Change it Up: Lentil Walnut Burgers

A little over a month ago, I embarked on a mission to get you to #LoveLentils as much as I do. And why not? They’re tasty, versatile, incredibly affordable and a pure nutrition powerhouse. Allow me to refresh your memory:

10 Super Cool Facts about Canadian Lentils

1. There are 8.5 grams of fibre and 7 grams of protein in just half a cup of cooked Canadian lentils.
2. Canadian Lentils are an excellent source of folate and iron, and a good source of selenium and zinc.
3. The most common types of lentils grown in Canada are green and red. Also grown in Canada are black Beluga and French Green or Du Puy lentils.
4. Canada produces 67 per cent of the world’s lentil supply. (!!!)
5. In 2011, over 2.55 million acres of lentils were planted in Canada by over 5,000 lentil growers.
6. Canada is the world’s leading exporter of lentils, exporting a total value of $872,956,572 in lentils in 2011.
7. Canada only begun growing lentils in 1970, meaning it is a relatively new crop to Canada.
8. Saskatchewan is the largest lentil growing province, accounting for 95 per cent of total Canadian production.
9. India is the biggest importer of Canadian lentils.
10. Lentil growing originated from the wild lentils that still grow in Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries.

Reminder: You’ve got just two days left to enter my giveaway of Chef Michael Smith’s latest book – Chef Michael Smith’s Kitchen!

Now it’s obvious that I’ve got a thing for Canadian lentils, and Chef Smith has a thing for Canadian lentils – but I was actually quite floored to see a droolworthy lentils-based dish in my Facebook News Feed: Lina and Steven Zussino of GroceryAlerts.ca posted pictures of their latest culinary masterpiece: Lentil Walnut Burgers!

(As an aside, have you visited Grocery Alerts? It’s like, the BEST place to find grocery deals, grocery coupons, frugal recipes and expert advice on how to save money on groceries. And apparently, they share my love of healthy, delicious food!)

So I basically messaged Lina immediately and begged her to share the recipe with y’all – thankfully, she was happy to oblige! Here you go –

Lentil Walnut Burgers
Makes 6 medium size patties

1 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
3 medium large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp of sea salt
2 cups of cooked green lentils
1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp hemp hearts
1 whole apple, peeled and diced
3/4 cup walnuts
Pepper to taste

In skillet over medium heat pour olive oil, adding onions, garlic, sea salt and pepper to taste and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Using a food processor combine the cooked lentils with the onion mixture and puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the oats, hemp hearts and walnuts; leaving the walnuts roughly chopped without pulverizing. Transfer into a large bowl and mix in the diced apple.

Place the mixture into the fridge, this allows the patties to become firmer and easier to shape.

To cook patties, place a skillet over medium to high heat with adding olive oil to fry patties. Take 2 heaping tablespoons of mixture to form patties with hands and flatten gently. Fry patties for 6-9 minutes on each side until golden and a crust has developed.

Serve on a whole-wheat bun or on a pita. Dress with lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, and mustard, (optional)

If the sight of a thick, juicy lentil burger served with grilled sweet potatoes does not make you want to reach through your computer screen, we can’t be friends.

Special thanks to Lina and Steven for sharing this amazing recipe. Wonder if it would receive Chef Smith’s stamp of approval? Only one way to find out!

This post is sponsored by Canadian Lentils. The opinions on this blog are my own. And, I happen to #LoveLentils.