Nut & Seed Burgers
A grateful nod to Dr. Joel Fuhrman who was the inspiration for these yummy burgers. I fiddled with his recipe a bit and came to love them. Somehow these guys, while being quite substantial, are light in texture. And they are SUPER filling—well with all those nuts and seeds it's no wonder.
One word about the tomato paste in this recipe... I use a jarred paste that is pretty thin compared to others that I've used. I've gotten away from using canned tomato products because of the interaction of the acids with the metal cans. The acid in tomatoes can leach BPA from the cans unless they are properly lined. And even then, I’ve seen the insides of cans failing. So I always use tomato products that are packaged in either glass or paper cartons. The paste I used for these burgers (Bionaturae brand, in glass) is readily available in most health food stores. I also found some at my local Publix market. Or you can find it at Amazon here or get it at VitaCost for a MUCH better price here. If your tomato paste is very thick, add 2 tablespoons of water to thin it for this recipe.
What I love most about these burgers is their high nutrient profile and their texture. Even though they are light, they hold together really well. You can even pick them up and eat them like a hand patty. Great for packing a lunch or taking on a hike or a road trip!
For this recipe you will need a food processor.
Ingredients
1 cup blanched almond flour
½ cup raw walnuts
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 TBS raw pine nuts
1 TBS whole chia seeds
1 TBS ground chia seeds
1 TBS hemp seeds
1 TBS ground flax seeds
2 TBS rolled oats
1¼ cups cooked lentils, excess water drained
3 TBS raw almond butter or tahini
3 TBS tomato paste (or barbecue sauce for a more interesting flavor!)
1 TBS white miso paste
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½-1 tsp red chile flakes, depending on how much heat you like
2-3 TBS water as needed
Method
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Place the first 10 ingredients (almond flour, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, pine nuts, chia seeds, ground chia seeds, ground flax seeds and oats) in a food processor and pulse until you have a course mixture.
Add remaining ingredients and pulse until combined but not mushy. You still want some texture in there. Scrape down the sides if needed to keep things moving to avoid a mushy bit in the bottom. You can also add bits of water if needed to get the mixture moving in the food processor. It should hold together well when pinched.
Add love! 💗
Form into 6 patties.
Bake for 10 minutes on each side.
You can also pan fry these in a tiny amount of spray oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat if you prefer. It's quicker… takes about 3-4 minutes on each side. But I prefer baking in order to omit the oil.
Makes 6 nutritious, delicious burgers. Enjoy!
