I’ve never had a Walnut Burger before but thanks to Cheri, my boyfriends mom, I am on a mission to make and eat one!

The only time it’s hard being veggie is a cookout. Yes, I could always grill vegetables but let’s get real folks, sometimes your not in the mood for a roasted pepper or portabella sandwich. I occasionally will down a fake burger, but  I’m not the biggest fan of burgers made out of soy protein isolate. I gave up meat because I wanted a healthier lifestyle for myself and the environment and consuming lots of fake meat analogs is hypocritical to me. I promise one of these days I will actually write about nutrition (like why soy protein isolate isn’t great and you’re probably eating it in more ways than you know) and exercise but I just can’t help to want to cook all the time! As I tell my family… I majored in nutrition for a reason! I am always talkin’ food

So, thank you again Cheri for this recipe and picture. It looks delicious! It’s vegetarian but if you wanted to make it vegan, I suggest swapping out the eggs for EnerG or 3 tbsp. flax seeds mixed with water and use an alternate milk source.

Walnut Burger

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A perfect summers day to me? Morning run, reading by the pool and having friends over for an afternoon cookout. Which then comes to the eternal pool-side catch-22: how to feel comfortable in your bathing suit while still enjoying yummy grilled food.

No, your daily turkey sandwich isn’t good for you. Neither is bacon, pepperoni, sausage, hotdogs, corned beef, or other cold cuts. And it’s not just because of their sodium or fat content. All processed meats contain sodium nitrate, a color stabilizer found in all of the above products. Nitrates are known cancer-causing agents, and are linked to cancer of the brain, esophagus, bladder and mouth. Research also shows that individuals who eat 3oz. or more per day, have a 15% increased risk of stomach cancer and 68% risk of pancreatic cancer.

These facts aren’t meant as scare tactics, but rather to get you thinking about your current lunch meal. More than likely, it’s some type of cold-cut sandwich: bologna, turkey, beef, or ham.

Here’s a recipe for a sandwich filling option that is high in calcium and protein and perfect in a wrap, pita, or 100% whole wheat sandwich. It’s also an interesting way to add tofu into your diet. Don’t like tofu? No problem, but I would suggest cutting down your intake of nitrate-filled foods to no more than 1-2X a week. Good swaps: tomato and cheese sandwich, hummus wrap, couscous salad (see previous post), leftovers from last night, bean and cheese burrito, bean salad, soup, or a salad sandwich.

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