Where's the Beef?

To be healthier, I'm trying to eat less meat. (Please don't let Farmer Brown know that I'm cutting back on beef consumption.) This is not something that bothers me. I can take meat or leave it.

I do love a good cheeseburger, though. You know the big, greasy hand-formed patties with toasted buns and enough condiments that it drips down to your elbow while you eat it? The best ones are found at the little dives where they seldom clean the grill, just turn the heat up and burn off the residue. If you ever want one of these burgers and you are in my area, you need to stop by Jim's Drive In. Ahhhhh.......

But enough about real hamburgers because we are talking healthy here. To replace my passion for hamburgers, I have turned to veggie burgers. If they make a veggie burger, I have bought it. I will not say that I have eaten them, because some are inedible.

Right now, my favorite is the Spicy Black Bean Burger by Morningstar Farms. This is the least one to taste like a burger. But it is spicy and full of black beans. (I'm not sure what else you need to know - it's just good.) It is fabulous on Arnold's Sandwich Thins, toasted, topped with a little salsa, pickles, and lettuce.

I'm also a little partial to the Morningstar Farms Original Griller. This one comes close to a burger. Just don't look at when you eat it. These do really well cooked in a pan on the stove. Four minutes - it is ready to go.

One more plug for Morningstar Farms. Their Grillers Recipe Crumbles aren't too bad. I mixed some regular ground beef with some of these in chili and Farmer Brown, the big beef man, didn't notice.

Okay, this one isn't a burger either. The Boca Chick'n Patties, the Originals are good. Once again, don't look at it while you eat it and you will think that it is a deep-fried chicken patty. They do need to be fixed in the oven or on the stove. I don't recommend the microwave for any of these. That makes them taste a little smooshy.

Amy. Amy. Amy. I have tried to like you. Your company is remarkable, selling organic, natural foods. I am sure that there are edible products that you produce, but I've been burned so badly on your $5 4-pack of burgers that I've been reluctant to buy anything else. Currently, I have the Texas Burger package in my freezer. I have eaten one and a half. I ate the first one because I was going to choke it down because it was too late to make something else. The half was this weekend because I thought maybe a fresh tomato and good bread would make a difference. It didn't. If you love whole foods, you'll love the Amy burgers because there are large grains of oats, bean, and barley (actually, not really sure what is in there - I try not to think of it too much). Some are crunchy. Some are so crunchy, you will wonder if maybe it is a contaminated batch full of real bugs.

Nothing replaces a real burger, but in the meantime, there are some good choices available out there.

Maybe what we all need is some "spicy mustard or something" on all our burgers.