Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Let me get this out there.  I love burgers.  When I was a kid, I would look forward to going to my grandparents because they made the best barbecued burgers.  Then as an adult, I would make hamburgers like they were going out of style.  Then in 2009, when I decided to stop eating meat... the first thing I thought was, "well, at least I don't have to give up burgers!  I'll eat veggie burgers!"  Of course, I started off on my veggie burger adventure with the store-bought frozen versions... until I learned how to make homemade versions that had so much more flavor that to buy the premade frozen versions just seemed so pointless... blah.

Now over the years, I've tried plenty of homemade veggie burgers... and I have never been disappointed.  BUT... there is one that I make all the time and one that I would happily make to my most carnivorous of friends and family.  Behold:

When I posted the above picture of  my lunch (which happened to be leftovers... shhhh) on Instagram & Facebook... comments blew up with:

"Yummmmmm!!  Recipe please!"                "You amaze me...."

"You're crazy!!!! Looks amazing!!!!"                    "It looks like a sloppy fat beef burger..."

"Post recipe, please!"               "teach me your awesomeness"

Well, I knew that I was going to have to share my favorite homemade burger recipe! :)  So friends here you go... awesomeness is yours!

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

2 (15oz) cans black beans (rinsed and drained) 

OR 1 cup dried black beans* (soaked and cooked)

2 large organic pastured eggs 

1 TBSP olive oil* + for frying

1 tsp cumin*

1/2 tsp salt*

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper*

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

1 shallot (or equivalent amount onion), minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs**

1. Place beans in food processor and pulse until beans are mostly smashed with half beans still remaining.  (Don't over-process or the burgers will be mush.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs together with 1 TBSP olive oil, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper.  Stir in beans and remaining ingredients until just combined.
3. Make 6 patties from the mixture.  I like to form 6 semi-smooshed balls. (I flatten when in pan) If the mixture seems too wet and your patties aren't holding together, just add a little extra breadcrumbs (or vital wheat gluten).  Remember you can always add, but you can't take out!
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add burgers (don't overcrowd!) and cook until well browned on both sides (about 4 min each side).
5. Serve. 

My favorite way to eat devour mine is on a homemade burger bun with caramelized onions, bbq sauce, jalapeños, and avocado. (...and sometimes cheese)   YUM.

* ingredients bought in bulk with my own containers

** Homemade bread crumbs:  Every time I have bits of leftover bread, I run it through my food processor to create breadcrumbs.  I store my homemade breadcrumbs in a glass jar in my freezer.

Also, just in case you missed the link: 
Plastic-Free Recipe: Burger Buns

Plastic-Free Recipe: Burger Buns

Since the end of September, I've been striving (that means making a conscious effort) to purchase no foods in plastic.  By the way, if you haven't seen my guest post on Fake Plastic Fish My Plastic Free Life ... please check it out and share :) Collect Your Plastic. Change Your Life.   Over the past few months, one thing that I've struggled with is bread making... and I had even succumbed to purchasing some in plastic during the past few months... but I'm over it... I'm no longer purchasing bread in plastic...and tonight I wanted burgers... so I had to make buns!!!!  

For real... I made homemade burger buns with my two hands!!  

(Is my excitement shining through??)  

I have to say that when I found the recipe... I was cautiously optimistic as I've looked up so many bread recipes these past few months... only to learn that I can cook and I can bake... but I fail in my bread making skills.  BUT... after the dough rose, and I formed buns... and the smell filled the house... I learned tonight that I CAN make bread!!!  Happy Dance!!!!! :D 

Burger Buns

Recipe from: Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Makes 8 buns

Ingredients

1 cup warm water

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP honey

130 g whole wheat flour (I used Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

260 g bread flour

1 tsp salt

1 TBSP yeast

Method

1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle.
2. To dissolve the honey, mix it into the warm water.  Add the honey water into the well, then add the olive oil.
3. Mix everything together by hand to form a dough ball.
4. Knead the dough by hand for about ten minutes. 
5. Let the dough rise in a bowl until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
6. Divide dough into 8 pieces (do this by cutting the dough in half, then quarter each half). Roll out to flatten each piece. To form a ball, bring 2 opposite ends together and then bring the other 2 ends together.
7. Place the dough balls seam side down on a baking sheet.  Cover with a towel and let buns rest until they rise. (about 1 hour) 
8. Bake in pre-heated 375F/190C oven for 15 minutes.

