Monday, July 4, 2016

How To Make Garden Veggie Patties

By Peter Turner


Whether due to dietary restrictions or political reasons, some people love good meat alternatives. In some cases, a doctor has placed an individual on a diet, others prefer to eat vegan or vegetarian due to political beliefs. Whatever the case, there are both store bought and homemade versions of garden veggie patties and other items.

As with traditional versions of these items, some recipes are better than others. There is one recipe which is somewhat more versatile when it comes to making vegetable burgers and other items. As with frozen versions, this recipe assures that these alternative burgers, steaks and chicken patties do not fall apart when frying. One of the primary ingredients to assure this does not happen is that of a binder such as eggs or an egg based alternative.

The main ingredients for these homemade burgers include equal parts of lentils, oats and rice and a binder such as eggs or egg based alternatives. Individuals can then add other vegetables such as bell peppers, onions and greens as desired. If desiring a veggie chicken fried steak, simply leave out the vegetables, freeze the patties for 24 hours, then dredge in flour and fry in a shallow non-stick skillet with a small amount of cooking oil. As with traditional versions, the left over oil can then be used to make a brown or country style gravy.

While there are several black bean, chicken, soy bean, vegetable and veggie protein burgers now on the market, these items can all be made easily at home. For example, when making chicken patties, simply replace the lentils with a can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. To convert burgers to sausage patties, simply add a few tablespoons sage to the mix without adding the vegetables. One of the only store bought items that is difficult to make at home is that of veggie bacon though it can be done by using vegetable protein, then adding spices and cutting into strips.

For those who can afford to buy these store bought versions, it is often easier and takes far less time to prepare. Others, who can not afford many of these high priced alternatives may want to attempt making these and other items at home. When it comes to sausage, the recipe is basically the same as home made vegetable burgers, just add a touch of black pepper and about two tablespoons of sage to the mix.

There are a number of meat, pork and poultry alternatives which can be made from this basic mix. These include, veggie burgers, chicken fried steak, meatballs and other items. When desiring to make a good vegetable chicken patty, simply replace the lentils with garbanzo beans or chickpeas. Then, season, shape and size the patties before freezing for 24-48 hours. After which, individuals can serve these different foods as desired.

Professionals and home chefs alike love to use different spice blends when cooking each batch of these items. While contents are often similar, each serving will have a different taste than the last. Some great spices that can be added to the mixture include teriyaki or soy sauce, maple spice powder, seasoned salt and others.

Storage and freezing are an important part of the process. For, while the patties can be cooked right away, it is less likely each will fall apart if fried while frozen. Many home chefs now use store-bought containers left over from other items to store these meat alternatives. One of the most important aspects of a container is that it is air tight once sealed to avoid freezer burn.




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