During American Heart Month, every Monday is Meatless Monday and a good time for a quick review of our 7 Tips for American Heart Month 2023: Add fruits and veggies, bake instead of fry, get moving, skip processed foods, balance lean meats with veggies and whole grains, embrace healthy fats like olive, vegetable oil while avoiding lard and butter, and try “Meatless Monday” because plant-based diets can be healthy for your heart.

This is the perfect Meatless Monday recipe from our Project Angel Food Recipe archive. So Good Garden Burgers are as good to eat as they’re good for you! Vegetables are a great source of fiber, they are low calorie, low fat, low in sodium and cholesterol, and are full of flavors. This is why our Project Angel Food chefs love cooking up these flavorful and fun So Good Garden Burgers as nutrition-packed meals for our clients on our Heart Health Medically Tailored Meal Plan.

Our So Good Garden Burgers have been staff tested and client approved for a delightful addition to any picnic or dinner table. If you like spicy food, add half a diced jalapeño pepper into your sautéed vegetables.

Take note that we use brown rice. The bran and germ, the two outer layers of brown rice, contain most of the vitamins and minerals in the grain. Those layers get removed when manufacturers make white rice, and that’s why brown rice is the healthier choice since it is rich in nutrition and fiber. Studies show that eating more whole grains, including brown rice, could reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 22%.

The recipe below takes only 20 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook while making 12 patties. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked brown rice

½ cup of cooked bulgur wheat

1 cup of rolled oats (uncooked)

1 1/2 cup of carrots, shredded

3/4 cup of egg whites

3/4 cup of celery, diced

1 cup of onions, minced or shredded

3 cups of button mushrooms, shredded

4 tablespoons of canola oil (1 for sautéing. 3 for roux)

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of turmeric

7 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, for roux

3/4 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded

3/4 cup of mozzarella part skim cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon of liquid smoke, hickory

Instructions

1. Sauté celery, onion, carrots and grated mushrooms until soft in 1 tbsp. oil.  Add seasonings except pepper. Chill completely.
2. Rice and bulgur can be prepared in advance in a rice cooker or boiled. Rice generally takes about 20 minutes, and bulgur about 15. Once cooked, leave lids on pots and let grains absorb water for about 10-15 minutes. Thoroughly chill.
3. Make a roux using remaining oil and the all-purpose flour. Allow to cool.
4. In mixer with paddle attachment combine the sautéed vegetables, oats, rice, bulgur, liquid smoke, roux, egg whites and cheese.  Add pepper.
5. Divide mixture into 12 equal mini-patties:½ inch thick and 2 ½ round. Or size to your liking.
6. Bake patties at 325 for about 20 minutes.  For larger patties, allow 5-10 additional minutes.
7. Pro-Tip:  Make sure to turn patties over halfway through backing to keep an even light brown color.
8. Serve on a whole wheat bun, or with side salad, peas and simple macaroni and cheese.