Make Grilled Veggie Burgers at your next BBQ

Americans love to grill. And they love their condiments! BBQ sauce is at the top of the list. If you have a hankering for some good BBQ this summer, there’s no need to resort to processed hot dogs, greasy burgers or fatty ribs smothered with sugary sticky sauces. Below is a recipe for a veggie burger that will satisfy all your cravings for BBQ without overdoing it. If you’ve never had a veggie burger, you’ll be surprised at how good it is. Grilled eggplant and red onions add a sweet charred flavor to this burger. Red cabbage with balsamic vinegar piled high atop the burger adds volume and a little tanginess. BBQ sauce gives these burgers a sweet smoky flavor. This burger is packed with flavor and very satisfying.

Serving size: 1 veggie burger Number of servings: 2 Calories per serving: 238 Ingredients Calories 2 veggie burger patties 140 2 sandwich thins 200 2 slices of eggplant (approx 100 grams) 25 2 slices of red onion (approx 100 grams) 42 1 cup of shredded red cabbage 28 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 5 4 Boston lettuce leaves 7 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce 30 Salt 0 Non-stick cooking spray 0

Place the shredded cabbage in a small bowl and toss with the balsamic vinegar and some salt. Set aside.

Heat up a non-stick grill pan on medium heat. Spray the grill pan with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the veggie burger patties, eggplant slices and onion slices on the grill pan. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until grill marks appear. Turn over the veggie burger patties, eggplant and red onion slices and cook another 3-5 minutes. Remove all items from the grill pan. Salt the eggplant and onion slices.

Place the bottom piece of the sandwich thin on a plate. Add 2 lettuce leaves. Place one of the veggie burger patties on top of the lettuce leaves. Add one red onion slice and one eggplant slice. Top with ½ cup of the shredded red cabbage. Spread 1 tbsp of the BBQ sauce on the top piece of the sandwich thin. Place the sandwich thin on top of the veggie burger. Repeat for second burger. Serve.

Barbara's Tips

	You can grill the veggie burger patties on an outdoor grill with the same results.
	Veggie burger patties can be found in the refrigerated or frozen section of your grocery store. If you buy them frozen, there’s no need to thaw them before cooking them. Just place them directly on the grill or your non-stick cooking pan (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) straight from the package. You might want to give them an extra minute or two of cooking time on each side.
	Sandwich thins are a good option for any sandwich. They can be toasted to create a crunchy slice of bread or left untoasted for a soft sandwich.

Essential Flavors

BBQ Sauce: There are many different types of BBQ sauces on the market and an endless variety of recipes for homemade BBQ sauces. Some are smoky, some are spicy, some are tangy and some are sweet. But the main components in most BBQ sauces include tomato, vinegar, sugar and salt. The flavor of the BBQ sauce depends on the ingredients used to achieve each of these flavors. Typical ingredients include ketchup, Worcester sauce, honey and some sort of flavored vinegar.