Houston's Veggie Burger

What inspires you?  I have been inspired by a few things lately:

1) Yoga - I bought an amazon local deal for 30 days of unlimited hot yoga, so I have made a commitment to go everyday for 30 days.  Hot yoga is kind of like child-birth ... if you remembered just how grueling it was the first time you wouldn't do it again.  It seems I forget just how hot yoga really is before I go again. But after I am done, it is well worth the benefits.  For one, I end up eating healthier when I'm working out regularly.  I seem to crave healthier food.  It's a win-win really!

2) The Veggie Burgers at Hillstone (formerly Houston's) - Have you had these?  They are absolutely amazing.  I'm not even a vegetarian, and I am obsessed with them!  Hence this recipe.

This recipe is not exactly Hillstone's, but it gets pretty close.  It's "meaty," a little spicy, and a little sweet ... all the things Hillstone captures in one little patti!

A couple notes on this.  If you are having trouble getting the patties to stay together, add a little more oat bran and another egg white.  Together they serve as the binder for this.  Also, make sure the patties are really seared before flipping them over on the other side.  Finally, if you need to, you can blend the mix in a blender for a bit.  I would try to avoid this, as it can make the burgers mushy, but it does help the patties stay in one piece.

3) Chow Locally - It has inspired me to eat locally and organically.  It is my new fav website find. Chow Locally is an online marketplace dedicated to bringing local farms to local tables.  They have a program called Chow Share.  With a Chow Share subscription, every week you get:

• "7-10 varieties of freshly harvested organic or naturally grown produce from local farmers
• Easy and healthy recipes using each week's items prepared by our chef and dietitian team"

I just signed up and got my first Chow Share last Wednesday.  I used these ingredients from my Chow Share to make this recipe:  

Chioggia Beets

(above - how beautiful are these??  They look like a painting!)

Brown Tepary Beans

Arugula  

It was so much fun to pick up my local produce!  They even send you what you are going to get a week before your delivery so you can plan your weekly menu ahead of time!

This is such cool new website find of mine!  I highly recommend this to my Arizona peeps!  And anyone outside of Arizona, don't fret.  They plan to expand to other areas.  Go on their site to tell them where you would like the program to go next!

I hope you have been inspired lately, and I hope this recipe inspires you!