We went out to a Brazilian steakhouse Monday night for a birthday dinner, and I ate a quantity of meat that I might describe as obscene. So, for dinner the following night, I felt like maybe we should have something light.

A good veggie burger is satisfying without being heavy. There are lots of varieties of veggie burgers, based on any number of main ingredients, including things like textured soy protein. This recipe results in a very soft patty with a really good flavor that makes no attempt to taste like beef. It’s also dark green and swampy looking, so be warned.

You’ll need:

• 2 cups cooked beans
• 8 oz raw mushrooms
• 1/2 lb fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 sprigs of fresh oregano
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3-4 tbsp sesame oil

The first six ingredients go into the food processor. I’d recommend doing the spinach first, and breaking it into two batches, then setting it aside once it’s pureed finely. Once everything is broken down, combine it thoroughly. You should be able to dump it all back into the food processor if you have a 7-cup model, if you don’t feel like doing a lot of hand mixing.

Blend in the flour gradually. You may need to adjust up or down. The texture you’re looking for is like thick oatmeal.

Pour the sesame oil into a pan and heat it up until it’s just starting to shimmer. Spread the batter (for lack of a better word) out 1/2″ thick in your desired patty size. Cook on medium-high heat until the bottom solidifies and browns – it will take several minutes. Don’t try to flip it too soon or it will break apart.

Once the patties are cooked on both sides, slide onto a bun and top with your favorite salsa, and you’re ready to go.

I served these with sweet potato fries, which I’ll post tomorrow.