Veggies beware!­­

02-10-2016 - Unfortunately, we can’t avoid it; the days are getting shorter and you fancy delicious, nutritious, hot dishes. Meat is often associated with nutritious. But what if you eat little or no meat? It is especially important to make sure you do not get a deficiency of iron, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12. These are vitamins and minerals that are found mainly in meat and dairy products, but you can also get these in other ways.

First some theory. Later we’ll talk treats.

Our body needs iron to transport oxygen. It is present mainly in animal products. The body better absorbs iron in animal products than iron from plant products. Vegetarians should therefore eat more iron-rich foods than non-vegetarians. Green vegetables are rich in iron, eg broccoli and spinach. Iron is also found in cereals such as bread. In combination with vitamin C, iron is better absorbed. To give you an idea of u200bu200bhow much iron some products contain below a brief overview:

Vitamin B1 is also called Thiamine. Daily dose for adults is 1.1 mg of vitamin B1. The main sources of this vitamin are pork and grain. 100 grams of lean pork contains about half of the quantity that we need daily.

Vitamin B12 helps you to build up a good resistance. Furthermore, it plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and ensures the proper functioning of the nervous system. The recommended daily dose is 2.8 micrograms per day. B12 is found only in animal products such as meat and dairy. If you buy meat substitutes in the supermarket, make sure that vitamin B12 has been added.

Okay enough theory. Time for a treat: The vegetarian burger

Legumes are excellent meat substitutes; they provide protein, iron and vitamin. B1. They are the main ingredients of this veggie burger, which will even make the biggest meat lover happy. By the way you will need a food processor for this recipe.

 Four people:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 onion sliced

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1/2 a teaspoon cumin seeds

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 200 grams of lentils (drained canned or freshly soaked)

• 200 grams chickpeas (drained canned or freshly soaked)

• 1/2 a tablespoon tahinpaste (this is sesame seed paste)

• 1 tablespoon chopped herbs (parsley, basil, chives)

• 1/2 egg

• 50 grams fresh breadcrumbs

• 50 grams grated gruyere or any other grated cheese

• 50 grams feta cheese, crumbled

• Flour

• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chopped onion gently over at medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper and braise all half a minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Mash the lentils and chickpeas in a food processor, then add the onion mixture, tahin and spices and continue mixing until there is a smooth mixture. Then add half the egg, breadcrumbs and cheese. This does not have to be mixed for too long. If the mixture is too wet add more breadcrumbs, if it is to dry add a little more egg or tahinpaste. Add pepper and a little pinch of salt.

Form the burgers of the mixture and sprinkle the top and bottom with flour. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and fry the Vega burger on both sides until brown.

You can eat these delicious burgers on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and avocado. A sauce such as homemade yogurt lime sauce, yogurt garlic sauce or chilli sauce will even make it tastier. Bon appetit!