Black Bean Burgers

We've never even eaten veggie burgers.  Trust me, I was pretty much prepared for "dinner failure."  Although we adore black beans, I wasn't so sure about making them into a "burger." 
First, I watched my little munchkin eat the burger ... good sign.  Then, I held my breath while my mister tried one.  He liked them too ... what?!  They were GOOD!  I have so many variations of this recipe in my head now.  I love it!  The best part was that I used the black beans that I made in the slow cooker. (Once a month, I cook black beans in my slow cooker while I'm at work, one bag makes enough to separate them into four freezer bags and we use one bag per week in a recipe.  Perfect!  They taste great because I cook them in stock and garlic, no yucky canned goods or added salt!)  My husband is right... I'm totally becoming a "hippie"  ha ha.  I'm okay with that.

Black Bean Burgers

Recipe: Laura on allrecipes.com

2 c. cooked black beans

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed

1 egg

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tsp. sriracha

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 - 1 c. bread crumbs

If baking in the oven, set the oven to 375 degrees.

If grilling, turn the grill on medium-low.

1.  Mash the black beans with a fork.

2.  Place the peppers, onions, and garlic cloves in the food processor to mince the vegetables.

3.  Before adding the veggie mixture to the beans, place the veggie mixture in between sheets of paper towel to soak up the excess moisture.

4.  Combine the egg, chili powder, cumin, sriracha, and salt in a separate small bowl.

5.  Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of black beans and veggies.  Mix well.

6.  Add 1/2 c. bread crumbs.  If the mixture is too sticky, add up to another 1/2 c.  The mixture should be sticky enough to form burgers that don't fall apart, but it shouldn't be overly wet either. 

7.  Place them into the oven on a lined pan for 10 minutes per side, or grill on oiled aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes. 

Top with spinach, onion, hummus, and cheddar or pepper jack cheeses!  

Thanks for reading! xo