Wonderful Walnut-Oat-Mushroom Burgers- No Oil, No Flour, No Soy, Whole Food- Plant Based

While I was making some walnut-chocolate chip cookies and pouring in some wholewheat pastry flour, I thought about what Chris Wark said about flour in his Q&A session for people who had tuned in to the excellent Square One Healing Cancer Coaching modules: "Flour is a processed food. It is not classified as a whole food". I got to thinking about how I could make some of my vegan recipes more reflective of being "whole food" by eliminating flour wherever possible. This recipe for these Walnut-Oat-Mushroom Burgers work for that:

  INGREDIENTS: 

** 3 C. Walnut Pieces
** 2 C. Rolled Oats
** 1 C. White Mushrooms (or other of your choice), chopped
** 1 1/2 C. Chia Seed Gel (4 T. ground Chia Seed in 1- 1/2 C. Water)
** 1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped
** 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
** 1 tsp.Sage, crushed (and other herbs, as desired)
** 1 tsp.Salt
** 1 to 2 C.  Vegetable Broth, Unsweetened Nut Milk, OR Filtered Water
**1/2 C. Bread Crumbs (wholegrain and/or gluten-free)

METHOD for Making Burger:

1. Make the Chia Gel by grinding seeds in a coffee grinder and putting in a jar with 1 1/2 C. of filtered water.  Stir well and let it sit for at least 15 minutes until gel process has begun.
2. Combine together all ingredients (except bread crumbs) in a food processor or a large bowl.
3. Process well until all is combined.
4. Pour into a large bowl and mix in bread crumbs (can used Gluten-Free bread) 
5. Set, covered, in fridge for one hour or more until flavours are melded. If it seems kind of crumbly and dry when you take it out of the fridge, stir in some more broth or nut milk/water until it has the texture of mudpies (remember making them?)
6. After an hour, PREHEAT Oven to 375 degrees, Fahrenheit/190 Celsius
7. Spread patties (size you want them) on Parchment Paper on a cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10 minutes on each side.
9. Can either eat them now, with sauce or accoutrements of your liking, or freeze all of them and heat up later in a pan with a little broth or water.
   

Stuff your fabulous Walnut-Mushroom Burger with your fave Whole Food-Plant Based fixings-- no oily sauces or dressings necessary!  Strictly-speaking, the bun is NOT whole food (very much a processed item that probably has oil in it).  You can skip the bun and eat it 'plain' or with a lettuce wrap-- up to you!   The creamy orange stuff on the bun is a delicious oil-free cheezy spread that you can whip up in no time.  You will feel so virtuous!  I topped my burger off with Broccoli Sprouts and Arugula (from Costco- yay!)