Looking to go vegan, vegetarian, or just increase your intake of plant-based foods? Great news… you have tons of options to get you started on making a veggie burger from scratch.
Start by exploring the shelves of your grocery store's freezer section.
You'll find burritos, frozen prepared vegetarian soups, veggie burgers, meatless nuggets, veggie stir-fries, Indian entrees and much more. You don't have to rack up a grocery bill stocking up on these prepared foods… but checking them out will inspire your at-home plant-based protein creations made from scratch.
You will also find some good quality alternate protein sources like this in your supermarket’s produce aisle.
Tofu in varying levels of firmness, tofu hot dogs, veggie nuggets, seitan, and other magical meatless food sources can help when you're trying to eat meatless but need sustenance in a hurry.
TIP: Base your own homemade veggie burger and veggie nuggets recipes on what you find pre-packaged in the store.
The best part of this is that your own homemade veggie burgers will not contain unwanted extra ingredients like MSG, dextrose, and various addictive powders that they add to packaged foods to make them look and taste better and cause us to want more of them.
So how do you make veggie burgers from scratch?
It takes some advance preparation, but you can do it! If you typically use a pressure cooker to spring dried beans to life and make into a nutritious meal, then this will be step one.
But if you don't have the time or energy to cook dried beans you can easily find canned beans on your grocery store shelves. Canned beans have already been cooked and are waiting to be added to your recipes. Most grocery stores have a canned veggie aisle that is packed with selections, and that includes beans and legumes! For example, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and butter/lima beans!
TIP: Rinse the beans before using them to lower sodium content AND to reduce the amount of gas causing carbohydrates.
So, step one of your homemade veggie burger or veggie patty recipe would be to get a source of legumes or beans.
Let's say that you simmered up a pot of lentils on the stove. Maybe you even added all of the flavorings like garlic and onion, some oil and some herbs, salt and pepper. Even leftovers from a lentil dinner that you already made as a porridge style meal can become veggie burger patties which will lend some excitement to the week's dinner and lunch rotation.
Also precook a whole grain such as brown rice. There are other grains to try, but brown rice works well because of its gelatinous consistency. Also, the small grains stick together very well when formed into a patty along with the beans.
So, mix together about 2 cups of beans or legumes to 1 cup of rice or adjust to your own preference. Then add ingredients to give it flavor and texture such as minced garlic, minced onion or chopped onion, and a variety of spices plus salt and pepper.
What kinds of spices should you add to your homemade veggie burger?
Well, if you would like an Indian flavored veggie patty, then add your favorite garam masala or yellow or green curry powder. If you're going for southwestern or Mexican flavor, then add some chili powder, paprika, oregano and onion powder.
If you enjoy Mediterranean flavors, you can add basil, thyme, garlic, parsley, and rosemary.
So many options! You get to choose with what to season your veggie burgers. That's one of the best things about scratch cooking!
Next, you'll want a fat component which will typically be a nut or seed oil. It can be anything from olive oil to sesame oil to sunflower oil. You only need maybe two tablespoons along with the rest of the ingredients mixed in.
Of course, you will need something to help the burgers stick together. If you are vegetarian but not vegan, then you can simply crack a couple of eggs in and then sprinkle breadcrumbs which will form your vegetarian protein patties.
To make these homemade veggie burgers, fry them in hot oil; a couple of tablespoons is enough. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side in a frying pan on the stove top.
You can also bake your veggie burgers. To minimize the amount of oil you use, you can put your oil in a spray bottle and coat the bottom with avocado, olive, or other oil. You can also spray the veggie burgers with oil to help aid browning and crispiness. Place in a 375-degree oven and let it cook for about 6 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for six more minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Veggie burgers made from scratch can be frozen and used for a quick lunch or dinner.
In the same way that it is very convenient to simply reach into your grocery store's frozen foods case and grab veggie burgers in a box, you can pre-cook and then freeze your homemade veggie burgers the same way. We do this every time we make garden burgers. Since making from scratch can be time consuming and messy, and you only have to clean up once!