By this point this should come as no shock... dinner tonight ROCKED!!  

I was dancing in my kitchen because I was so over-the-top excited about my victory! ;)  Check out my 100% Plastic-Free and oh so YUMMY dinner!!!!  

Homemade Black Bean Burgers on my homemade buns, with roasted potatoes and green beans!!! YAY!!  

Plastic-Free Recipe: Vegetable & Bean Tamale Pie

Ever since we did our plastic-free food week at the end of September, we have been striving to buy no foods in plastic.  Some weeks it has proven to be difficult (mainly because of traveling and the inability to not taking the time to plan ahead).  For the most part--like eating local--80-90% of our meals, including snacks, are plastic-free.

On Monday, I adapted one of my favorite recipes to make it plastic-free!!  (Well... almost... I still used canned tomatoes :/... but canning tomatoes is on my to do list for next year!!)  UPDATE: I've found diced tomatoes in glass jars!

Vegetable & Bean Tamale Pie 

adapted from America's Test Kitchen The Best Make Ahead Recipe

3 TBSP Vegetable Oil*

1 medium onion, minced

Salt

2 (28-oz) cans diced tomatoes, well drained, with 2 cups of juice reserved OR use fresh tomatoes

2 tsp sugar

1 TBSP chili powder*

4 med. garlic cloves, minced

2-4 tsp minced chipotle chilis in adobo sauce

2 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves (optional)

1 tsp ground cumin*

2 cups dried beans*-- black, kidney and/or pinto beans. (I like to use all 3), soaked and cooked OR
         3 (15oz) cans of beans

2-3 ears of corn, cut off kernels from cobs

1 medium zucchini, cut into half-inch cubes

2 cups chopped or torn Kale (optional)

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

4 tsp lime juice (2 limes)

Ground black pepper

Homemade cornbread (for topping)
Guacamole (for serving)

*bought in bulk

All veggies are organic and/or local.

  

Preheat oven to 375˚

**Heat oil in large Dutch oven over med-high heat.  Add onion and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Cook until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and sugar and cook, stirring, until tomatoes are very dried and browned, 10- 15 minutes.

Add chili powder, garlic, chipotles, oregano, and cumin.  Cook about 1 minute or until fragrant.  Stir in the reserved tomato juice, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Off heat, add beans, corn, zucchini, kale, cilantro and lime juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer bean and veggie mixture to a 9x13" baking dish.

**Make Cornbread Topping:

1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c yellow cornmeal

6 TBSP sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 c buttermilk (local and/or organic)

8 TBSP organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

Whisk together the dry ingredients-- flour through baking soda-- in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk remaining ingredients.  Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture until no dry lumps remain.

**Spread the cornbread mixture evenly over the top of the veggie and bean filling, pushing it into the edges of the baking dish.  Then, pop it all in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cornbread is baked through and golden.

Serve with homemade guacamole!!  Seriously... SO YUMMY!!! :)

Tip:  This makes A LOT!  You can bake half and freeze the rest.  To do this all you have to do is use two 8x8" casserole dishes.  Divide the filling and topping into each dish evening.  Bake ONLY one.  The other cover with parchment paper and then aluminum foil.  The Tamale Pie can be frozen for up to a month.  To bake the frozen pie, let it sit at room temp. for 30 minutes.  Then bake, covered, for 20 minutes @ 375˚.  Uncover and bake until the cornbread topping is baked through and golden, about 40 minutes longer.  

