I love the RAW food lifestyle, but truth be told it is difficult for me to keep up. I often try to integrate RAW meals into my weekly meal plan, substituting uncooked, for cooked on a regular basis. This is my version of an amazing RAW burger I had in a cafe. These burgers are easy to make, have limited ingredients, and taste absolutely fantastic with the creamy cashew cheeze (which tastes almost like a dairy cheese spread). These are very filling, and you will find that you might not even need an additional side dish.
Ingredients (makes 5 burgers):
Burgers:
2 cups almonds (you can also use walnuts, or a combination of both; soaked in water for at least 1 hour, and drained)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (soaked in water for at least 1 hour, and drained)
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water until plump; reserve the water)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/8-1/4 cup raisins (the more you add the sweeter they will be, I like 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (you can also use additional apple cider vinegar, since balsamic often isn't RAW)
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper, to taste
1/8 cup nutritional yeast flakes (optional; if using cashew cheese you don't need this)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional; just adds a spicy kick)
Cashew Cheeze (*You can also use your favorite hummus as a spread):
1 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, drained
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp lemon juice (You can use the combination of both, or all of one of them. The apple cider vinegar gives a sweeter kick, while the lemon juice allows you to mock more of a 'cheese' flavor)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
a pinch of pepper
Other:
5 large collard green leaves
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1) For the burgers, process all of the ingredients together until smooth, adding a bit of the reserved tomato water, as needed. If using a vitamix, this will not be a challenge. If using a lower power blender, try blending half of the recipe at a time, and chopping the ingredients as much as you can before hand. Form into 5 patties.
To 'warm-up', there are three methods (RAW, almost RAW, and Un-RAW):
- Use a dehydrator, dehydrating for 6'ish hours until warmed through, and slightly crunchy on the outside.
- OR, put your oven on to the lowest setting possible, and bake the burgers for about 45 minutes-1 hour (or until warm to the touch, and slightly crunchy, flipping half way through). The problem with this method is that, depending on your oven, this may begin to break down some of the nutritional components of the meal. That is why it is very important to put your oven on the lowest setting that you can, warming gently.
- OR, fry the little devils up. Melt a bit of coconut oil, or margarine in a large pan, and fry the burgers over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are crunchy on the outside, and warmed through. At least they are healthier than the conventional burger, even if the method isn't 'raw'.
2) For the cashew cheeze, process, or blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, vinegar or garlic, depending on your taste.
3) Place about 1 tbsp of cashew cheeze, or hummus on the leaf, along with a few red pepper slices (right in the centre), top with a pattie. Fold 3 sides of the leaf inward, over the pattie, then fold everything over the remaining side. Enjoy!
Burgers:
2 cups almonds (you can also use walnuts, or a combination of both; soaked in water for at least 1 hour, and drained)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (soaked in water for at least 1 hour, and drained)
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water until plump; reserve the water)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/8-1/4 cup raisins (the more you add the sweeter they will be, I like 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (you can also use additional apple cider vinegar, since balsamic often isn't RAW) 1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper, to taste
1/8 cup nutritional yeast flakes (optional; if using cashew cheese you don't need this)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional; just adds a spicy kick)
Cashew Cheeze (*You can also use your favorite hummus as a spread):
1 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, drained
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp lemon juice (You can use the combination of both, or all of one of them. The apple cider vinegar gives a sweeter kick, while the lemon juice allows you to mock more of a 'cheese' flavor)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
a pinch of pepper
Other:
5 large collard green leaves
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1) For the burgers, process all of the ingredients together until smooth, adding a bit of the reserved tomato water, as needed. If using a vitamix, this will not be a challenge. If using a lower power blender, try blending half of the recipe at a time, and chopping the ingredients as much as you can before hand. Form into 5 patties.
To 'warm-up', there are three methods (RAW, almost RAW, and Un-RAW):
- Use a dehydrator, dehydrating for 6'ish hours until warmed through, and slightly crunchy on the outside.
- OR, put your oven on to the lowest setting possible, and bake the burgers for about 45 minutes-1 hour (or until warm to the touch, and slightly crunchy, flipping half way through). The problem with this method is that, depending on your oven, this may begin to break down some of the nutritional components of the meal. That is why it is very important to put your oven on the lowest setting that you can, warming gently.
- OR, fry the little devils up. Melt a bit of coconut oil, or margarine in a large pan, and fry the burgers over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are crunchy on the outside, and warmed through. At least they are healthier than the conventional burger, even if the method isn't 'raw'.
2) For the cashew cheeze, process, or blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, vinegar or garlic, depending on your taste.
3) Place about 1 tbsp of cashew cheeze, or hummus on the leaf, along with a few red pepper slices (right in the centre), top with a pattie. Fold 3 sides of the leaf inward, over the pattie, then fold everything over the remaining side. Enjoy!
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