Black Bean Burgers

Time for black bean burgers, they have tons of flavor and are a healthy option when I am out of grass fed ground beef. I also love that this recipe makes 18 burgers and they freeze well, which makes for easy future dinners!

 Uncooked black bean burger, it's ready to get grilled!

After it's been grilled

Black bean burger, ready to eat!

Black Bean Burgers

• 4 cups cooked, rinsed and drained black beans 
• (1 1/2 cups of dry beans makes about 4 cups cooked, also cook them with garlic, onion, and celery to add flavor)

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
•  (1/2 cup dry will make 1 cup cooked)

• 2 Tbs flax seed
• 3Tbs water
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 Tbs ground cumin 
• 1 Tbs dried parsley
• 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1 tsp. coarse salt 
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• Gluten Free Bread Crumbs or oat flour (to roll in)

1. Cook black beans (this needs to be done in advance) or buy a few cans of black beans. Cook the quinoa while mixing the other ingredients.
2. Chop the cilantro, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. (I used my food processor.) Place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Place 2 cups of the black beans in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until chunky.
4. Transfer to the large mixing bowl. Add flax meal and mix with water.  Add remaining whole black beans, tomato paste, cumin, parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.  When the quinoa is done cooking mix that in as well.
5. Let chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set up.
6. Can cook in a lightly greased pan, I used a pancake griddle so I could cook 9 at a time. Turn griddle onto 375 and make the patties while warming up.
7. Pour some gluten free bread crumbs onto a plate. Scoop out 1/4 cup bean mix and lightly roll in the bread crumbs. This prevents the bean mixture from sticking to your hands.  Then form a patty about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. If you want bigger patties scoop  1/3 of a cup.
8. Spray the griddle/pan and cook for about five minutes on the first side or until well seared and with a flipping spatula, turn onto second side and allow to cook for an additional five minutes

This made 18 burgers so you could easily half the recipe. I like making a large batch like this and then freezing the leftovers between parchment paper. Then all I have to do is microwave a burger, grab ketchup n mustard, chop up my tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion, and toast a gluten free bun!

NOTE: I cooked my own black beans and I didn't drain them well enough (I just scooped them out of the pot and tried to avoid the liquid) so I had to blend up gluten free oatmeal to thicken the "batter."  So drain the black beans well or you may have to add a thickener of some sort. I have made them in the past with well drained beans and I haven't had to add anything.  Lesson learned: trying to take the easy way out just makes for more work!

sautéed greens tossed with toasted walnuts

 Toasting walnuts with garlic and a little EVOO on medium heat
 

 Toss in the chopped greens (I used arugula and spinach)
 

 Let them cook for a few minutes while stirring
 

Add a pinch of salt and they are ready to eat!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Not the best picture but it was soo good I just wanted to eat it right away!!

Hummus is one of my favorite foods. It's healthy, taste great, and is very versatile. My top 3 are Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Jalapeño with Cilantro, and the one I am about to give you-Roasted Garlic Hummus!

Hummus calls for Tahini. You can buy a jar for 8-11 bucks at the store or blend up your own and save a ton of money. I usually buy 1 lb of sesame seeds out of the self serve bins for $3.50. You only need 1/2 cup of sesame seeds and you'll be able to make this hummus recipe a couple times.

Tahini
1/2 cup hulled sesame seeds
1 Tbs olive oil

Dump the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Stir the seeds until the start popping and turn golden brown. Usually takes about 7 minutes or so, remove and let cool on a plate. Pour the seeds into a food processor, add 1 Tbs of olive oil, and blend until it turns into nut butter. Seal in an air tight container and it will store in the fridge for several weeks.

Roasted Garlic
1 bulb garlic
1 Tbs olive oil

Cut the garlic bulb in half and place them on 2 sheets of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up the bulbs in the foil. Set oven to 375 and roast in oven for 40 minutes. The garlic with be very soft, golden brown and easy to squeeze out of the bulb.

 As you can see the sesame seeds aren't completely pureed. I used sesame seeds that were NOT hulled. The store was all out of hulled so instead of buying a jar I decided to try unhulled. I put the garlic in and after a few minutes I eventually had nut butter. So for quick tahini use HULLED! 

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 bulb roasted garlic

2 Tbs olive oil

15 oz chickpeas cooked and drained (garbanzo beans)

2 Tbs tahini

Juice 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt or 1/2 tsp veggie base 

Chopped parsley and Greek olives for garnish (optional)

Add all the ingredients except the garnish into the food processer. You'll have to squeeze out the garlic. Blend until very smooth. Scrape into a bowl and top with the garnish. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, celery, radishes, crackers, pita bread, and any other food you like to dip with.

I made whole wheat crackers to dip in my hummus that turned out wonderful! I'll be posting them soon!  

Vegan "Chicken" Seasoning

Here is an easy and cheap way to make your own "Chicken" seasoning! There are two options one can be made up and kept in the pantry and another one can be made and kept in the freezer. The picture above is of the freezer option.

Chicken Seasoning (keep in Pantry)

1.5 cups nutritional yeast 

1 Tbs onion powder

1/2 Tbs garlic powder

2.5 tsp ground celery seed

1 tsp chili pepper

2 Tbs sea salt

2.5 Tbs Italian seasoning mix

Blend all ingredients in blender until fine. Store in airtight container. Does not need to be kept in fridge. Add to soup and items that call for chicken bouillon. 1 Tbs equals 1 cube. 

Chicken Seasoning (keep in freezer)

Small Batch

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tbs onion

2 cloves garlic

3 Tbs celery

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp chili pepper

This one is kept in the fridge because I am using raw onion, garlic, and celery instead of the dried options. I put everything in my food processor and blend until it looks like the pictures above.