It's helpful to separate your pre-cooked veggie burgers with wax paper before packaging and freezing. This is so they don't stick to each other when you attempt to thaw them out and cook them. You will want your veggie burgers to retain their shape and avoid developing freezer burn if possible. An affordable vacuum sealer can help with that. My husband LOVES his vacuum sealer.
Stay tuned for information on how to use tofu in recipes to add protein and more!
There are three (3) types of fats and oils. But what is the difference, and are some all “bad” and some all “good?”
Not really. It's all about balance.
The word “fat” is a general term, the scientific term being “lipid.” Lipids include natural oils, waxes, and steroids. All oils are fats, but not all fats are oils.
Let me explain.
Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, because of a higher percentage of monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats. The “unsaturated” part is what makes them liquid. Fats are solid at room temperature because of having a higher percentage of saturated fats.
There is no oil or fat that is strictly saturated or unsaturated. All oils and fats are a combination of saturated and unsaturated parts.
The more saturated a particular fat is, the higher the melting point. “Melting point” refers to the temperature at which a substance will melt. For example, butter has a melting point of about 90 degrees F. This is why butter is solid at room temperature. On the other hand, olive oil, which becomes partially solid in the refrigerator (40 degrees F), will melt once you put it at room temperature, around 70 degrees F.
Are some fats healthier than others?
The unsaturated fats are more “heart healthy.” However, our bodies need some saturated fat to be healthy. Thus, limiting your saturated fat to 10% of total calories from fat is considered optimal.
Another crucial point is that certain types of polyunsaturated fats are anti-inflammatory. For example, the omega-3s are anti-inflammatory. In contrast, the omega-6s are proinflammatory, if there are too many of them in the diet. The ratio is important for good health. An ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is about 4:1. Thus, omega-6 fats are essential, but balance is important.
Below is a list of fats/oils that are categorized by the type of fat they are primarily composed of. Fats are not composed of all one or the other. For example, olive oil has 10 grams of monounsaturated, 1 gram of polyunsaturated, and 2 grams of saturated fat. Olive oil starts to get solid in the refrigerator. Canola oil, on the other hand, has 9 grams of monosaturated, 4 grams of polyunsaturated, and 1 gram of saturated fat. Thus, canola oil stays liquid in the refrigerator.
Sources of Mainly Saturated
Butter
Coconut Oil
Lard
Beef Fat or Tallow
Shortening (Artificially Saturated using a scientific process known as “partial hydrogenation”)
Best Sources Monounsaturated
Olive oil
Canola Oil
Avocado Oil
Nut Oils (Almond, Cashew, Macadamia, Pecans)
Peanut Oil (peanuts are classified as legumes/beans)
In a future article, I will go more in-depth about each individual type of fat. All fats are essential to good health.
I will also discuss in future articles the differences between Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils. They are both important, but ratio DOES matter.
The anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3s can be therapeutic in treating children with autism and ADHD, especially if they are deficient in the diet. Stay tuned for more…
Other Posts of Interest by Homeschooling Dietitian Mom
Of all of the superfoods, blueberries are one of my favorites. And living in Oregon, we sure do get plenty of them. But what exactly makes blueberries superfoods? And what are some of the ways you can eat them?
Here are at least 5 reasons blueberries are superfoods.
Interesting facts about blueberries:
More species of blueberries exist in North America than in any other continent in the world.
Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of any of the popular fruits and vegetables.
Specifically, blueberries are rich in the phytonutrients known as anthocyanins.
Antioxidants are just what they say they are: “anti”, meaning they work against, “oxidation.”
Oxidation is a process that results in the breakdown of cells. For example, the reason bananas, apples, and potatoes become brown when open to the air is because of oxidation.
Thus, antioxidants prevent cell damage in the body, an example of which is cancer.
Blueberries are an excellent way to reduce your risk of cancer and other age-related diseases.
Blueberries are low in calories. One cup only contains about 80 calories.
These tasty fruits are a good source of fiber, providing 4 grams per serving.
