Brrrr … What a cold day! I do not know about you, but these temperatures make me want to eat fat! If I only listened to the greedy me, I would spend the day snacking on chips, pizzas, chocolates and cakes. Last weekend was no exception, I was craving a hamburger so badly! As I wanted both satisfying that urge for cmfort food and  eating a balanced meal, I went for following strategy: make vegetable only based patties, and substitute buns with halved avocados!

As you can see, the result is pretty good. I can assure you it is also delicious and healthy!

The classic hamburger bun is a nutritionally poor food: with a GI of about 60, it has a high carbohydrates content and is low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. It is a ood that brings you empty calories, ie energy without the elements that allow the body to grow and regenerate. Avocados, the substitute I suggest, is a real nutritional bomb: with a GI of only 10, it contains plenty of B5 and B& vitamin, fiber, antioxidants and copper. The good quality lipids it contains allow to have a long lasting feeling of satiety.

Vegetarians and vegans will be totally satisfied with the subtle taste of the patties: they are made with red kuri squash, carrot, onions and almond meal. Squash and carrot, with their beautiful orange color, are both an excellent source of beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.

If you want to make a fully  homemade burger, I suggest you top it with fresh vegetables and a delicious coconut milk, cashew nuts and curry curry. These ingredients are a great source of with iron, manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Who would have thought a hamburger could be that healthy?

Serves 2

Patties

• 1 small red kuri squash (~5 in diameter), oven roasted
• 1 large carrot, boiled
• 1 small onion
• 2 tbsp almond meal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Rapeseed oil

Curry sauce

• 1/2 cup  coconut milk
• 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp yellow curry powder
• 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch salt raw veggies (sliced tomato, lettuce leaves, cucumber, bell pepper …)

Buns

• 4 baby avocados
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• raw veggies (sliced tomato, lettuce leaves, cucumber, bell pepper …)

Directions

Patties

1. Finely chop the onion.
2. Place red kuri squash flesh in a bowl together with the carrot, onion, salt and turmeric.
3. Crush with a fork, until a thick and smooth.
4. Divide the preparation into 4 equal portions and shape patties about 1 in thick.
5. “Bread” the patties with almond meal.
6. Allow patties to sit for about 30 minutes.
7. Cook the patties in a frying pan with rapeseed oil until both sides are golden brown.

Curry sauce

1. Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2. Blend oconut milk, soaked cashews, curry poweder, Cayenne pepper and salt in a high speed blender until smooth.

Buns

1. Cut the avocados in halves. Remove the stones.
2. Remove the skin very gently.
3. Cut a portion of the bottom half of each avocado, to create a flat surface, so burgers will not collapse when placed on the plate.
4. Sprinkle the top halves with poppy seeds.

Stacking

1. Place the avocado bottom halves on a plate or tray.
2. Fill the stone pit with curry sauce.
3. Place one patty on each half of avocado.
4. Add raw vegetables.
5. Place the avocados top halves
6. Enjoy!

That’s how to transforms a junk-food classic into a healthy meal! Check my refined sugar-free ketchup recipe if you want to add more yumminess to your burger.

Enjoy your meal!

Eleonora