Revised 02.24.18 (see below)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup wheat germ, toasted
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 medium zucchini shredded
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or trans-fat free margarine
- 4 hamburger buns
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs.
- Stir in wheat germ, cheese, mushrooms, onion/garlic powders, thyme.
- Place the shredded zucchini in the middle of two paper towels. Fold the paper towels over and gently squeeze out as much moisture possible.
- Add the zucchini to the wheat germ mixture.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. (optional)
- Chill for one hour in the fridge.
- Shape into 4 patties, 3/4-inch thick.
- In a nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the burgers and fry until golden brown. Flip and brown the other sides.
- Serve with buns and your favorite toppings.
“Why don’t you make those veggie burgers that you used to make?”
Sure. That was only a quarter of a century ago and I can’t remember the recipe. The only thing I remember was that my homemade veggie burger of days past had wheat germ in it. Maybe carrots. So after reading too many recipes online, I decided to start experimenting using this recipe as the starting point.
The end result was pretty good. I’d forgotten how much better tasting a homemade veggie burger was when compared to the frozen varieties.
Tips and Pointers
Other vegetables would work well. Be creative in your selections. For example, if you have leftover broccoli, chop it up and use instead of the zucchini. Carrots, sweet potatoes would be good too. You can use fresh garlic and/or fresh onion. I have learned that powders provide the same flavor punch without the harshness of fresh which sometimes doesn’t get cooked thoroughly enough.
Revisions
There were some nice zukes at the store. It was February so I surmised they came in from Mexico. But they were small and buying just one became a problem when preparing burgers. So I shredded some organic carrot for around 1/4 cup. When added with the tiny squash the total vegetable content came to around a cup total. I ended up using 1/2 cup of mushrooms and the mixture didn’t get too loose if you know what I mean and I think you do. I had time to chill the burger mix and this makes it easier to shape and fry.
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