WhirlwinDISH 14

I wanted to make some veggie burger sliders after seeing this recipe for homemade buns (they’re so cute!) But, when I was in the mood for veggie burgers, I wasn’t in the mood to make the buns! So, these were ‘bun-less.’

Using up a lot of what I could find…I processed onion, garlic, mint, roasted macadamia nuts, 5-grain tempeh, chickpeas flavored with my butternut curry base, and carrots (with the carrot top greens). I used the pale yellow and ivory carrots from the farmer’s market to keep the burger a golden color. After processing, I added bulgar & vermicelli, tri-colored quinoa, then seasoned with smoked paprika and s&p. I formed the burgers in a spice jar lid with a rubber spat. (Fancy, I know. I saw the lid & thought it was about the right size.) I sprayed these with a little oil, seared on the stove, then finished them in the oven. I’ve topped them with several things at this point, but in this pic:

Burger #1: sweet & spicy grain mustard, pea shoots & radish sprouts, pickled garlic, and heirloom tomato

Burger #2: creamy caper siracha, chard, red onion, and crispy carrots

I made a big batch, as they freeze well. I really loved using the bulgar and vermicelli for this burger. It was a first! The crispy vermicelli reminded me of having crunchy ramen noodles. Yums! I had never used macadamias before, either, but it started me thinking on a totally different path…more on that another time…