Celebrate National Eat Outside Day With a Veggie Burger

Grab your picnic basket and blanket; it is time to celebrate National Eat Outside Day! Every August 31st National Eat Outside Day gives folks a fun reason to get out in the fresh air and enjoy a meal together with family and friends. For this year’s National Eat Outside Day menu, we’re making delicious homemade veggie burgers. Veggie burgers are a tasty, health conscious alternative to beef burgers. They they are also a sneaky way to get kids to eat their vegetables (and ask for more).

Veggie burger recipes can range from simple to gourmet. If you have some dried beans on hand, including navy beans, lentils, or chickpeas, you can make delicious homemade veggie burgers that taste better than any frozen patty from the store. Mix in your favorite grains and vegetables to add texture, flavor, and nutritional value. Dehydrated vegetables hold up extremely well in a burger. The combinations are infinite! Here is one delicious veggie burger recipe for you to try:

The Harmony House Black Bean Burger Recipe

Ingredients:
¾ c. Harmony House Foods Dehydrated Black Beans
1 c. Water
3 Tablespoons Harmony House Foods Dehydrated Peppers
3 Tablespoons Harmony House Foods Dehydrated Onions
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ c. Bread Crumbs
¼ c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 egg

Directions:
Place dried black beans and water in a food processor and pulse lightly. Pour into a bowl and add remaining ingredients except for bread crumbs, flour, and egg. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes to soak up water. Mix in bread crumbs, flour and egg.

Skillet method: Heat nonstick pan over medium heat. Shape burger mix into patties in the pan and let cook 6-8 minutes. Flip and cook an addition 6-8 minutes.

Oven method: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Shape patties on a well-greased baking pan. Bake 8 minutes. Flip and back an additional 8 minutes.

Serve on whole wheat burger bun with your favorite burger toppings!

More Veggie Burger Tips

If you want to create your own recipe, here are a few tips that will help you celebrate National Eat Outside Day with the most delicious, inexpensive, nutritious veggie burgers you’ve ever made:

• For a spicy kick add a Tablespoon of Harmony House Foods Dehydrated Jalapenos.
• Add dehydrated vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, to put even more garden goodness in your burger.
• Rehydrate our Beefish Bits to add authentic flavor to your veggie burgers. This texturized vegetable protein is completely vegan and gluten free.
• Add liquid smoke for a savory burger flavor.
• Vegan alternatives to eggs as a binder are: agar agar, wheat germ, arrowroot, cornstarch, or cornmeal.
• You can make your veggie burger mix the day before you plan to cook them. The flavors will blend together beautifully and they’ll hold together better too.

With a little imagination you can turn a few simple ingredients into meal that will please everyone on your picnic blanket. We hope these tips help you make veggie burgers so good you’ll want to celebrate National Eat Outside Day, every season of the year.