Recipe: Vegetarian Sausages

So how exactly did I get from steamy, great cold-weather soup to veggie sausages? Well, I'm a guy. And guys, by design, have to get out and use the grill even in the dead of winter. Nobody really understands why - we just do.

Anyway, don't let the "sausages" title stop you. They don't taste like meat, and even better, they don't try to! Really, the biggest similarity they share with the real thing is that they're cylindrical and fit nicely in a bun.

Here's the stats:

Calories: 213
Fat: 12g
WeightWatchers Points: 5

So you'll need:

1 small white/yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
1 egg yolk
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
all-purpose flour

Stir-fry onions, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 min. Add remainder of ingredients, except flour, and mix well. Use hands (probably your own) to form 8 sausages.
Roll in flour and set in refrigerator to chill for 30 min.

Grill on oiled foil for 15-20 min, serve on whole wheat buns with condiments (and, if you're like me, grilled onions and jalapenos).

Note: I've tried to make this vegan several times and failed miserably. I've substituted the cheese for soy cheese, and that seems to work reasonably well (meaning not much cursing going on in the kitchen), but every time I omitted the egg yolk, the danged things fell apart on the grill. If and when I find a solution, I will post, well, post haste.

Enjoy!