[ Yummy gluten free veggie burgers with chili salsa ]
These burgers are a real treat especially when you crave a real burger meal as a vegetarian. A few weeks ago I partook in a lovely challenge to create different dishes for a vegetarian bbq with my family. I accepted the challenge to create food that doesn’t necessarily substitute meat but makes you forget that you just eat vegetables. And of course forget that you long for meat while attending a bbq.
For the bbq I made a variety of food, including grilled red bell pepper with quinoa filling, grilled halloumi, chili corn, fennel and cumin potatoes & a tabouleh (quinoa) salad on the side. Of course with marshmallows for desert ^_^
While creating a lot of dishes for the bbq I wanted to create a pumpkin burger recipe that would combine the texture of a burger, with different flavours & toppings, with a fresh salsa & the feel of bread, without gluten & meat. Instead of a burger sandwich I used a portobello mushroom. For some nice veggies and flavour I created the salsa & I added some alfalfa sprouts for a fresh crisp feel to finish the dish.
If you are planning on eating these treats during a BBQ, finish the burgers at home (including baking them in the oven), then grill them on the bbq on top of the portobello mushroom.
You can grill the burgers in the pan, but I think the end result is much better if you make them in the oven. I always make a big batch and freeze half of the burgers for next time. I serve them on a Portobello mushroom with the salsa & add the alfalfa sprouts & some extra cilantro, yum!
Now I am going to enjoy my weekend and pretend that the sun is shinning, maybe even wear my sunglasses inside. For next week I will post the recipe for the stuffed red bell pepper & a frittata recipe that I love. Well bye bye computer, hello weekend. Enjoy.
Pumpkin burger with cashew, goat cheese & sundried tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
Makes around 6 burgers
- 1 medium pumpkin (butternut squash)
- 2 spring onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 red chili pepper
- 30 gr of sun-dried tomatoes ( around 10)
- 50 gr of cashew nuts (handful)
- 150 gr of goat cheese
- 1 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp of ground coriander seeds
- 2 tsps of buckwheat flour
- 1/2 tsp of xanthum gum
- 2 tbsps of psyllium husk fibers
- salt & pepper
Preheat your oven at 200°C. Start by peeling your pumpkin, slice in chunks from around 3 cm each. In a baking tray add the pumpkin, sprinkle over some olive oil & add pepper & salt. Bake in the oven for around 15 to 20 minutes or until the pieces are soft. Leave to cool.
In the meantime start by soaking the sun-dried tomatoes in some hot water. Chop the cashew nuts, spring onion, goat cheese, garlic, red chili pepper and add to a bowl. When the tomatoes are soft, chop finely and add to the bowl as well.
In the bowl mix together the ingredients, add the pumpkin pieces & the cumin, coriander, salt & pepper. Mush the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine, when mixed add the buckwheat flour, xanthum gum & psyllium husk fibers.
Divide the mixture into 6 pieces & roll into small balls. On a baking tray covered with baking paper add the balls & apply pressure to flatten so that they become burgers.
Add the baking tray with the burgers to your oven (200°C) and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes. In the meantime you can start with the chili salsa.
P.S. if you’re vegan, substitute the goat cheese with cashew nuts or red kidney beans.
Chili tomato salsa with extra spices
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough dip for 6 burgers
- 1 red chili pepper
- 120 gr of tomato (1 tomato)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 50 gr of red bell pepper ( 1/2 bell pepper )
- 50 gr of red onion (1/2 onion)
- 1 lemon juice & zest
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp of ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp of ground fennel seeds
- 1/8 tsp of spanish pimentón (smoked red pepper powder)
- 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
- a few strings of fresh cilantro
In a blender mix together all the ingredients & blend until you have a salsa mixture. If you want more sour, add some extra vinegar. If you want more spicy, leave the seeds in the red chili pepper.
Serve the salsa on top op your pumpkin burgers.
P.S. If you’re vegan substitute the honey for maple syrup.
