Beet, Quinoa and Vegetable Burgers

January 2013

Vegetarian Alternatives

After the holiday season it sometimes seems as if the entire world goes on a diet. The reason? Despite earlier warnings from nutritionists, physicians and endless newspaper and magazine articles about the ways to avoid excess weight gain, more than a few of us put on an extra pound or more, starting with that Thanksgiving turkey stuffing and through an indulgent December filled with Hanukkah latkes, Christmas cookies and New Year’s Eve canapés and champagne.

There’s no cause to panic over holiday weight gain. What is important is to shed those extra pounds before they accumulate over time. Diet, exercise. We all know the routine and have heard the lectures. It may all sound like so much scolding.

But there is another way to think about it, and that is this: eating a lighter, less caloric, less fat-filled diet need not feel as if it’s a punishment. It can actually be preferable after all the gorging -- like taking off your coat when you come in from the cold or emptying your pockets (or pocketbook) of excess, needless stuff.

It can also be delicious if you choose well.

Among the best and tastiest choices are vegetarian versions of familiar, classic favorites, such as burgers, hash and pot pie.

Burgers are at the heart of American folk cuisine. But while beef burgers may be the ones that define us, Americans have always liked choices and for years now we’ve tasted the benefits. Turkey burgers, salmon burgers and others are no longer new or strange.

Ditto for vegetarian burgers.

Veggie burgers take more work than classic beef burgers, which only need to be placed on a grill and cooked. Making the right vegetable mixture tempting takes some thinking and preparation: your family might not appreciate ingredients such as black beans or tofu and it’s important not to use loads of salt to cover up a lackluster combination of foods.

Choose an assortment of vegetables and grains that offer rich, earthy and bountiful flavors: mushrooms, parsnips, beets and peas, quinoa, farro and lentils for instance, and be sure to perk up the mixture with bold seasonings: chopped fresh herbs such as thyme and cilantro, or spices like cumin and chili powder. When the burgers are done, use condiments (mustard, pesto, olive tapenade and so on) and salsas as further enhancements.

Vegetable patties need a binding ingredient that will keep the mixture together cohesively: mashed beans, breadcrumbs and eggs are ideal. In addition, it’s important to handle vegetable burgers gently; they can come apart when you flip them for frying on a second side (they don’t grill tidily). There are fewer calories if you eat burgers without a bun or other bread. On the other hand, bread can be filling and may help you avoid after dinner snacking.

Vegetable Hash is another good option, whether or not you are on a diet. Hash has historically been an invention for using leftover bits of the meat, potatoes and vegetables we didn’t finish. But cooking up a fresh batch of ingredients sautéed to crusty goodness and topped with a fried or poached egg might be an even more welcome dinner on a cold winter night or a nice choice for a weekend brunch. Consider how tempting it is when we dig our forks into rich, runny yolks, broken and oozing their yellow-orange nectar onto savory morsels of caramelized carrots and parsnips, mushrooms and potatoes. Add a hunk of bread and think – is any dinner more satisfying, even though there’s no meat?

Pot Pie made without the meat is a cozy, comforting meal anytime, but especially during winter’s dark, often bleak days. There’s that golden top – a crust of pie dough or billows of puff pastry or even tender, crispy-edged biscuits – hiding rich filling, chunky with colorful vegetables and cloaked in a thick, savory gravy. Break the crust and see the steam rising, whiff the savory perfume coming from within. It’s a dinner that makes you feel good to be home, safe and sound and well fed.