Greek (Inspired) Vegetarian Burger

One of my high school mates shared a Greek Turkey Burger recipe with me on Facebook.  At first I was taken aback, but then she offered that I could turn this into a Vegetarian Burger...and so I did!

If you want the recipe from root to stem, drop a comment and follow!!!

Directions.

Follow this recipe for the basis of your burger mix.  Add a 1/2 cup diced black olives.  You may also boast more protein by simply adding 1 cup cooked brown lentils.  I do!!!

I use a scale to make sure all of my burgers have approximately the same mass.  If you do not own a scale, use the 1/3 measure cup.  With each portioned burger, you will add 1-2 T of Vital Wheat Gluten.  This will help hold your mix together along with steaming it.  If you have a steamer use it.  Otherwise use a double boil system of a strainer or colander over a pot of boiling water. 

The secret to its form is the spring form pan. 

After mixing in your gluten, allow the burgers to rest in the refrigerator while you prepare your steam pan and mix your tzatziki dressing.

Form your patties by pressing them into the spring form pans.  Place pans into the double-boil or steam system.  You should steam this for an hour.  Then let the burger rest and cool for an additional 30 minutes.  Broil.  Dress to your desire, but keep it Greek!!!

Steaming

3 and 4 years...and going strong

This month marks a few anniversaries for me in my health and fitness challenge. This lifestyle change came with many adjustments in my life. Once I gave up prescription medications, meat, and adopted a regular fitness routine with progressive loading, much changed. Did my colitis and C.O.P.D. magically go away? No. As auto-immune disorders go, they have a resting/dormant or remission. Just when you think "I've got it" the bell is rung and you're symptomatic all over again.

I am grateful however, that although I still have flair-ups, acceptance was the biggest obstacle. Once I declared this battle I would fight for life, the moment came when any think non-traditional was open for inspection. A large part of this change was adopting a physical exercise program that help maintain healthy fat/muscle percentages. I am stronger, more flexible, and run with greater endurance than ever. Considering that we age in time, I think that is a good place to be.

Regular exercise is only about 30% of the battle. The other 70% of maintaining a healthy body composition is eating a nutritious diet. I started with a transition to Pescatarianism then to a full vegetarian. I increased my vegetable, fruits, and legumes. Whole grain breads, rices, and pastas ensure an optimum fiber content.

Many skeptics believed that I would fall. There was no way I could survive on this plan, because after all one needs meat to live. Really? Ask the gorilla. In short, it's 3 years as a non-meat eater and 4 years of physical exercise planning. Life could not be better. It certainly is better now than ever before.

I still see re-starters. I still get asked the same questions by the same people who have watched my physical transformation. I hate to say it but I hide from now...literally. It is not rocket science. I am living proof that change works. My diet is not so strict that it does not allow for cookies, cakes, and pies.

I follow the 80/20 rule. At least 80% of the time I am flying at regulation altitude. My diet and exercise is on point. The other 20% of the time, I am coasting, maintaining, and simply enjoying the foods that I have grown to love over this lifetime. Once I gave up dieting, everything else fell into place.

I encounter many arrogant first-timers who read a few magazine articles, leap on the bandwagon of the latest diet craze, and puff their chests out like they are pros. Until you have practiced it for a few years, then you cannot know what a veteran knows. There is nothing wrong with embracing a lifestyle change, but you cannot live your life on a diet, punishing and berating your entire plan because you ate four cookies, polished off a pizza, or ate cheesecake for lunch.

A lifestyle change means that you have found a way to make allowances for the comforts and rewards in the work and grind. For anyone who has trekked through a year and has come out on the other side, I salute you!

Here's to you as well...

new shampoo...everyday 365: lavender

It has been more than a year since I first tried Whole Foods Everyday 365 brand shampoo. I believe it was the grapefruit scented. I am not certain if I purchased the dry or the oily hair formula, but since I did not like it, quickly pushed through it somehow, it is long forgotten. But in my ongoing search to find a shampoo/conditioner that is 'cone' free, I am open to try any brand budget friendly that will work. As I am building a staple of dependable, yet economical hair care products, I have come to favor essential oils, namely peppermint and lavender.

Everyday 365 also brands in Lavender. In a less than a week, I will be completing my 'poo/co' for the month of May and this may be an excellent time to jump in to test the viability of Everyday 365 Lavender. I did notice that it also comes in Dry/Normal option.

When opportunity presents to try this, I will return with a product review!

a little bit of this...a little bit of that

I'm a fan of 'less is more'. I do love cooking. But after a hard cycle of workouts, I'm ready to eat! I had a taste for Chinese carryout. I'd tried this 'new' spot up the road and found it to be very inexpensive, tasty, and not a very long drive. My favorite dish is the Chinese Vegetables with Vegetable Fried Rice. I don't do beef and if you've followed me for the past few months you know I'm serious about my digestive tract. Now I happened into Whole Foods earlier in the week looking for my Gardein Holiday Stuffed Turkey. It wasn't in, and I was too busy to bother the service desk, so I glanced in the frozen foods section and found VegeUSA Black Pepper Steak...only it's not steak. It's vegetable protein, soy to be exact. I thought to myself...I said "self", you can toss that with some peppers and have your way with it.

And so I did, only I didn't do the sauteing, I picked up a carry out order along with my vegetable fried rice and tossed the veggies with my vegan pepper steak. It was yummy!!! I added an egg roll to the plate and dinner was served.

If you have a hankering for beef loins and have given up meat, there's a healthier option just waiting for you to try! Enjoy~