How To Eat Vegan On A Budget

Ingredients

for 5 servings

Mushroom Lentil Burgers

1 tablespoon flax meal
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups (300 g) lentils, cooked
1 cup (100 g) oats

Fries

4 russet potatoes, cut in wedges
olive oil, to taste
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
5 burger buns
dijon mustard
sliced tomato
fresh arugula
ketchup, for serving

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
To make the flax egg, combine the flax meal and water in a small bowl and stir. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms and cook until most of the juices have evaporated, 7-8 minutes.

Add the soy sauce and paprika and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Set aside in a large bowl.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until semi-translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

Transfer the onion to a food processor, then add the lentils, oats, and flax egg. Pulse until chunky, about 10-15 pulses.

Transfer the lentil mixture to the bowl with the mushrooms. Mix well, using your hands if needed, then shape into 5 patties. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, then freeze for 20 minutes.

While the patties are freezing, prepare the fries. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well-coated.

Spread the fries on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the patties from freezer. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add 2-3 patties, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 minutes on other side. Repeat with the remaining patties.

To assemble the burgers, top each bun with a patty, then layer on dijon mustard, tomato slices, and arugula.
Serve the fries with ketchup.

Enjoy!