Spicy Vegan Burgers with Sriracha; Meatless Monday

At the outset I would like to inform you that this post is sponsored by Gardein and is a review of their vegan products. 

I try to be equivocal about most things in life.. however, there are some things that I am passionate about. One of them is healthy eating. Therefore, I am a staunch proponent of the Meatless Monday Movement. If people make a start by going vegetarian atleast once a week, it will go a long way towards a healthy body and a healthy lifestyle. The issue for most people is that they have difficulty finding or preparing vegetarian food that is palatable to them to the same extent that meat is. Most vegan products that are used for substituting meat/chicken available in the market are dry, chalky, cardboard-like and tasteless, therefore not appealing to the masses. When I was approached by Gardein Brand via Meatless Monday to try their vegan products, I was curious and interested. I signed up for it and soon a nice cooler package arrived with the following items in it: 

• Ultimate Beefless Burger
• Black Bean Burger
• Veggie Burger
• Meatless Meatballs
• Crispy Chick'n Patty
• Barbecue Chick'n Wings
• Mandarin Orange Chick'n
• Seven Grain Crispy Tenders
• Teriyaki Chick'n Strips

Gardein is committed to provide high quality vegan, plant based products that are kosher and do not contain any artificial flavor, color or preservatives in them. So far I have tried the Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, the Veggie burger, the Ultimate Beefless Burger and the Crispy Chick’n Patty. All of them are quick and easy to prepare items, making them perfect for a weeknight dinner. 

The first item I tried was the Seven Grain Crispy Tenders. It was so good that my kids ate it without realizing that it was not chicken. This is high praise indeed coming from my 6 and 9 year olds as both of them are very picky eaters who don’t really like to try anything they are not familiar with. They polished their plates off in no time! The crispy tenders are made with primarily from grains such as Kamut, khorasan wheat, amarnath, millet and quinoa. This takes these Tenders to a higher nutritional level and more bang for the buck. Check the other ingredients here.

Barbecue Chick'n wings were easy to make. I transformed them into hot wings by mixing a little bit of Sriracha into the sauce and basting the wings just before serving. It would make for a great appetizer or as a side for a BBQ. The taste was quite close to the boneless chicken wings. The primary ingredient used in these wings is the ancient grain flour, potato starch and other ingredients which you can check here. 

I have made these spicy burgers on three different occasions, all of them for weeknight dinner when I was rushing. I have used the Veggie Burger, The Beefless Burger and the Chick’n Patty. Each one of them had it’s own unique taste and was delicious in it’s own way. We were not disappointed by any of them. 

The first burger I tried was the Veggie Burger. I made it with Sriracha Vegan Mayo and it was truly delicious! The burger was light and tasty. This is one of the 4 gluten free products from Gardein. The burger patty is made from brown rice, roasted vegetables, rolled oats and some spices. 

The next one was the crispy chick'n patty which came out nice and crisp. I served it with ketchup for the kids and made a burger for us. It was really good with the Chick’n patty crispy with the texture similar to that of a chicken patty. The patty is made from ancient grain flour similar to the one used in Tenders. Check out all the ingredients here.

The third one was the Ultimate Beefless Burger which when cooked and made into a burger, had the appearance of a regular Burger. The patty was moist with a meat-like texture. I layered this one with spicy vegan mayo, onion, tomato, pickle and lettuce and served it with grilled asparagus. The end result was one of satisfaction. This is made from soy and ancient grain flour among other ingredients which you can find here. 

You can use any of these burger patties or any other made by Gardein and transform it into this delicious spicy vegan burger for your Memorial Day barbecue or any summer barbecue. If nothing you can make this for your weeknight dinner, sit on your porch/terrace and savor the summer evening. 

Servings: for one burger. Each packet of burger has 4 patties in them which can be used to make 4 burgers.

Ingredients:

Burger patty of your choice from Gardein: 1 

Burger bun of your choice: 1

Sliced onion ring: 1 slice of onion cut in a circle.

Tomato slice: 1

Lettuce: 1-2 slices the size of the burger bun. 

Pickle: 1, sliced 

Sriracha spiced Vegan mayo: 1 tbsp 

To make the spiced Vegan Mayo, mix together 1 tbsp Sriracha with 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise. 

Method:

Toast the burger bun lightly on a skillet. 

Spread 1 tsp spicy vegan mayo, place the lettuce, one slice of tomato, burger patty of your choice, onion ring, pickle if you wish. 

Top it with some more spicy vegan mayo.

You can always serve ketchup on the side or on top of the burger if you wish. 

Serve this to your guests. I will bet that most won’t notice the difference. 

Gardein products and definitely that good!! 

Enjoy! 

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Avocado Cheese Burger & Wrap; One Recipe, Two Options. Kids-friendly DFT

My kids are little. They are 3 and 6 year old.Their palates are still evolving. Which means that they are very picky . They will only eat what appeals to them and what tastes good. There is no rationalizing saying " it is good for you". If it does not taste good, they will not eat it!

Happy Kids! Happy Mamas! Team DFT is bringing the kids’ friendly sandwiches, subs, rolls and wraps this week.

Creating Recipes with a Cause!

I am a proud DFT blogger. 

To learn about DFT, read this link. 

