Veggie Burgers

I'm a fan of the veggie burger and I often will order them when I'm out to eat but I've never been too happy with the frozen kinds you buy to make at home. They aren't as good as restaurant ones . . . too flat, too dry, not much flavor. When I came across this recipe, I decided to give it a shot.

I really liked the end result - moist, flavorful, good texture, healthy ingredients - but they were time consuming to make because you have to cook barley and lentils and then let the patty mixture refrigerate for an hour or so. Because I often prep dinner earlier in the day, the last part wasn't a big deal but this isn't something you can just pull together at the last minute.

Give them a try . . . all three of us enjoyed them and I'll make them again. The two things I'll experiment with next time I make this recipe are cooking the lentils and barley together in the same pot (fewer dishes to wash) and seeing how these hold up on the grill instead of making them in a frying pan. Sneak preview: More grilling coming soon!

Lentil-Barley Burgers (makes 8 patties)
from Cooking Light March 2010

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dried lentils
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup grated carrot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup cooked pearl barley
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and lentils in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain. Place half of lentils in a large bowl. Place remaining lentils in a food processor; process until smooth. Add processed lentils to whole lentils in bowl.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to lentils. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, barley, and next 5 ingredients (through egg); stir well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Divide mixture into 8 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 4 patties.