Library & Dinner

Today, we met a friend and her son at the library. It's the second week we've been...and before last week, it had been years since I had been to a library... college to be exact. Yes... for the past 10 years, I was a book store junkie. I was a sucker for the book store "experience." About 6 months ago, I decided that I was going to start going to the library... but didn't until now because I was nervous about taking my kids. All I could imagine was the librarian going "sshhhhhhhh" and then getting kicked out. Luckily, that isn't the case. As my son grabs book after book off the shelves and yells, "Mom! Look at this dinosaur book!!"... I never hear a word from the librarian and have been quickly reminded of how great libraries are... I'm amazed and impressed at the abounding variety of (shared) books and media. Last week, we checked out 3 books. Today, we checked out 8 books!! Of course, all free (for 3 weeks!). Libraries ROCK!!

SO... while we were at the library my friend and I were talking about me recipe testing for The Blissful Chef and what I eat... or rather what I don't eat. She asked, "You don't eat meat... what do you eat for dinner??" A valid question. Of course, I explained... but pictures are SO much better:

For dinner tonight, we ate Orange Seitan (yes, like the famed Orange Chicken from the mall!), Vegetable Lo Mein, and Asian Green Bean Stir-Fry (the green beans are a test recipe for The Blissful Chef... which by the way... were so darn yummy!).

Now I can't give you the recipe for the Asian Green Bean Stir-Fry... BUT... I can give you my recipe for Orange Seitan!!

Orange Seitan

1 lb cubed seitan

flour

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (if you like it hot add more)

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

water, as needed

1 tsp sesame oil

grated orange zest

*Orange Sauce* (mix all ingredients and set aside)

1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce

1 1/2 TBSP orange juice

7 TBSP brown rice syrup or 5 TBSP brown sugar

5TBSP white vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

Heat 1-2 TBSP oil in large skillet. Dust the seitan lightly with flour. Add seitan and cook until nicely browned on all sides. Push seitan to the sides add a drop of oil to center of pan and add ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant. Add rice wine and stir. Add *Orange Sauce* and bring to a simmer, stirring until well mixed. (Add water if sauce becomes too thick). Stir in sesame oil and add grated orange zest. Serve immediately :)

Friends, Not Food

Ok, so for those of you that read this and know me... this may seem to come out of left field. I'm not sure why, but for some reason, I've had a sense of anxiousness about sharing my most recent revelations. I've only told a handful of people, so.... for those who I haven't told and have had my BBQ burgers, my chicken pot pie, Boeuf Bourginon, etc etc etc... you may gasp at what I'm about to say.

Since October, I have made the commitment to stop eating meat.

Now, this isn't something that I've taken lightly and it's certainly not something that has happened overnight... Also, understand that I'm not sharing this to convince anyone to stop eating meat... only to share my experience... so that maybe one part of it will connect (or resonate) with someone. Maybe that someone will make the decision to only eat meat from humanely raised animals or maybe go meat-free for one meal or meat-free for a full day OR maybe like me... take the plunge into the unknown ;)

So... for those who are interested... this is where I'm coming from...

For the past couple of years, we've had egg laying hens-- yes, I know all hens lay eggs-- but that's what we have them for. From them, I've learned that chickens have personalities. Of course, they are not as affectionate or compassionate as our dogs and cat... but they're individual, curious, nervous and mischievous. AND.... when they die, I feel sad. While watching "A Mighty Heart," it was said that he (Daniel Pearl) was cut into 10 pieces... I thought "Who could do that?... but wait...we do that to chickens." And I could never get that thought out of my head. Last March, I was doing research for a newsletter that I was writing for Earth Day.... in google I typed "Tips for Earth Day Everyday"... and with that I stumbled across www.goveg.org. The pictures and videos of the factory farm cruelty was all over my computer screen and like a train wreck... I couldn't look away. (WARNING: The following video is absolutely horrid.)


Months flew by and I couldn't stop thinking about what I had seen and it seemed there was always something to remind me of it. Suddenly, steaks no longer tasted good to me. (Seriously, I'm the girl who ordered my steaks medium-rare.) Then I read that "one of the best things that you can do for the environment is to give up beef." So I figured that was a good place to start.

