Burgers with sautéed onions – but with a twist.

I’m making these again tonight.

When I came across this recipe my first thought was – they sound healthy, so I guess I’l try them.

They were easy to make – a theme in the recipes I post. And you top them with sautéed red onions so I thought, why not. The recipe made 4 burgers & I thought I’d have leftovers.

Well, was I ever in for a surprise. And my husband asked for seconds before he was even finished his first burger.

So please try these for a nice and healthy change to the usual burgers.

And you don’t have to tell your family that lentils are heart friendly – because they reduce LDL cholesterol (that’s the “lousy” one), they’re high in fiber and folate. You don’t need to mention that brown rice promotes energy and good digestion and even relieves mental depression. This can be our little secret.

After all, most people just want food that tastes great.

You might also consider making a double batch of the sautéed onions. I let mine get nice & crispy. Just amazing. I didn’t serve these on a roll – just plain on a plate but you decide what you like best.

Asian Lentil Burgers with Sautéed Onions
From I’m Mad As Hell, and I’m Not Going To Eat It Anymore by Christina Pirello

Ingredients:

Burgers:
• ½ cup short-grain brown rice, soaked for 1 hour (to remove phytic acid)
• ¼ cup green or brown lentils, rinsed well
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
• 2 – 3 Tbsp whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 – 4 whole green onions, minced
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds – soaked in ¼ cup water for 30 minutes
• Avocado oil

Sautéed Onions:
• Avocado Oil
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
• soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown rice syrup

Directions:

Burgers:
• Drain rice & discard soaking water.
• Place rice, lentils, water and bay leaf in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.
• Cook until rice and lentils are tender and the liquid has been absorbed – about 45 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and discard.
• Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
• Add peanuts, bread crumbs, soy sauce, green onions, and soaked chia mixture and mix well.
• Form into four ½” thick patties.
• Cover the bottom of a skillet with avocado oil and place over medium heat.
• When the oil is hot, lay burgers in pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning once to ensure even browning.
• Transfer the burgers to a serving plate.

Sautéed Onions:
• While the burgers cook, sauté onions.
• Place a small amount of avocado oil and the onions in a skillet over medium heat.
• When the onions begin to sizzle, add a generous splash of soy sauce and rice syrup and sauté until the onions are soft and begin to brown at the edges, about 7 – 10 minutes.

To serve, top burgers with sautéed onions.

Makes 4 burgers.