Tempting Tempeh Too Good For Words Burgers

Eugene, Oregon has become quite the vegan magnet. It is the long-time home of Turtle Mountain, makers of the most incredible dairy-free ice cream, beverages, and yogurts on Earth, Holy Cow Vegan Cafe on the U of O campus, Lotus Garden Chinese Vegetarian restaurant, The Divine Cupcake, Holy Donuts, which has its own brand new storefront with an impossibly adorable outdoor courtyard, and two new vegan food carts: Viva Vegetarian Grill and Cornbread Cafe. Eugene is also the home of vegan chef extraordinaire Beverly Lynn Bennett, who together with husband Ray Sammartano, is also the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking.

Always on the prowl for tasty vegan recipes I can "McDougallize," when I came upon Beverly's recipe for Tempeh Too Good For Words Burgers, it sounded too tempting to pass up.


Instead of cooking the onion and mushrooms in olive oil, I sautéed them in water. And instead of cooking the patties in a skillet with more oil, I baked them on a nonstick baking sheet in a 375° oven for 10 minutes on each side. For a gluten-free version, you can use wheat-free tamari and garbanzo bean flour instead of wheat or spelt flour. They'll still be just as delicious. Served up on toasted hearty whole grain buns with a side of tasty baked yam fries, this was one quick and satisfying weekend meal. And in case you're wondering if I ate mine naked, I could have, but didn't. I topped my burger with grilled onions and organic ketchup.