(I took this picture at my husband's cousin's farm)

The facts-- from environmental to health standpoints-- are all over the net... and they're quite overwhelming. There are a few blogs that I read that I think sum it all up quite nicely... and, of course, are good reads:
http://veganyogini.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-vegan.html

http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/2009/12/2010-gist-new-to-do-list.html

But then as I cut out beef... I realized that this was about more than just the environment. I thought about how I justified eating animals and after everything I read and saw... those justifications didn't sit well with me. I had feelings of disconnectedness to where food comes from and what it actually was at a grocery store. What I know is that, realistically, if I walked in the grocery store (or meat market) to get meat and had to pick out a live chicken, cow, pig, turkey, etc....to be butchered, I couldn't and wouldn't do it. That's when I realized that this HAD to be more than just beef. And sure, in the middle of this epiphany, I thought about how meat tasted so darn good... I LOVE bacon... in fact, I've always said that I think it makes everything taste better... chicken pot pie/ dumplins/ soup... hamburgers... all AMAZINGLY GOOD. BUT, I remembered how I used to eat stuff like Hostess "junk" cakes, Fattie Debbie snacks, and a lot of other prepackaged crap... And you know what? They no longer taste good. With that thought, I know that meat has the same fate.

I tell myself... I can and will do this... no labeling myself... I'll take it one day/meal at a time.

I've made the decision that I'm still going to eat fish... I'm pretty thorough in choosing a sustainable fish (and often buy it from my local Farmer's Market)... am I justifying it? Probably... but I'm OK with that right now.

Have I been scared? Yes. Have I had second thoughts? Definitely. Have I backed up and said to myself that I can do this? Absolutely. Now, one of the things things I've had people asked me is, "What about the kids??" Of course, that was (and is) my biggest concern (and often my reasoning for questioning myself). I won't force my beliefs on them. They (7, 5, and 3) are great eaters... I keep thinking that I don't want to screw that up. So.... while I've taken huge steps, they're right along with me with teeny tiny baby steps. They know that I'm not cooking "cow" anymore and for the most part they're with me. However, when they want to eat chicken fingers (go figure), bacon, sausage, etc.... they eat them...BUT they are also trying (and liking) all sorts of new foods.

Some things that I'm doing that are helping me transition to a plant-based diet are:

• In the first couple of months, when we went out somewhere, if there was a vegetarian option... I chose it. It was an easy way to try something new without committing the whole family to it.

• The ability to keep an open mind (and looking at packages of meat for what they truly are) is making me believe in ALL of the possibilities. Besides, it's exciting trying new foods and my taste buds are totally changing.... just like I knew they would :)

• Cookbooks, recipe sites, blogs... it's a new way of thinking... and I know that I can't possibly do it on my own. (Thank you Mom, Tracy and Aaron for listening to my ramblings ;) )

• I have prepared myself for the looks of "Seriously? Why would you do that?" But even so, I know that's the exact reason that I've kept this all on the down-low. **Is there anyone in this world that likes to be labeled or judged?????**

• I look at the foods that I cooked and think about what I like to eat. More often than not there is a vegetarian version of a meal I used to eat, such as: Chicken Parm... now Eggplant Parm :)

• I realize that not everything I cook is going to taste like the "meat" version, but I'm ok with that. One of the first couple of things that I tried were vegie dogs (the taste is uncanny to the real thing) and Tofurkey (it does not taste like Turkey, but it's not bad). I've also made vegie sloppy joes, seitan stroganoff, fish tacos (I know they're not vegetarian, but that's how I found my way to cut out beef), homemade vegie burgers, vegie chili, chickpea cutlets, tempeh (or seitan) stir-fry, quinoa...

Once you open yourself to the possibilities... trust me... they are endless.

So, I'm thinking that as I find a vegetarian dish that I absolutely LOVE, I will share the recipes and maybe inspire you to try something new :)

Want to buy sustainable and humanely raised meat? Check out:

Niman Ranch

EatWild

Local Harvest