Meatless Monday with Curried Lentil Cashew Burger and Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Mayonnaise

Hello and welcome (back) to the Miratel blog and thank you for joining us for a Meatless Monday vegetarian recipe share. The Meatless Monday pledge is to reduce meat consumption 15% by eliminating it just one day per week to preserve personal and planetary health. Miratel supports this great initiative and includes it as part of its CSR business strategies to spread awareness of the impact of food choices on our environment

Since the weather is heating up, we’re making a burger alternative with a vegetarian curried lentil cashew burger. We’re serving this delicious dish with sweet potato fries and curry mayonnaise. Keep in mind, you can veganize (as in make vegan) these recipes by substituting the animal products with vegan options or you can omit them. Both recipes come courtesy of CBC’s Best Recipes Ever.

Curried Lentil Cashew Burger Ingredients:

Image courtesy of cbc.ca/bestrecipe

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted cashews or walnuts
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
• 4 cups (1 L) sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) curry paste
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander
• 4 slices Canadian Gouda cheese or Canadian Gouda cheese with cumin
• 4 leaves lettuce
• 4 slices red onion
• 4 hamburger buns

Directions:

1. In skillet, toast cashews over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes; transfer to food processor.
2. In same skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms, chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add to food processor.
3. Add lentils and curry paste to food processor; pulse to combine. Mix in bread crumbs and coriander. Shape into four 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick patties.
4. In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry patties until crusty, about 8 minutes per side. Top each with Gouda cheese slice; cover and cook until melted. Sandwich each patty, lettuce and red onion in bun.

Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Mayonnaise Ingredients:

Image courtesy of cbc.ca/bestrecipe

• 4 sweet potatoes (2 1/2 lb/1.25 kg)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (5 mL) each ground cumin and paprika
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

Curry Mayonnaise Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) light mayonnaise
• 1 tsp (5 mL) lime juice
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) curry paste

Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Mayonnaise Directions:

1. Peel potatoes; trim ends and sides to create rectangles. Cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices; cut each lengthwise into 1/2 -inch (1 cm) wide strips.
2. In large bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Whisk in oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Add potatoes, tossing to coat. Spread on 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets.
3. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 425°F (220°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until tender and edges are browned and crisp.

Curry Mayonnaise Directions:

1. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice and curry paste; serve with potatoes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

These recipes will each yield four portions. If you want to make the burger even healthier choose a 100% whole wheat or whole grain bun for added fibre. Also you can choose to bake the burgers at 425 for 10 minutes per side and put them under the broiler for 2 minutes per side to reduce the fat that comes with frying. The fries are wonderful on their own so consider the curry mayonnaise optional.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the Meatless Monday pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work to promote CSR business initiatives and make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

Enjoy!

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.