These babies are a huge hit with vegetarians  and carnivores alike. I love making these into BLT burgers with some wild Boar bacon from my local butcher and some beautiful summer tomatoes!

This week I made them for my friend Hayley. She’s been a vegetarian since birth! She’s also an incredibe athlete and she needs good vegetarian protein sources because of her training schedule. So for 4th of July, while the rest of us were eating some grass-fed burgers, Hayley got her very own paleo veggie burger!

These are mostly paleo, there are no grains or sugar or dairy. I usually make them with a white miso paste which is a fermented soy product. This paste is organic and non-GMO. Fermenting grains and legumes greatly decreases their toxic properties and will lessen any GI distress that is normally associated with such foods. The miso is a minor part of the recipe, so it could be swapped out with a little tahini, coconut aminos, other spices and herbs, even a touch of honey. These could also be made into allergy-free burgers for the nut allergy folks. Most people with nut allergies can tolerate sunflower seeds. So just remove the almonds and add in some more seeds and carrot.

Nutty Burgers

2 c. raw sunflower seeds
3/4 c. raw almonds
2 Tbsp. white Organic Miso (alternative: coconut aminos and a little tahini to taste or omit completely)
1/2 c. shredded carrots
2 Tbsp. parsley leaves
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
3. Process until well combined and sticky. (no need for oil or liquid, the sunflower seeds breakdown into a paste.)
4. Form patties into the size of your palm (about 3- 4 oz.)
5. Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 20 mins until golden brown.
6. Serve on lettuce leaves with tomato, avocado (and some BACON for the meat lovers)