They are also high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium.
As with all fruit, blueberries are high in water (85%). Thus, blueberries hydrate your body naturally.
Blueberries taste delicious and make many other foods more tasty. For example, add some blueberries to your pancake or waffle batter the next time you're fixing breakfast. Or just add the blueberries on top.
Add blueberries to your favorite smoothie in the morning. You can freeze blueberries to increase their shelf life. This is great in the summer because the coldness of frozen berries makes the smoothie more refreshing on a hot summer day.
Add them to your favorite cereal or to plain yogurt to spruce them up AND make them more nutritious.
This is at least 5 Reasons why blueberries are superfoods. Can you think of any more reasons?
The holidays have looked a lot different the past couple of years. The great news is that holiday parties, school concerts, family gatherings, shopping, and vacations are starting to pick up, though with some restrictions remaining for many of us. This probably means you are busier this year. This is great after being cooped up the past couple of holiday seasons. However, it also means less time at home.
It is always nice to have some new ideas (or reminders of the old ones). So here are 3 Time Saving Kitchen Hacks for the Holidays to help deal with the time crunches that are likely to occur at some point in the next couple of months.
3 Time Saving Kitchen Hacks for the Holidays
1 – Go Semi-Homemade
As you know if you've been following me for a while, we are very pro-cooking around here. However, sometimes taking shortcuts can turn a potential take-out night into a total kitchen win. For example:
Grab a rotisserie chicken and incorporate it into soups or chilis or tacos so you can reap the benefits of high-quality protein without spending extra time cooking it.
If you're limiting grains, you can shred the chicken and stuff lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lime for lunch or dinner.
Buy pre-chopped produce, especially those hard-to-manage vegetables (ahem, squash) that are more time-intensive to prepare. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and roast for a side dish or added to salads during the week.
Batch cooking is an efficient way to keep up with your healthy eating goals no matter what time of year. There is a good chance you have already done some batch cooking in the past. If not:
Batch cooking is essentially cooking more than what you need in the moment so you can take advantage of having all of your cooking tools and gadgets out (read: it’s way more efficient!). For example, we often chop up the broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and wash fruit so that it will be ready to go. This truly increases our intake of fruit and vegetables in addition to saving time in the long run.
Batch cooking shouldn't be confused with leftovers, because batch cooking refers to pre-prepping one component so you can repurpose it later.
For instance:
Need rice or quinoa for your Monday night meal? Make a large batch so you can easily incorporate it in salads and grain bowls all week long.
Making hard-boiled eggs? It takes the same amount of time to make six as it does to make two. Enjoy as a snack, crumble into salads, or mash with some avocado.
Baking sweet potatoes? Make a few more than you need, and you’ll have the base for an easy, customizable lunch ready to go. You can also purée or mash the flesh for baked goods and use in place of pumpkin in a recipe.
Is your least favorite part of cooking the cleanup? I get it! Simplify your life by searching for one-dish meals to seriously cut down on time spent doing the dishes. Here are a few to get you started:
Roasting your favorite protein with seasonal produce is a tasty no-fuss way to incorporate a few servings of vegetables into a meal.
Still learning how to use your Instant Pot? Now would be a good time! Click here for a great help for this.You can get frozen proteins to the table fast with this safe and simple pressure cooker.
A simple 12-minute recipe: frozen protein [like chicken thighs] + favorite jarred tomato sauce + a jar of olives = yummy cacciatore that will have everyone running to the table for dinner. If you use plant-based protein, like dried chickpeas, just soak the dried beans overnight and be sure they are covered with fluid [jarred sauce + some broth] before cooking in Instant Pot.
Can you think of any other kitchen hacks? Write a comment below. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and experiences. I am still learning every day! You can also email me at: Debbiesuerd@RD-Mom.com
When you’re on a healthy eating trend, do you call it a “diet?” Studies show that “diets” don’t work for the long term. Why? Because they look and feel like a temporary change. Our food hang-ups that we hold in the back of our minds see dieting as the means to an end which you can quit doing once you reach your goal.
