Basil, Garlic, + Tomato Veggie Burgers

Remember how I was just gushing about my love for cycling?

Well, yesterday I fell off my bike.  And when you fall off a bike with clipless pedals the bike goes right along with you.  Meaning, it falls on top of you.  Before I could unlatch my foot from the pedal I somehow rode off the sidewalk, got caught at the edge, and then fell flat over on the sidewalk.  Good thing I was at almost a complete stop and good thing for that helmet.  If you have ever worn clipless pedals before you most likely have had a similar experience.  

This doesn't dampen my love for cycling, I just found the timing to be funny.

Of course there was a witness to the scene about 10 steps in front of me.  To see someone on their bike almost at a complete stop fall flat over must have been quite the site.  Embarasssing.  

My leg + arm are a little scuffed but nothing too bad at all.  These things are bound to happen I suppose!

Now let's talk about these burgers.

And this cheese.  

There is a time and place for cheese and this is definitely it.

Gooey, melty, stretchy cheese.

I'm kind of on a temporary hiatus from my go-to Mexican style flavors.  They're just not doing it for me at the moment.  Veggie burgers are so great to have on hand for dinners and lunches but can get a little boring if you don't change up the flavors every now + again.

This mix of flavors is exactly what I was looking for.

There's the fresh, summery scent from the basil and a kick of robustness from the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.

Topped with a thick slice of tomato and fresh mozzarella then sent off to your broiler to get all hot + bubbly. 

Served up open-faced style.

Print this!

Basil, Garlic, + Tomato Veggie Burgers

gluten-free, vegan [w/o cheese topping] // yields 6-8, 3-inch patties

• 2 cups chopped lacinato/dino kale, stems removed + lightly packed
• 1 3/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed + drained
• 2/3 cup chopped yellow onion
• 5 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3-2/3 cup partially ground gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4+ teaspoon salt/pepper
• oil or ghee for cooking
• toppings: sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil, 1/2 bun

1. Place kale, chickpeas, onion, basil, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in your large food processor and pulse until all ingredients are well-chopped and uniform in size.  Do not puree.  You want the mixture a bit chunky with the chickpeas broken down.
2. Add in 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and pulse to combine.  
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add 1/3 cup partially ground oats [ground about 1/2-way to flour], sunflower seeds, and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper.
4. Stir to combine.  The mixture should easily form patties and not feel wet/mushy or dry/stiff, you want it right in between.  *If the mixture feels dry, add 1/2-1 tablespoon more olive oil and stir to combine.  If the mixture is too wet add 1 tablespoon more of the ground oats at a time until patties form.  The amount of oil needed will vary depending on how oily your sun-dried tomatoes + how wet your onioins are.  I ended up needing 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup of oats.  
5. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add enough oil or ghee to lightly coat the pan.
6. Form a few patties while it's heating about 3-inches wide and 1/2-inch thick.
7. Once hot add a few patties to the pan [do not overcrowd] and cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown, then carefully flip and cook another 4-5 minutes.
8. Place patties on a wire rack and continue to cook the rest of the patties.
9. Preheat your oven to broil on high.
10. Place burgers on a baking sheet and top with a slice of tomato [lightly patted with a towel] and fresh mozzarella.
11. Place until the broiler until bubbling + golden brown.  Broil time will vary depending on your oven.
12. Top with black pepper + basil and serve over a toasted bun.

And just wait until you see what I do with veggie burgers next week.  They're going to end up on a Friday post if that gives you any clues.

In the meantime, enjoy these summery-style burgs!

Ashley

pssst...check out this mountaintop wedding I shot in May over on my photography site!

Also!  If you live in the Denver/Ft. Collins/Boulder area I'm running a summer photo special!  Contact me for more details!  The photo below is a shot from my sister-in-law's senior photo session last week.

Watermelon, Strawberry, Basil Salad {2 ways}

2-fer' Friday!  Staring watermelon!

Organic, fair-trade watermelon on sale for $2.50!  What could be better?  Such a huge amount of fruit for that price.  Does anyone else have the problem when cutting watermelon [or pineapple!] that they literally eat HALF of it while cutting.  I'm so incredibly guilty of this.  Even if I just ate a huge meal I can never stop shoveling this juicy fruit into my face.

Luckily, after eating half a mini watermelon yesterday I still had enough left to create the following.  It's rare that fruit actually makes it to a recipe around here.

I'm super excited to share this incredibly refreshing, summery salad with you today.  And it couldn't be simpler.  Well, I'm sure it could be, but this is pretty freaking simple.

And the best part is that there are 2 variations, which are both perfect to share at a picnic or potluck.

If you decide to make the skewers I have a few rules you need to follow.

Well, really just one:  Don't change anything about this recipe!  

Especially the basil leaf!  The burst of juice from the watermelon, the sweetness from the strawberry and honey drizzle, the tangy goat cheese, and the pop of flavor from the basil all fuse together perfectly.  Seriously.  Don't mess with this!  And how pretty are purple basil leaves?  I'm determined to keep my herbs going strong this year.  So far so good.

For the 2nd salad version I'm introducing quinoa to the mix to make it a bit more side-dish worthy and less of an appetizer/snack.

Tri-colored quinoa is so fun but usually much more expensive.  Finally caught it on sale!

There are a few different ways you could serve this salad.

>> Individual bowls or cups mixed with the dressing before serving.

>> All mixed up with the dressing and served on a platter or in a large bowl.

>> Or, plated on a large platter or individual plates in layers and served with dressing on the side.

Layer: quinoa - watermelon - strawberries - sliced almonds - goat cheese - basil - black pepper - drizzle of honey - dressing on the side

I think I like this version best.  The presentation ends up a bit prettier as an added bonus!  

Print this!

Watermelon Strawberry Basil Skewers

gluten-free // yield varies 

• Watermelon, cubed ~1-1 1/2-inch in size
• Strawberries, hulled and quartered
• Basil leaves, 1 small leaf per skewer
• Goat cheese
• Honey

1. Layer the watermelon cube, basil leaf [if the leaves are large cut in half], goat cheese, strawberry, then skewer together with a toothpick.
2. Top with a drizzle of honey just before serving.  Best served immediately. 

Watermelon Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad

gluten-free // yields 6+, side-dish servings

• 1 batch lemon shallot dressing
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups watermelon, 1/4-1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled + chopped
• Goat cheese, crumbled
• Basil, thinly sliced
• Sliced Almonds
• Honey 
• Lemon, strawberries, salt, pepper, to garnish

1. After quinoa has cooked, let cool and then place in the fridge until fully chilled.
2. Plate just before serving.
3. Plating option 1: Toss quinoa + fruit together with as much dressing as desired.  Place in a large bowl/platter or in individual serving cups and top with crumbled goat cheese, sliced basil, almonds, and a honey drizzle.  Add other garnishes if desired.  Serve immediately.  
4. Plating option 2: Plate quinoa on a large platter, then add the watermelon + strawberries on top, followed by the crumbled goat cheese, basil, and sliced almonds.  Add other garnishes if desired.  Drizzle with honey drizzle + dressing or serve on the side.  Serve immediately. 

Lemon Shallot Dressinggluten-free // yields +1/2 cup

from: this post

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar, seal the jar, and shake vigorously to incorporate the honey.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve and shake before pouring.  Flavors deepen as it sits.

Enjoy + have a fantastic weekend!

Ashley