Whether you’re a vegetarian or you simply enjoy the health benefits of meat-free meals, veggie burgers are a delicious alternative to your regular greasy beef patty. These simple, nutritious veggie burger recipes offer a variety of different takes on the classic vegetarian dish.

Open-Faced Falafel Burgers [MyRecipes]
Middle Eastern falafel is normally stuffed inside of a pita, but this recipe adds an American spin by preparing it like a burger. The falafel patties are filled with nutritious veggies and spices like cumin and coriander. Top the patties with a light, refreshing tahini sauce for a unique dish that will excite your taste buds.

Best-Ever Veggie Burger [The Kitchn]
Most veggie burgers lack the protein-fueled umami taste stimulated by meat burgers, but not in this particular recipe. Even vegetarians can enjoy the hearty, savory flavor that meat provides with this complex veggie burger, created by roasting the ingredients and using the perfect blend of smoky spices.

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burger [AllRecipes]
Add a taste of the Southwest to your burger night with this flavorful black bean version. It takes just a few common ingredients and 35 minutes to create these healthy, delicious veggie burgers right in your own kitchen. You can even toss them on the outdoor grill for a traditional summer barbecue taste without the usual meat.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Steven Depolo

"Believe the hype," Yelp reviewers say of Pho VN in Boynton Beach. This cozy restaurant on North Congress Avenue provides an authentic Vietnamese food experience, serving dishes with quality fresh ingredients.

The family-owned eatery is known for its pho, a spicy Vietnamese soup chock-full of meat, veggies and noodles. Choose from a wide variety of proteins: seafood, pork, beef, chicken, and each with their own unique combination of flavors and spices. The flavors of veggies and spices stand out against the subtle but flavorful stock. Each soup comes with fresh basil, cilantro, jalapeno, bean sprouts, lime, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha for you to add to your liking. Not in the mood for pho? Try out a vermicelli dish, or grab some spring rolls with peanut sauce to go.

Pho VN is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays througjh Mondays. The portions for lunch and dinner are huge, regular patrons say, so come hungry.

Pho VN
334 N. Congress Avenue
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
561-509-0831
www.facebook.com/pages/Pho-VN/214772275344607
www.yelp.com/biz/pho-vn-boynton-beach

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/stu_spivack

Though milk is the only food that naturally contains lactose, many prepared or packaged foods contain lactose because of the ingredients added to them. This could potentially be very harmful for someone who is lactose intolerant, and it would be equally unpleasant to a person who abides by a strict vegan diet. Here are two surprising sources of lactose that you should avoid.

1. Breakfast cereals. Even if you opt to use a non-dairy milk, like almond or soy milk, on your morning breakfast cereal, you could still be ingesting harmful lactose through the cereal itself. Quite a few brand-name breakfast cereals contain lactose in their ingredients, though it’s not always apparent. Check the label for items like lactate, lactic acid, and casein before you make a purchase.
2. Potato chips and other snacks. While it may seem like the only ingredients in potato chips are, well, potatoes, that’s not always the case. Many brands of snack foods contain small amounts of lactose in either their flavoring or the manufacturing process, which can make those who are lactose intolerant very sick. Once again, check the label before you buy!

8 Surprising Sources of Lactose [Best Health]
Lactose Intolerance [NIDDK]
Learn to Detect “Hidden” Lactose [Cornell Women’s Health]
Hidden Sources of Lactose [Lactose Ninja]
What is “Hidden” Lactose? [Lactaid]

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