Bean Burgers!

These black bean burgers have been a huge hit for everyone who has tried them.  They are a great transition food for people who are new to vegetarian food.  The recipe calls for black beans, but you can substitute garbanzo/chick peas or do 1 cup of each!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked or 1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of vital wheat gluten
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 tsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (leave out if you don’t like it spicy)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• couple dashes of pepper
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tbs. tomato paste or ketchup
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 small onion minced

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mash the beans with a fork in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix everything together with a fork.  Then knead the mixture with your hands until it is uniform.
4. Divide the mixture into the six balls and use your palm to press the balls into burger shapes.
5. Lightly brush some oil over a baking sheet and lay the patties on the sheet.
6. Bake on one side for 20 minutes and then flip the patties and bake on the other side for 10 minutes.

This recipe great when you have a potluck or BBQ to go to and have no idea what to make.  This is also great for people who don’t like to cook dinner every night.  These burgers freeze well, so you can make a huge batch without having to eat them all 🙂

Also if you have trouble digesting onions or garlic (like me) you can leave these out and add in more spices or peppers.  If you need suggestions don’t hesitate to ask!