Meatless Monday: Veggie Burgers Galore

Quorn is reported to be the top-selling frozen meat-free brand in natural stores across the country - and it's no surprise to me, as I think they offer the best tasting meat alternatives on the market. Recently, Quorn introduced two new meatless options to their line of vegetarian fare: the classic hamburger and the cheeseburger. Like other Quorn products, these burgers are made of mycoprotein, a soy-free blend of fungi rich in antioxidants, amino acids, and fiber.

The stats are pretty impressive! A Quorn Cheeseburger patty has 100 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8 carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of protein. The Classic burger's nutritional content contains all of the above, with ones less gram of fat.

These burgers are delicious! Meaty and dense with a much more realistic texture than most other veggieburgers. With enough toppings, I bet these could even fool most meat lovers.

Here's how I'll be serving them this meatless Monday:

Quorn Cheeseburgers with Sweet and Spicy Onion Compote

One Quorn hamburger or cheeseburger patty per person

Soft buns such as challah or potato rolls

2 tbs. sweet and spicy onion compote

Slice of your favorite cheese or soy cheese (I used soy cheddar)

Lettuce, tomato, onion

Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, or even some Chipotle Pimenton Tartar Sauce if you have some left over

Sweet and Spicy Onion Compote

2 medium sweet onions, sliced thin

3-4 canned jalapenos, finely chopped and seeded (you can find a can in the Mexican/Spanish section of your grocery store) OR if you'd prefer less spice, substitute about 1/8th cup mild canned chiles

2 tbs. brown sugar

1-2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

Squeeze of fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime's worth)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tbs. canola or olive oil for sauteing

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes until just tender and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, jalapenos, cumin, and brown sugar. Cook an additional 5 minutes or so until onions are brown and caramelized. Add lime juice and cook another minute until liquid is absorbed. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Let cool and use as a topping for Quorn burgers. Will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, so it's always good to make extra!

For those in the Princeton area looking for a meatless option, I recently discovered that Chuck's Spring Street Cafe has a pretty good homemade veggie burger! This was unexpected, since this sort of divey hole in the wall is best known for it's chicken wings and foot-long hot dogs. And while we're still on the topic of veggie burgers, here's Melyssa with a note about one of her favorites in Philadelphia:

For any Philadelphians reading, I urge vegetarians and carnivores alike to try the veggie burger at Mac's Tavern, a gastropub in Old City that opened less than a year ago. I would have never even noticed the place, with it's nondescript facade and small, very understated sign, but my friend decided to hold her birthday party here after learning that two of the actors from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are part-owners. Boy am I happy about this discovery! For only $7.99 you can get a piping hot homemade veggie burger and a pile of nicely-seasoned fries with aoli dipping sauce. While some veggie burgers strive to mimic meat, Mac's patty is distinctively verdant, with whole green peas and fresh herbs throughout. Served with a huge slice of tomato and a pile of lettuce and onion, it can be a little (ok a lot) messy to eat, but it's worth the effort.