It’s cold out there, so let’s make believe we’re in a warm climate for a bit. How about Hawaii? Say aloha to some Hawaiian bacon burgers!

I found this recipe in an awesome cookbook called, “Betty Goes Vegan.” It’s a cookbook with some of the old Betty Crocker recipes changed to make them vegan.

I’m going to be honest with you about this recipe – they’re burgers, but you will still be in the kitchen for at least an hour. Think of it as quality time to make a recipe you will want to eat over and over again and share with your friends.

My family loves this recipe. But this dish was just a little challenging to eat because it turned out to be quite a tall burger, with many toppings between the buns.

When you’re talking about peppers, pineapples, onions and tempeh, you’re talking about healthy items though.

Now, when you make these Hawaiian bacon burgers, serve them with sweet potato fries. That’s the perfect combination.

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On your burger, use the vegan mayonnaise called Vegenaise, but don’t use ketchup, mustard or pickles. That will ruin your Hawaiian taste.

Also, when you take each bite, close your eyes and think about being on a tropical island.

Enjoy the trip with your taste buds to paradise and of course, enjoy that vegan thing.

 

HAWAIIAN BACON BURGER

2 tablespoons of olive oil

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2 dashes of liquid smoke

4 vegan burger patties defrosted

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

8 slices of smoked tempeh

4 pineapple rings

4 whole wheat hamburger buns that do not include milk

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½ cup teriyaki sauce

½ red onion sliced into rings

½ green pepper sliced

Romaine lettuce leaves

Vegenaise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In your frying pan, heat the olive oil and a dash of liquid smoke over medium heat.

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Add the burgers. Drizzle half of the pineapple juice over the burgers. Flip them until they’re brown on both sides.

While they’re cooking, add the smoked tempeh to the pan and cook until crispy.

After you remove the burgers and bacon from the skillet, put in another dash of liquid smoke and more oil. Then put the pineapple rings in the pan with the rest of the juice and heat. Flip the rings a few times so they brown evenly.

While the burgers and pineapples are cooking, put the buns on a pizza stone, open and face down, and place them in the oven until they’re slightly toasted.

After the cooking and baking, it is time to build your burgers.

Take the top half of the buns off the pizza stone and set aside. Flip the bottom buns over and put the burgers on them. Brush the buns with the teriyaki sauce. Then put the pineapple rings on the burgers and brush the rings and burgers with more teriyaki.

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Put back in the oven to bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until burgers have a nice glaze.

After taking them out of the oven, spread some Vegenaise on the top buns.

Then stack the pepper, onion ring, lettuce and a couple pieces of smoked tempeh on the bottom half. Add the top bun and serve.

 

Jeff Peterson anchors the news from 5 to 7 a.m. on CBS 13 and from 7 to 8 a.m. on FOX 23 and is a vegan.


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