Who can resist a good BBQ. Even we live-foodist reminisce about the annual family picnic culinary bounty or beach-side BBQ. Yes, we too remember the smell of the grill firing. It’s a task to ignore the sweet and smokey aroma, which transports one back to a time when succulent, spicy Louisiana hot links and sugar-glazed chicken reined supreme. Good thing most, if not all, cooked foods can be prepared live without compromising authentic flavor or your health. BBQ is not exempt.

Seasoning is key in making your favorite BBQ-flavored live summer recipes. Of course you’ll require some necessities, such as cumin seed, tomatoes, hot peppers and an organic BBQ seasoning. It’s best to get seasoning without salt. But if you cannot find it, pick up one that contains sea salt instead of iodized salt.

The origins of our modern-day barbecue can be traced back to the natives of the West Indies, who preserved meat by placing it on racks to sundry.

So it seems more than fitting this week’s recipe is a BBQ nut burger. Only, instead of sun-drying racks, you’ll use a dehydrator.

A sure to be favorite even amongst your peers who are not vegans or live-foodists, the Back-2-Live Hawaiian BBQ Burger is fulfilling, nutritious and actually taste like a bona fied BBQ burger.

Health-Conscious BBQ Facts & Tips:

Traditional barbecued meats produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. PAHs form when fats from chicken, steak and types of fish are re-deposited onto the grilled meat due to the high heat exposure. PAHs have been linked to various cancer risks, including colon, stomach and breast cancers.

You can decrease the amount of carcinogens present in your favorite BBQ delights by adding lemon or apple cider vinegar to your meats before grilling.

Many commercial BBQ sauces contain harmful preservatives, such as High Fructose Corn Syrup also known as Malt Dextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Monosodium Glutamate, better known as MSG, and Modified Food Starches. When selecting BBQ sauces, it’s best to stay away from these ingredients, which have been known to cause a variety of health ailments. Go for the clean BBQ sauce or make your own.

Hawaiian BBQ Walnut Burger

Serves 2 – 4

Equipment Needed:

*Food Processor
*Dehydrator

Ingredients:

Burger Patty

• 2 Cups Dried Walnuts (Make sure you’ve soaked them for 8-hours before drying)
• 1/3 C Red Onion
• 4 Cloves Whole Garlic
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp BBQ Seasoning (Trader Joes African Smoke Seasoning Recommended)
• 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 5-8 Pitted, Oil-cured, Black Olives
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Sage Leaves
• 1/2 Habanero or Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper, deseeded
• 1 tsp Whole Cumin Seed
• 1/3 Cup Raisins
• 3 Raw Nori Seaweed Sheets

Burger Fixings

• Green Leaf or Butter Lettuce
• Pineapple
• Cucumber
• Cilantro (optional)
• Basil (optional)
• Beef Steak Tomatoes
• Red Onion

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in the food processor.
2. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and walnut ground slightly clumps together.
3. Remove mixture from food processor.
4. Form patties.
5. Place in dehydrator at 105 degrees for an hour.
6. For a denser texture, leave in dehydrator for up to 3 hours.
7. Thinly slice pineapple (Make sure to remove eyes!), onion and cucumber and set aside.

Assembly:

1. After removing burger patties from dehydrator, rinse and dry lettuce.
2. Fold lettuce edges inward toward the center of the lettuce leaf.
3. Hold in place.
4. Place patty on top lettuce.
5. Add additional condiments at this time.
6. Place sliced tomato, pineapple and cucumber on top of dressed patty.
7. Add Basil, onion and cilantro.
8. Repeat lettuce technique and place on top.

Enjoy.