Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and saute until the mushrooms are soft and any moisture has evaporated. Add the bell pepper and carrot and saute a few minutes more.
Let the veggies cool then pulse them in a food processor with the baby spinach, just until the spinach is chopped.Don't over-process it into mush.
Add the lentils and pulse until the lentils are partially smooth, but some whole lentils remain. The mixture should be just a little chunky and not overly smooth.
Scrape the lentil mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the dill, soy sauce, mustard, salt, cheddar and breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes or more. This isn't completely necessary, but it does make the burgers hold together better.
The number of burgers this recipe makes depends on what size patty you prefer. I like to make 8 to 12 small burgers and serve them on mini-buns. You could also make larger burgers. If you want perfectly round burgers, drop the batter in the middle of a biscuit cutter and use your fingers to shape the patty.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive in a saute pan over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the burgers on each side until the outside is slightly crispy and the middle is heated through.
Serve alone or on a bun with an extra slice of cheddar if desired, avocado, lettuce, ketchup or aioli .
recipe 2012 Jennifer Meier licensed to About.com, Inc.
How to Cook Lentil Beans For this recipe, 1 cup raw green or brown lentils will yield about 2 cups cooked lentils.
Lentil measurments and equivalents Lentil varieties are mostly differentiated by color: yellow, red, orange, brown, green and black.
Yellow, red and orange lentils don't hold their shape as well and get quite soft and mushy when cooked. They work best in soups and purees. Brown and green lentils hold their shape well, if not overcooked. Green French Puy lentils, lentilles du Puy , hold their shape really well as do black "beluga" lentils.
Lentils do not need to be pre-soaked before cooking, however, they should be rinsed and picked through to remove shriveled or broken beans and debris. To cook, add enough water to a pot to completely cover the lentils (at least a 2:1 ration of water to lentils) then drain off remaining water when the lentils are done.
Lentils are gently simmered in unsalted water, uncovered, until tender. Depending on the type of lentil, cooking time will generally take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.
How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs Making fresh breadcrumbs is easy. Rip a few slices of bread (white or whole wheat) into chunks. For this recipe, the bread can be fresh or slightly stale. Pulse in a food processor until the bread has the texture of breadcrumbs.
