When adopting a vegan diet the first thing everyone seems to miss is a burger. My boys love a good burger with loads of tomato sauce, fried onions and lots of salad. So to keep everyone happy here's a really good meat-free, vegan alternative for you to try.

There are plenty of vegan cheeses that melt available in supermarkets now and I pile my bap with green salad, red peppers, tomatoes, fried onions, sprouts, avocado and tomato sauce. It really is a taste sensation!

If your burger seems a little too soft, add more flour to the mix — and remember, a burger doesn't have to be round! If you don't have a bun, stick it between two slices of your favourite bread.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ¾ cup chopped onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 6 ounces of mushrooms
• 8 ounces of green lentils
• 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon rock salt
• ¾ cup spelt flour (if using gluten-free flour, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum)

Instructions

1. Sauté the onions in olive oil until golden, adding the garlic towards the end.
2. Boil the lentils for 15 minutes, or until just cooked — not too soft.
3. Blend the mushrooms with the onions, garlic, lentils, mustard, herbs, salt and pepper until combined. If the mixture is sticky, add more flour until you can form patties.
4. Shape into burgers and cook in a frying pan on both sides until golden brown.
5. Serve in wholemeal buns with a huge salad and all your favourite toppings.

Enjoy! These are a firm favourite in our house — even the non-vegans come back for seconds.