Butternut Squash Burger
[Vegan, Gluten-Free]

To Make the Pickled Red Onions:

1. Slice the onions, throw them in a jar of vinegar, and let them sit overnight.

To Make the Shiitake Bacon:

1. Slice the mushrooms and coat them in all the ingredients
2. Bake them in the oven at 250°F for 30 minutes.
3. Rotate the mushrooms midway so they cook evenly. They should come out crispy but not hard.

To Make the Burger:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the squash, chopped onion, and roughly chopped apples to the baking sheet.
3. Toss them with olive oil to coat and season them with salt and pepper.
4. Place your coated ingredients in the oven for 20 minutes. Toss them with a spatula and return them to the oven for an addition 15-20 minutes or until the mixture begins to brown then remove it from the oven and set the ingredients aside.
5. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a fine flour is achieved.
6. Now add the minced garlic, sage, thyme, chickpeas, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and the roasted ingredients to the food processor.
7. Pulse the ingredients 10-15 times to combine them. You may have to do this in batches.
8. Remove the mixture from food processor and toss in your dried cranberries and smashed toasted pecans.
9. Shape the mixture into six patties.
10. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with a drizzle of olive. Cook veggie burgers for 6 minutes and then flip burgers and continue to cook them for an additional 4-6 minutes.
11. Serve them warm and top them with arugula, vegan mayo, avocado, shiitake bacon, and pickled red onions.