Veggie Burger – TaylorMade Style

Being a vegetarian in a meat eating family is not difficult, as long as the vegetarian is the one cooking..

My mother, (NOT a vegetarian) a.k.a – Mrs. Casserole Queen, is known for trying recipes out on her poor family and she isn’t our favorite cook.  so while on a recent island family vacation, she took the liberty of planning the entire menu for the weekend.  Remember we were on an island – So there was no grocery store runs to get this or that. You packed it and brought it or didn’t have it.

My mother KNOWS I do not eat meat – this is what she made for all of us:

Breakfast: Country Sausage & Grits Breakfast Casserole – Bacon & Eggs

Lunch: – Steak & Hamburgers – Chicken salad sandwiches

Dinner:  Cheesy Mexican Chicken Casserole – Chicken & Yellow Rice

With all the tempting choices, I opted for salad and sides most of the weekend. When it came time for grilling hamburgers, I gave my Dad a tray of vegetables, that I rubbed with olive oil, roasted garlic & sea salt to put on the grill.

(technically a pescitarian, I eat fish – However, people are like, huh?  so I just say vegetarian)  I grew up in a meat eating family of hunters so the mere idea that I don’t eat meat is inconceivable to them – That or they just flat out don’t care. THANK GOODNESS I packed some things of my own on this trip.  Which brings me to burgers.. BEFORE I became a vegetarian, I LOVED a good burger.. BBQ Bacon Cheddar with carmelized onion, YUM!!! (My fav burger inspired the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf at TaylorMade) I still love burgers, just not the meat ones..

This is what my 16 yr old sons burger looked like – Seriously, Blake?  You have to deconstruct it to eat it!!!

So while on this family vaca – I didn’t think to pack beans or breadcrumbs to make an alternative burger.   Here is what the vegetarian ended up with – Better than nothing but I did miss the “burger” part – The sweet potato fries and asparagus were delicious. (Glad I brought them)

Since coming back from that vacation, I have had a real burger craving going on.  I needed a fix.  Just a veggie burger, lettuce, tomato and maybe some sprouts, nothing fancy.  Normally I would want something gourmet , But I’m feeling a little more plain Jane  – Feel free to TaylorMade your burger patty out of other options and add different toppings.

If you need some other inspiration, check out:

One of my favorite blogs LunchBoxBunch – she has 10 Veggie Burgers any meat eater would L.O.V.E

The Kitchn has a Restaurant inspired veggie burger: Best-Ever Beet and Bean Burgers

and here is an article written that shows you how to “TaylorMake” your burger with the basics

The World’s Most Versatile Veggie Burger Recipe – The veggie burger formula which is strictly bean based. While Bean burgers are amazing… Beans aren’t required to be the base.  I have used rice, quinoa, tofu, sweet potato, black eyed peas, roasted vegetables, mushrooms even nuts to make meatless burgers.

TaylorMade it to your Taste.. If you are gluten free, omit the bun and use ground flax seed, GF oats or another GF binder

If you are vegan, omit the egg

Want High Protein, Low Carb? Use nuts instead of beans