By Vanessa Wilkerson, Healing the Body
Truth be told, most of us crave a good burger from time to time. For some people, grass-fed locally sourced beef patties are a great healthy choice.
Many people are restricted from eating meat altogether, some by choice, others by near force–often dictated by a poor state of health.
Making healthful choices consistently often requires inspiration, creativity, and support. This is where the Sunlight Burger shines through, courtesy of The Present Moment Café from the “Sunshine State” itself, St. Augustine, FL.
Purpose
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or eliminating meat for health reasons alone, “Nutmeat” is a meatless burger you may just go nuts over. Add in the accompanying cashew mayo and caramelized onions to jazz up your patty and your taste buds will be dancing to the tune of a nutrient dense burger.
Instead of acting nutty and suppressing or succumbing to the burger craze, choose this raw and living food—full of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics. Your body will thank you.
Equipment Required
- Food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Dehydrator
Ingredients
Nutmeat
~yields 1 1/4 quart
- 2 cups diced portabella mushrooms
- ¼ cup tamari
- 1 ½ cups walnuts, soaked 10-12 hours
- 1 ½ cups almonds, soaked 10-12 hours
- 1 ½ cups sunflower seeds, soaked 10-12 hours
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- ½ cup grated zucchini
- ½ cup grated carrots
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ Tbsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp minced ginger
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
Cashew Mayonnaise
~yields 1 quart
- 3 cups cashews, soaked 1-2 hours
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ c up olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp agave (can omit to avoid glycemic index load)
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
Directions
Nutmeat
- Soak walnuts, almonds, and sunflowers for 10-12 hours
- Marinate diced mushrooms in ¼ cup tamari for 30 minutes.
- In the food processor, blend the sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts into a paste.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and combine with all the remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Form nutmeat into round patties and dehydrate at 125 degrees for 3 hours.
- Flip and dehydrate for another hour. Makes 10-15 patties depending on size.
Cashew Mayonnaise
- Soak cashews for 1-2 hours.
- Drain and rinse cashews well.
- Blend all ingredients to a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Taste and adjust salt or water if necessary.
Consumption
Following proper food combining guidelines, nutmeat burger is best served over a bed of fresh greens, sprouts, and garnished with a slice of tomato, cashew mayo, and *caramelized onions. In combination named the “Sunshine Burger.” Sliced avocado is a great addition, esp. for those who aren’t fans of onions or things caramelized. (*see below for recipe)
Try serving the nutmeat patty in between two ¾-inch sliced large pieces of cauliflower sautéed (2 tbsp olive oil) on low/medium heat for 45-90 seconds on each side (seasoned with sea salt, cumin, and coriander). My favorite.
For those needing a bun in the mix, a gluten-free choice is best. Please read labels carefully as gluten-free options are not all created equal.
Generally speaking, breads and buns made from the grains of millet, buckwheat, quinoa, or amaranth are better than wheat. Again, reading labels for purity of ingredients is important.
Locally baked simple sourdough bread or sprouted whole grain breads are acceptable options for some people.
It’s burger time!
If you’re a *caramelized onion fan check out this final “sunshine” recipe.
