SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Blending around 70% ground beef with 30% chopped mushrooms could reduce the environmental impact of beef:
The idea is that mixing chopped mushrooms into our burgers boosts the umami taste, adds more moisture and reduces the amount of beef required for a burger. And reducing the need for beef has a big impact on the environment. According to the World Resources Institute [WRI], if 30 percent of the beef in every burger in America were replaced by mushrooms, it would reduce greenhouse emissions by the same amount as taking 2.3 million vehicles off of our roads.
[...] Richard Waite, from the World Resources Institute, is thrilled. "I think it's great!" he says. WRI has been pushing the blended beef-mushroom burger as a candidate to become one of America's most-served menu items, which WRI calls "power meals." According to Waite, the list of the top 20 meals served by food service companies currently contains only one plant-based item, a veggie wrap. The rest are meat-centric, including four versions of the classic hamburger.
Many niche burger makers and school cafeterias have joined the blended burger bandwagon. In the dining rooms of Stanford University, Waite says, it's the only kind of burger you'll find. But Sonic's 3,500 drive-in restaurants represent a huge boost to the concept.
Here's a recipe for a roasted mushroom base and beef-mushroom burgers.
(Score: 2) by goodie on Tuesday March 06 2018, @06:50PM
The idea of adding the mushrooms in the patty (as opposed to on the side) is appealing to me, but purely for the purpose of taste. My kids on the other hand would likely complain since they are not fans of mushrooms.
However, the real issue is that as a population, the US eats too much. I am talking about the US since we are talking about burgers and well, like it or not, they are mostly sold and eaten in the US. One of the big issues is that we have somewhat convinced ourselves that we value quantity over quality. This is tied to a number of issues, including over consumption, obesity, chronic illnesses and others. I find it fascinating, every time I go the US, how bigger the plates are getting. Every restaurant's message is targeted at telling you that you get "more" for "less". Not more quality, but more quantity. In many grocery stores, same story: huge fruit and vegetables, zero taste.
My experience is that a dinner for me is an appetizer in any US restaurant. and when the portion is of a reasonable size, it's invariably greasy, salty and with that awful dehydrated garlic/onion/msg flavor that leaves you parched afterwards... I value quality and diversity and I find myself paying a high price for it when I eat a restaurant or do my groceries. But I am okay with it ultimately because I value it and coincidentally (or not), it is good for my health. And yet I am not a tree hugger, vegan freak or anything (and I go to restaurants probably twice a year). But I have come to feel greatly aware of how much food we can easily waste. When that food has value (as in $$ and taste), you save it for later. When it does not, you toss it because, it's worthless. And with kids, it's actually easier to go with the second route. But I try to hang on and explain to them that anything we eat requires time and energy to be produced and brought to our table. Hence it deserves to be treated with respect and not be wasted. I find the focus on meat odd personally anyway. Anything we eat requires time and energy. Granted some more than others.
This idea is stupid because it does not attempt to address the underlying issue of food overconsumption (I know, not many people would value having less food for the same price and be told that it's allegedly of better quality...). People need to be educated about this. Somehow it does not register with most. Worst, this idea might "trick" people into thinking that the burgers are less caloric, less nutritious (mushrooms especially...) but "healthier" so they will eat more to get the same amount of sustenance. without every questioning how much they were eating in the first place. How we eat also matters. There are studies that are starting to show (can't find where anymore) that when you eat with your eyes glued on your phone, you eat more because it's mechanic, and not enjoyable.
That's why I'd rather eat one burger with less meat but more toppings. Now take that small patty, garnish the burger and add some mayo with chipotle and cilantro and we're talking!
Apologies for the rant...