The Grillable Veggie Burger

Eureka! I cannot sufficiently express in words my enthusiasm that I have finally perfected this recipe. It has been years. With a perfect combination of ingredients, patience, and love, I have now perfected (and replicated) a homemade veggie burger that stands up to the test of the grill. No falling apart. No oozing through the cracks. No drying out. It does require some preparation though. But I assure you, it's worth it. Enjoy... it's years of love I share with you now.

Warning: this recipe as-is makes a lot of burgers (12). They're great to freeze or if you want to put the big effort in once and then reap the benefits for longer! When you form them into patties, separate them with parchment or wax paper before freezing.

Lindsay's Grillable Veggie Burger 
3 cups black beans (cooked)
2 cups brown rice (cooked)
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 cup mashed sweet potato
2 eggs
2 cups large flake oats (raw)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or tamari
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne powder

In a food processor, combine beans and rice. Blend until sort of smooth or until beans are all mashed into a paste. Either transfer to a large bowl or add the zucchini, mushrooms, and sweet potato into the food processor and then transfer everything (it depends on how chunky or smooth you want your burgers to be). 

In a separate smaller bowl, combine ketchup, worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, and spices. A whisk works well - say that 3 times fast! Add the eggs into the sauce mixture. Add the sauce/egg mixture into the bean mixture and mix well. This should be rather sloppy and runny still. Add in oats (between 2-2.5 cups) and mix. This should thicken the burger mixture. 

Cover and let stand in the fridge overnight or for at least a couple of hours. This enhances the binding power of the oats. Form into patties and brush with oil (coconut works well) before putting on a hot grill. Grill on medium-high for 4-5 minutes each side. Enjoy!

Tips (i.e. what I've learned the hard way): 
The egg cannot be substituted. Sorry. It just can't. 
Canned beans can be easily substituted. Just make sure you rinse well.
The spice mixture can be adjusted to your level of taste. 
The oats really do need to sit in the mixture to absorb the excess liquid and hold them together. 
The zucchini and mushrooms are kind of key as they are big generators of moisture to prevent the burger from drying out during grilling. 

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