Lentil & Wild Rice Mushroom Onion Burger

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Chop a handful of mushroom slices or enough to equal one cup, reserve the remaining sliced mushrooms and onions for sautéing later.
2. Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the chopped onions and celery for 2-3 minutes to soften. Add the chopped mushrooms, two cloves of minced garlic, and the chopped kale. Continue sautéing an additional one to two minutes then stir in the chopped herbs, miso and lemon zest. Stir to combine then remove from the heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, lentils, bread crumbs, and walnuts. Stir in the sautéed mixture, season with freshly ground salt and pepper, stir to combine then set it aside. Sauté the remaining onion slices in an additional half tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently until the onions are nicely caramelized. Try adding an optional teaspoon of maple syrup the last minute of cooking to deepen the caramelized flavor, season with freshly ground salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the caramelized onions to a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms for 3-4 minutes. Add one additional clove of garlic, minced and sauté stirring an additional 1-2 minutes or until the garlic has browned lightly. Transfer to another bowl and reserve.
5. Heat a large skillet or flat grill to medium high. Shape 6-8 large or 8-10 regular size patties. Reduce the heat to medium, lightly oil the grill then cook each patty for 12-15 minutes each side until firm and well browned. During the last 3-4 minutes of cook time place a serving of the sautéd mushrooms on top of the each patty then top that with with a slice of vegan white cheese. Continue cooking until the bottom of the patty is well-browned and the cheese begins to soften over the mushrooms.
6. While the patties are cooking combine one teaspoon of horseradish with 1/4 cup vegan mayo in a small bowl, stir well. Spread the mayo on the inside of each half of the bun and transfer the buns to the hot grill for toasting. Place the mayo side down on the hot surface and toast the bun until golden brown, transfer the bottom half of the bun onto a serving plate. Top it with lettuce and tomato. Place the patty on the lettuce and tomato, top it with a serving of caramelized onion and the second half of the bun. Garnish the top of the bun with a sprig of fresh thyme and an onion ring.
7. Serve with a side of the horseradish mayo and optional onion rings, fries, or salads. Patties are great reheated. Cook them all in advance then refrigerate covered until ready to use. Reheat in a skillet or microwave. Make this gluten-free by substituting the breadcrumbs for ground oats and the bun with butter lettuce leaves to make it a lettuce wrap.
8. *Note
9. *Recipe courtesy of [url=http://www.veganculinarymemoirs.com]http://www.veganculinarymemoirs.com[/url].