Earth Burger Bento

This is a bento I packed for myself. This bento has an earth burger (recipe below)with avocado, monterrey jack cheese, sprouts, dijon, and lettuce. I also packed cherry tomatoes, a boiled egg, fruit, and cranberry apple crunch sweetened with honey.

This recipe is adopted from Gini Crowley who used to own Gini's Restaurant and Bakery in San Antonio. I worked there for three years and her mother earthburgers were one of my favorite things on the menu. Gini's no longer exists so I was so happy to find her recipe for the whole grain patties in the San Antonio Express News (archived-Wednesday, February 26, 2003. Record Number: 656150).

I have provided the recipe below. For conveniance I substituted frozen diced bell peppers and onions. I don't have a food processor and will take shortcuts in the kitchen as long as they don't cost too much and will not compromise the integrity of the final product. The rest of the ingredients can easily be found at Sun Harvest if you're in San Antonio.

Gini's Earthburgers

10 cups water

1 bay leaf

2.5 pounds peeled and quartered potatoes

1/2 pound barley

1/2 pound brown rice (short or long grain)

1/2 pound whole wheat berries

2 cups old-fashioned oats (not cooked)

2 pounds thinly sliced or shredded onions

1/2 pound grated carrots

1/2 pound bell peppers, diced small by hand or in food processor

1.5 teaspoons dried basil

11/2 teaspoons granulated garlic

1.5 teaspoons dried sage

1.5 teaspoons dried thyme

1.5 teaspoons dried tarragon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons vegetable salt

1 pound fat-free whole wheat bread crumbs

Bring water to a boil with bay leaf and potatoes. Add whole grains (barley, rice and wheat berries). Lower heat and cover. Cook 45 minutes, or until grains are tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat, add the oatmeal, and stir.

While the grains are cooking, spray a heavy nonstick skillet with Pam, heat the pan and add the onions. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are browned and caramelized. Add carrots and green peppers and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Remove bay leaf from pot and place grains in heavy mixing bowl. (A heavy duty Kitchen Aid mixer can handle the load. If not available, mix by hand. Potatoes should be broken up before they cool). Mix until potatoes are thoroughly mashed. Add all seasonings and the cooked vegetables and mix until well blended. Add bread crumbs and mix again. Cool mixture for several hours or overnight in refrigerator. Divide into 24 (7-ounce, by weight) or 3/4 cup portions and form into patties about 1/2-inch thick. (Wetting your hands helps to form the patties.) Place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake on lower shelf of 450-degree oven until bottoms have browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and flip over; continue baking until other side has browned. Stack on a plate or cutting board and continue baking batches until all of the mixture is used. When cool, individually wrap patties in plastic wrap and freeze. (Patties may be eaten right away, but the freezing process improves the texture.) (Recipe can be halved.)

To serve: Thaw patty. Heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes or heat slowly in a nonstick pan. Serve on a toasted whole-wheat bun with or without cheese, avocado, sunflower or sesame seeds, lettuce, tomato and alfalfa sprouts and dijon mustard-Yum.

Approximate nutritional values per serving: 194 calories, 1 gram fat.