If you are a fan of juicy portobello mushroom caps, you will go crazy over this simple, but memorable ultimate summertime burger!

Ingredients 

For the portobello caps

• 2 medium portobello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons plus 11⁄2 teaspoons (37 mL) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon (1 mL) fine-grain sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper

For the sun-dried tomato kale-hemp pesto

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed destemmed kale leaves
• 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) hemp seeds
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon (1 mL) fine-grain sea salt

Optional toppings

• Caramelized onions
• Avocado slices
• Kale or lettuce leaves
• Sliced tomatoes

Directions

1 Remove the stems from the mushrooms by twisting the stem until it pops off. Discard the stem or save it for another use, such as a stir-fry. With a small spoon, scrape out and discard the black gills. Rub the cap with a damp dishcloth to remove any debris. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Add the portobello caps and toss to coat them in the marinade. Marinate the mushrooms for 30 to 60 minutes, tossing them every 15 minutes. (You can also marinate them overnight, if desired.)

2 Meanwhile, make the sun-dried tomato kale-hemp pesto: In a food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the kale leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, hemp seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and 2 tablespoons water and process until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

3 Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill the portobello caps for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly charred and tender.

4 Serve the portobello caps on a toasted bun or sliced up in a lettuce wrap topped with a generous amount of the pesto, and additional toppings of your choice. Any leftover pesto will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. It's great on sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and more!

Tip: To make caramelized onions, thinly slice a sweet or yellow onion and sauté it over medium heat in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) oil until golden and lightly browned, but not burned. It usually takes about 30 minutes to bring out the onion's natural sugars. For a grain-free option, serve bunless or slice caps and serve in lettuce wraps. Use a gluten-free bun to make this recipe gluten-free.

Serves 2. 

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Excerpted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out by Angela Liddon. Recipes Copyright © 2014 Angela Liddon, Photography copyright © 2014 David Biesse, Eric Liddon and Angela Liddon. Excerpted by permission of Penguin Canada Books Inc., Toronto. All rights reserved.