Healthy Family: Forget beef with the ultimate veggie burger

I'm not a vegetarian, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying a good veggie burger from time to time. There's something about a hearty bean-based patty, nestled in a bun with cool, crunchy vegetables that's supremely satisfying. So much so that even the meat-loving men in my family enjoy them. Since I'm working on cutting back on the meat in our family diet, any meatless meal that makes my crew happy goes into the "win" file.

No, they don't take the place of the full beef burger experience, but they do offer an interesting, full-flavored alternative. The beauty of the veggie burger is that they make a terrific vehicle for a wide variety of flavors. While cumin seems to be the go-to spice in many versions, I like to mix it up a bit and add mint, garlic and lemon, which lends a Greek element to the dish.

If there's one issue with the veggie burger concept, it's the mush factor. It happens because the ingredients in vegetarian burgers tend to be wet. For that reason, I like to make sure I precook the vegetables and, in the case of the spinach, thoroughly squeeze out as much excess water as possible after it's cooked. I also take one more step and roast the beans for a bit, again with the goal of removing any excess moisture.

Serving the veggie burger can be as simple or as complex as you'd like. I typically serve them as I would a beef burger, in a bun with the traditional condiments. In this case, though, I like to use more of the uncooked baby spinach in place of lettuce. For added crunch, you could add thinly sliced onions and pickles. Tomatoes deserve a spot on the bun, too. These burgers have so much flavor on their own that I find I don't need mustard or mayo, but some may disagree.

I also like to use these veggie burgers in pitas, as a falafel substitute, or on a fresh spinach salad with tomato wedges, onions and pine nuts and a sprinkling of lemon juice and olive oil.

See if you agree: Veggie burgers can be terrific.