Textured vegetable protein (aka textured soy protein) or TVP for short is our new friend. In case you’re wondering, we didn’t quite make it through our cleanse. The first 24 hours were pretty brutal with headaches, grumbly stomachs and incredibly low energy levels (duh, that’s what happens when you cut the fun out of your diet). I’m pretty sure I didn’t even send one email that day, which is saying a lot. So to those who endorse and love cleanse and detox plans, more power to you. I’m just not one of you!

However, there were benefits that came out of that special hell. One, coffee the next morning was absolutely heavenly. I hadn’t appreciated coffee like that in a long while. Secondly, shopping for the cleanse really opened my eyes to how much at the store is really not that great for you. We’ve overall been much better about eating less and healthier since then. And as of right now, we’re still subbing in one liquid meal (vegetable smoothie or soup) which not only makes you feel better but also is faster and in some ways cheaper! So from that standpoint, I recommend subjecting yourself to a well planned detox/cleanse for as long as you can stand it. It’s truly a memorable experience.

So back to TVP. Mike and I sometimes crave burgers and fries. There was a time when we satisfied that with a McDonald’s Angus burger. And then we moved on to hand formed 1/2 lb lamb burgers (can you say rock in your stomach?). And now, we are at the frozen veggie burger portion of our journey. Perhaps someday we’ll be hand grinding our own veggie patties…who knows! But until that day comes, Amy’s veggie burgers have been a great weekday dinner. We keep whole grain buns and the veggie burgers in the freezer, so they make an awesome “what’s for dinner” meal. Great served with sweet potato fries or a salad, we’ve found that topping them with sauteed mushrooms or sliced avocado really takes it up a notch.

Currently we like the California style Amy’s veggie burgers but there are quite a few to choose from. Here’s a sample meal plan.

Turn on oven to 400. While the oven is heating, saute 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms (per person that you’ll be feeding) in olive oil. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, garlic salt and a little cumin. Use a medium heat. While these are sizzling, cut up one sweet potato (skin on) into fry shapes. Put on a cookie sheet, toss in a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite seasoning and put in the oven. Once your mushrooms are nice and brown, remove to a bowl. Add a little more olive oil to your pan and add your veggie burger patty (straight from the freezer is fine). Let it brown on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Put your frozen burger buns in the oven and toss the sweet potato fries so that they cook evenly. Flip your veggie patty (it should be nice and brown) and top with the sauteed mushrooms. Add some shredded cheddar cheese over the shrooms and cover the pan. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes. If the fries aren’t quite done, you can turn the heat off the veggie patty and leave covered. Make sure you take out the buns before they get too crispy! Once everything is to your satisfaction, assemble your burger and enjoy!