Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Homemade Garden Veggie Patties And Chicken Alternatives

By Peter Turner


When looking to improve a diet, hamburgers and cheeseburgers are not generally the answer. Although, there are now healthier options which taste almost the same as ground beef. One of which, is by making delicious garden veggie patties at home.

As with traditional foods, some recipes are better than others. In all cases, there is a base mixture and a binder. Once this mixture has been made, individuals can add a variety of sauce and spice for more flavor. By using a binder such as an egg or egg alternative in the mix, these burgers and steaks often fry up beautifully without falling apart.

The main ingredients for these homemade burgers include equal parts of lentils, oats and rice and a binder such as eggs or egg based alternatives. Individuals can then add other vegetables such as bell peppers, onions and greens as desired. If desiring a veggie chicken fried steak, simply leave out the vegetables, freeze the patties for 24 hours, then dredge in flour and fry in a shallow non-stick skillet with a small amount of cooking oil. As with traditional versions, the left over oil can then be used to make a brown or country style gravy.

Store bought alternatives are also a good option. Shoppers can often find black bean burgers, spicy black bean burgers, vegetable burgers and vegetable protein burgers at local markets. In addition, vegans and vegetarians will also find other meat alternatives in the freezer section of most health food and grocery stores. These alternatives include corn dogs, chicken patties and veggie breakfast items such as bacon and sausage.

For those who can purchase these store bought versions, there are a number of options. Shoppers can now find everything from veggie burgers to seafood alternatives at local grocery stores and markets. As these items are often higher in price than traditional items, many prefer to re-create these items at home. When it comes to seafood alternatives, there are a number of recipes which can be found online. Some of these include vegetable crab, lobster and tuna alternatives.

There are a number of meat, pork and poultry alternatives which can be made from this basic mix. These include, veggie burgers, chicken fried steak, meatballs and other items. When desiring to make a good vegetable chicken patty, simply replace the lentils with garbanzo beans or chickpeas. Then, season, shape and size the patties before freezing for 24-48 hours. After which, individuals can serve these different foods as desired.

Home cooks and professionals often use different blends of spices in preparing these items. In doing so, while the contents are often similar, each meal will have a different taste. As such, many use marinades and spices, like soy or teriyaki sauce, seasoned salt, maple spice power and others to create a wide taste variety over time.

Storage and freezing are an important part of the process. For, while the patties can be cooked right away, it is less likely each will fall apart if fried while frozen. Many home chefs now use store-bought containers left over from other items to store these meat alternatives. One of the most important aspects of a container is that it is air tight once sealed to avoid freezer burn.




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