Black Bean Burgers Galore!

Getting the sandwich in my mouth was both difficult and hilarious!

As I'm sitting in the hotel room waiting for my son's next hockey game to start, I'm thinking, what are we going to eat when we are done?! Sometimes it feels like such a battle; especially, when my family can't make a decision. We grabbed something quick at Whole Foods earlier, but I'm sure the team is going to want to go to a restaurant together. Quite frankly, I'm tired of black bean burgers!! That's usually our only “vegan” option on most menus. There are so many variations of the black bean burger so, it can be fun to taste what the different restaurants have to offer.

We went to this interesting restaurant called “Melt”. Have you heard of it? It has a retro vibe, with old signs and every kind of holiday décor imaginable! It  had super cool energy, I love it! Anyway...It specializes in grilled cheese with a crazy amount of options in all things grilled and cheesy. But here is the best part: they offer vegan cheese as an option!! So fun!! They also had THE.BEST tofu wings, EVER! If you are open to it, it is really fun to discover new places and foods.

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After the hockey game, we went for a treat at Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt and a treat it was!!  It serves organic locally made yogurt, but also  several vegan varieties (made with coconut milk)!!!   It offered  tons of self-serve toppings with at least 15  vegan options including fruit.  It is so exciting!!

Let's talk about those black bean burgers though. I'm not knocking black bean burgers because we eat them all the time and we love them. Black bean burgers are a very quick and very nutritious meal. With that being said I thought I'd share with you a few options to try. Friday is our “burger” day so I try to play with them and make it fun. Here is a quick and easy base that you can add a million different varieties to:

• 1 can of black beans
• 1/3 cup of quick oats
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Also add any other herbs/spices that you love! Suggestions: Mango Habenero powder (I picked up an organic version at Walmart), chili powder, cumin, add sauteed vegetables like onion and peppers, smoky paprika, red pepper flakes, be creative and have fun exploring!

Preheat oven to 400. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Put ingredients in blender and mix until blended (you could also mash everything up in a bowl if you find that easier). I like to reserve a handful of black beans to stir in after they are blended just for effect. Shape them into patties (about 4). Bake 12 minutes, then, flip them and bake another 12 minutes or until they are browned and crusty on the outside (the inside will remain soft). Put them on a beautiful bun with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!

See, a quick and easy meal that is super healthy and kind of fun to play around with! I also really like this next recipe from the  Minimalist Baker. The cook time is a little longer than the previous burger recipe as you have to prepare sweet potatoes and rice or quinoa. I have made a few adjustments from her version to make it work for me. Don't be afraid to play around with recipes to make it work for you and your family! They aren't a set of rules, but suggestions! Give this one a try:

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Photo Courtesy of The Minimalist Baker

SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN BURGER
Adapted from the Minimalist Baker
Makes 12

​Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed sweet potato (~2 large sweet potatoes - organic when possible)
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed and well drained
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice* (or sub cooked quinoa with varied results)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely diced green onion
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
  
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cut sweet potatoes in half, place face down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake sweet potatoes until soft and tender to the touch - about 30 minutes - set aside. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees F.
2. While potatoes are baking, cook rice or quinoa (see notes for instructions).
3. Add black beans to a mixing bowl and mash half of them for texture. Then add sweet potato and lightly mash, then 1 cup rice, green onion, bread crumbs and spices. Mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more rice or bread crumns if the mixture feels too wet. It should be very moist but moldable.
4. Lightly grease a baking sheet and line a 1/4 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap.
5. Fill the lined measuring cup with sweet potato mixture. Scrape down to pack, then lift out and transfer to the baking sheet and gently press down to mash. The thinner you press them, the faster they’ll cook, but no need to go too far. Just a gentle press will do.
6. Bake burgers for a total 30-45 minutes, carefully flipping 20 minutes in to ensure even cooking. The longer you bake them the firmer and drier they will get - up to preference. I went for around the 35 minute mark.
7. Serve on slider buns (double stack for more bulk) or atop a salad with sliced avocado, red onion, greens, and ketchup or salsa.
8. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days. Freeze for longer term storage.

Share your favorite black bean burgers!  Do you have any  favorite vegan restaurants?!

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