Diet don’t work because we must change our mindset before we can adopt a healthy way of eating and living that doesn’t stop once we reach that number on the scale that we’re striving for or drop that pants size.
So, you do the “diet” and lose the weight.
You have the wedding or take the vacation that you worked so hard to get fit and fabulous for. Then your brain tells you, “Mission accomplished, now we can finally eat “normally”. And so, you fall right back into the “normal” way of eating– that is, the way of eating that you *think* is normal because it’s what you were brought up with.
So, if you were brought up to pile food on your plate and then eat it all… if you were brought up to ALWAYS have dessert after dinner… if a late-night snack of ice cream before bed was the NORM in your family… then that’s what you’ll lapse back into.
As soon as the “diet” is over and within months of returning to old eating habits, you’re right back where you started.
Not to mention, if you decide to make healthy changes in how you eat your meals, you'll inevitably be pulled back into your old ways by people and your family and friends.
So, what's the biggest boost you can give yourself in making healthy dietary changes that aren't just a diet but become a way of life? How do you break the cycle of your food hang-ups?
The very first step is awareness.
You don't have to judge or criticize your family or the people that you spend your time with for their food hang-ups, or bad habits, or whatever they do that could be standing in your way of good health. But you can simply observe and become cognizant of people's attitudes and behaviors around food and eating.
Become aware of how people conduct themselves at mealtime. For example, listen to what they say about food and eating, what their beliefs about food are. See if you can pinpoint why eating is often the focal point of their activities. This will help you identify what you want to change because you can clearly see that it isn’t working for them. Which means it won’t work for you – not if you want to be fit and healthy for the rest of your life.
5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Exercise Plan Year-Round
Plan the length of your exercise routine based on what the weather is doing.
Running long distances for hours on end is great if the outdoor temperature remains mild. But in extreme weather, or in very cold or hot conditions, you’ll want to shorten the amount of time you spend exercising outside.
Exercising in extreme heat poses risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, sun stroke, and sunburn. Protect yourself by taking the necessary precautions. Bring a supply of cool water and refill as necessary. Apply sunscreen before heading out. Refuel with potassium-rich fruits such as a banana, after a run.
If you’re out in very hot weather, give yourself a cool-down every 20 minutes or so. Sip water, wring a wet cloth out over your head or even douse yourself with the garden hose.
What about exercising when it’s extremely cold?
If you're heading out for a walk or run, take care to protect yourself and limit your running time to 30 minutes at most. Also keep in mind that if you sweat but then hang around in damp clothing while being exposed to cold weather, you’re bound to catch a chill and that can lower your resistance to colds and flu germs. So bring a change of clean, dry clothing.
General tips for exercising outdoors:
Dress appropriately. They always say that people who run and exercise outdoors should layer up, and that makes the most sense. You can utilize materials that will wick away excess perspiration for the layer of clothing closest to the body. Then add layers for comfort and warmth.
If it gets too hot, strip down a layer or two. If you get cold, head back to your vehicle and grab your jacket or outer layer of clothing to add extra insulation.
Adjust your route.
Sometimes if it's raining or snowing you'll want to avoid those high and low spots where water can gather or where it may be slippery and you are likely to lose your balance. Plan your run according to what type of terrain you expect to encounter.
Stay close to civilization.
Extreme seasonal weather brings an increased chance of finding yourself in a dangerous situation. Anything can happen. That’s why it makes sense to run where people are.
Choose a spot where others go to exercise, such as a park or fitness trail.
Or if it’s night time, run through a well-lit neighborhood where people are likely to be coming and going. This way, if anything goes wrong, you can flag someone down.
Adjust your schedule to accommodate the weather.
If temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s, head out early for your morning jog to beat the heat. Or, exercise outdoors after 6:00 p.m. when the sun is lower in the sky.
If it's freezing, target the noon to 2:00 p.m. hours as the time of day to get out there and move your body in the sunshine. You’d be surprised at how much of a difference being in the sun makes when you’re outdoors on a cold, wintry day.
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