Tempeh Veggie Burgers
8 ounces of tempeh, cubed
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari
½ cup chopped cremini mushrooms
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon miso paste (red or white)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Bread crumbs, if needed
8 ounces guacamole
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce leaves
4 buns, 100 percent whole-grain
1. Place the tempeh in a steamer basket and steam for 15 minutes, or gently simmer in water in a pot for 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Heat a skillet on the stove on medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the onions and sauté about 5 to 10 minutes, until they start to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the tamari, miso paste, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, crumble the steamed tempeh into a large bowl. Once the onion and mushroom mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl with the tempeh and stir well to combine. Portion the mixture into 4 even patties. If you can’t form it into tight patties, the mixture may be too wet. In that case, add either regular bread crumbs or panko, whichever you have in your pantry, 2 tablespoons at a time until the tempeh mixture holds together tightly.
4. Preheat the grill to 450° F. Cook the burgers on medium-high heat about 4 minutes per side. Place burgers on a bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and guacamole.
Nutrition information per burger: 397 calories, 20 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 38 g carbs, 15 g fiber, 6 g sugars (0 g added), 18 g protein, 490 mg sodium