How I 'invented' a burger that keeps me on the wheat-free lane
I 'invented' a burger that keeps me on the wheat-free lane. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Then it hit me: I was going to make a burger! It took me 10 minutes to make this delicious and healthy gluten-free burger.
- It was so good that I ate half of it while still standing at the kitchen counter.
- Or maybe I was just too hungry.
Wheat has been branded over and over again as one of the chief enemies of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The gluten in wheat grain and the sugar that accompanies most wheat-based recipes are cautioned against by nearly all health and wellness materials I have come across.
Actually, in that Facebook group I talked about last week, we have completely eliminated wheat from our diet for the past 16 days. It is very inspiring to see the wonderful alternatives that people have come up with to replace staple breakfast meals such as bread, cakes, mandazi and chapati.
It took me 10 minutes to make this delicious and healthy gluten-free burger. PHOTO| MARION MAINA
NECESSITY TRULY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
The group’s timeline is dotted with oat pancakes, baked sweet potatoes, coconut bread and many more non-wheat delicacies most of which I never had thought of.
With the elimination of readily available wheat goods, people are getting really creative in the kitchen and coming up with healthier and delicious alternatives.
The other day I woke up to an email that required me to attend an urgent meeting scheduled at 10:00a.m not so far away from my home.
As I was preparing to leave, I thought it wise to have a light breakfast then come back home to prepare and indulge in some heavy lunch. It was going to be a brief meeting after all.
There was some left-over cabbage fried with bits of pork in the fridge. I used this for filling along with a slice of avocado. PHOTO| MARION MAINA
The meeting ended and just as I was about to rush back home, the phone rang. This IT guy whom I had been hustling to secure a meeting with was had a free one hour window and wanted to know if I was available to meet.
FAMISHED
I forgot about the lunch and hopped into a matatu for the meeting. While in the meeting, my colleague called and we decided to get together and discuss a few things now that I was already in town.
By the time I was done with all my meetings it was 6.30 pm and I was starving.
The little yoghurt I had taken for breakfast with a small banana and a handful of nuts had been completely used up by around midday. Aside from water, I hadn’t had the chance to grab anything else.
As I rode the matatu back home, I caught sight of this huge Urban Eatery billboard displaying a humongous burger that dripped with goodness. I could almost taste the juicy filling and crusty bun of that burger.
My tummy rumbled on as my eyes feasted on that billboard. My hunger pangs intensified and all I could think of was sinking my teeth into a juicy crusty burger.
At this point, I couldn’t care less for my great off wheat progress.
I completely forgot my aversion to processed meats and sugary dressing such as ketchup. I needed that burger so bad.
AN ETERNITY LATER…
I reached home after what felt like eternity and after hurriedly greeting my parents, I made my way to my favourite part of the entire house, the kitchen.
There was some left-over cabbage fried with bits of pork in the fridge. I used this for filling along with a slice of avocado. PHOTO| MARION MAINA
I instinctively reached out for one of those tiny green mangoes that are in season and as I washed it in the sink, my other hand swung open the fridge as I quickly analysed the contents therein, a thousand and one recipes swimming in my hunger- blurred mind.
Then it hit me: I was going to make a burger! It took me 10 minutes to make this delicious and healthy gluten-free burger. It was so good that I ate half of it while still standing at the kitchen counter.
Or maybe I was just too hungry. Short of it is that this was a very tasty burger that can be enjoyed without worrying too much about the waistline.
Ingredients for the bun:
1. 1 teaspoon of baking powder
2. I egg
3. 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
4. I teaspoon of honey or sweetener of your choice (I mashed half a banana)
5. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Method
1. Beat the egg
2. Add the baking powder and whisk thoroughly.
3. Add the sweetener and vanilla essence and mixed completely.
4. Add the peanut butter and stir completely to have a smooth creamy mixture.
5. Grease a microwave friendly bowl with a little butter. Transfer the mixture in the bowl and microwave for five minutes.
THE FILLING
There was some left-over cabbage fried with bits of pork in the fridge. I used this for filling along with a slice of avocado.
The result was a delicious burger that dripped with cabbage strips. Try this out sometime.
