Use on pasta or as a cracker spread.

Tip: Freeze excess in ice cube trays and package in Ziploc freezer bags.

(Can put chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, on pasta with pesto.)