To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

When team DFT decided to make this week's theme " kids-friendly DFT" so that kids with diabetes can benefit from these recipes, I was determined to make something that kids would actually eat and something that was easy to make over and over again. I also used my kids as guinea pigs. I figured that if they would eat it, most kids would. Both my kids like cheese ( but they are picky about which cheeses they like!), and they both eat avocado on a regular basis. They both eat rotis(chapati) and bread. The only new thing that I introduced this time was red lettuce, which I must confess wasn't that well received. On the positive note, they enjoyed both the burger and the wrap!! I was very surprised as my daughter usually likes the roti plain with just lots of cream cheese on top and made into a wrap/roll. She will eat the avocado on the side, but this time she ate it together. You see, she does not like too many textures at the same time!!

I have used ingredients in their natural form as much as possible, thereby avoiding anything processed or ready made. This is a no-cook recipe. I have used home-made whole wheat 6- inch chapati/roti for the wrap. You may therefore see some cracks or experience some cracking of the roti while rolling it. It is okay. I have provided the option of the burger for those who cannot make rotis or don't have it handy. The bun used for the burger is whole wheat bun with sesame seeds from Trader Joe. Each bun has only 110 calories.

I have only used a pinch of salt, pepper and a little bit of lemon juice for flavor. No mayonnaise, no dip/dressing of any kind has been used. The cheeses used are low fat variety. I have used low fat Swiss cheese spread ( laughing cow) and low fat shredded mozzarella cheese.The cheeses too, I haven't added too much. 1 tsp cream cheese for spreading and 1/2 tbsp shredded cheese on top of the avocado. Be careful when you add salt as the cheeses already have salt in them.

So here we go:

Servings: 1 ( makes one wrap or burger)Serving size: one wrap/ burger per person.

Ingredients:

6- inch chapati/roti/tortilla: 1 ( use corn tortilla to make it gluten-free)
OR
1 small whole wheat sesame bun.

Avocado: 1 quarter of one small avocado, chopped into bite-size pieces.( approximately 1 tbsp, heaped).
Lettuce: 2-3 small leaves ( I have used red lettuce)
Low fat swiss cheese spread : 1/2 of one laughing cow wedge.
Low fat mozzarella shredded cheese: 1/2 tablespoon
Lemon juice: 1/4 tsp
Salt: a tiny pinch
Pepper powder: a tiny pinch

Method:

Take the chopped avocado in a bowl. Add salt, pepper powder and lemon juice to it. Mix well and keep aside.

Spread the cream cheese on one side of the chapati/ roti or on the inside of the lower half of the bun.

Now layer the lettuce on the cream cheese, then spread the avocados and lastly top it with the shredded cheese. This step is the same for the wrap and the burger.

Now for the roti/chapati/tortilla, place a small strip of wax paper at the bottom 1/4 of the roti in such a manner the the wax paper is folded at the bottom and does not expose the edge of the roti/chapati/tortilla. Slowly wrap it so that the edges of the roti are overlapping each other. Secure it with a toothpick.

For the burger, just top it with the top half of the bun and secure it with a toothpick.

It is ready to be served!

It is great for lunch box and for picnics!!

Enjoy. I am bringing this to my friend Angie's Fiesta Friday #78

Cooking made easy:

Every individual including kids have different tastes. Based upon your child's tastes, the above recipe can be easily modified.

You could add a little olive oil to the chopped avocados  along with salt and pepper. You can also mix 1/4 tsp mayonnaise.( Caution: any dressing that you use adds to the calories!!). An healthier option would be to use peanut chutney or coriander chutney as dressing.

Instead of using chopped avocados you can use guacamole in this wrap.

You can also layer the wrap/ burger with slices of tomatoes and cucumber based on your child's age and taste.

Footnotes( Tip for healthy living):

The primary ingredient in the wrap/ burger is whole wheat. I have previously discussed at length regarding the health benefits of whole wheat over white flour/all purpose flour/maida. You can read it in the footnotes section here.

Avocado is another main ingredient in this recipe. Avocado is a superfood. It provides the body with nearly 20 important vitamins and minerals in each serving. It is a great source of heart-healthy fats.It is a good source of vitamin B, C & E.It is low in sugar, rich in dietary fiber and maintains the blood sugar levels steady for a long time therefore making it one of the choice foods for diabetics.

Low fat cheese in controlled portions is an excellent source of protein and calcium for diabetics. You can find more detailed information in the references cited below.

Lettuce adds bulk to the meal and much needed dietary fiber.It is a calorie free food. I chose the red ones over green as they have a little more nutritional value as compared to their green counterparts.

Disclaimer:I am not a nutritionist or dietitian. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietitian before making any changes to your diet.


Other Kids’ Friendly Sandwiches and Rolls by DFT Team!

https://simplyvegetarian777.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/vegetable-pizza-sandwich-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

https://shailjatomar.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/rainbow-summer-rolls-with-peanut-saucer-dft/

http://www.letscookhealthytonight.com/oven-roasted-falafel-wraps/

http://gorgeandserve.com/2015/07/22/hariyali-paneer-wrap/

https://crackleandtemper.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/egg-burrito-with-a-twist-diabetic-friendly-thursdays/

http://divinespicebox.com/2015/07/22/vietnamese-savory-wrap-banh-xeo/

Food for thought:

Anything unattempted remains impossible. Unknown