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

Southwest Quinoa & Potato Croquettes

Lunch.  It's never really been my thing.  Of course, I love eating... but when it comes to making something for lunch... I'm always left stumped.  I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but I certainly don't want to eat a sandwich (boring).

So being the ultimate procrastinator that I am... I flung myself into the unknown when on Tuesday, I barely had anything in my house to eat for lunch.  <--- this always seems to happen to me!  Thankfully, I always keep a pantry stocked with jars of bulk foods (think grains, pastas, and beans) that come in so handy for last minute meals!   I opened up my cabinets and saw the jar of quinoa (that's Keen-wa) and decided that's where I'd start.  Grabbed a cookbook that my friend gave me a couple of years ago and found a recipe that would work with the staples that I had in my house.  AND... once again... being forced to get creative was super exciting and oh my so freaking delicious!!!

Now... this post wasn't a planned post.  I have this addiction to Instagram and taking pictures of my food.  Turns out this looks just as yummy as it tasted!  So... to all my friends-- (especially) Antonia, Susan, Ryan and Tracy-- that drooled over my Instagram photo of my lunch on Tuesday... this one's for you!!

Southwest Quinoa & Potato Croquettes

(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

* Bought in bulk with my own containers.

1 cup quinoa*
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups water or veg stock


1 small onion, diced
2 TBSP veg oil*
2 tsp paprika*
1 tsp ground coriander*
1 tsp ground cumin*
1/2 tsp dried oregano*
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
1 cup finely chopped lacinato kale (optional)
1/3 cup cheese** or mashed tofu
Sea salt, to taste
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs

Rinse quinoa thoroughly.  In a medium pan, bring water to a boil; add quinoa and potato.  Lower heat, cover pan and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed for 12-15 minutes.  When finished smash the potatoes with the back of a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a small skillet and sauté the onion for about 2 minutes.  Then add the spices and oregano.  Once the onion has softened, add the garlic and cook for about a minute more.  Add this mixture to the quinoa-potato mixture along with parsley, kale and cheese. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed.  Add egg and mix well.  IMPORTANT:  If the mixture is too hot, wait to add the egg... otherwise you will have scrambled eggs in your croquettes!!

Divide the mixture into the portion size that you prefer.  I made 5 fairly large croquettes.  Shape each portion into an oval and press gently into the bread crumbs.  But, hey... if it's easier for you to shape these into a burger-like patty... go for it!  


To cook the croquettes, generously oil a large skillet (or grill pan) set over medium to medium-high heat.  When the oil is shimmery, add the croquettes and cook on both sides until they are nicely browned.  If you feel they are getting too dark too fast, just adjust heat as necessary so they don't burn. :)

Serve with salsa... or whatever yumminess you have on hand.

TIP:  You can use leftover quinoa to make this, just steam the potato until tender.

Variations:  A sweet potato in place of the russet potato would be AWESOME!  Also, if you like it spicy the addition of some minced jalapeño would be nice.  AND, I wouldn't let it end there.  If you're good with spices, this could easily be turned into many different variations just by changing the spices up!!

OK... it's lunchtime and I have no idea what I'm going to eat today... off to get creative! ;)

P.S. If you don't know anything about quinoa, it's considered a SUPER FOOD!!  Check it out on Mother Nature Network. 


**Cheese-- I buy a whole wheel of cheese.  I then shred it or cube it and store it in glass jars in my freezer.

(Plastic-Free) Sweet Corn Tomalito

In the winter of 2006, pregnant with my third child, we left Wilmington to live by family in St. Louis.  The move didn't really work for us and was (obviously) short lived... we lasted a whopping 13 months before we could finally make our way back to our beautiful coastal community.  While I was super happy to be "home"....not long after moving back to Wilmington, I realized that I missed a few things about St. Louis.  Yes, the thing I missed most was family... but I also missed some random yummy foods.

During our short stay back in the Midwest, we grew very fond of Chevy's.  Ok, really... Chevy's wasn't amazing or anything... BUT... they had a super yummy corn pudding-like side dish.  Every time I would have Mexican, I would think about that corn pudding.  Sooo... I did what anyone these days does.  I googled... and voilà magic ;)

I've been making this yumminess for the past four years... but not until a year ago did I start making it plastic-free!!  Ummm... maybe you remember that I said I was going to share the recipe back on day 1 of Plastic-Free Food week last September?!?  Sorry for being a slacker!!

Sweet Corn Tomalito

Recipe from St. Louis Post Dispatch (circa 1997)

1/2 c organic butter at room temperature
1/2 c Masa (for tamales)
1/2 c + 2TBSP sugar

4 c fresh corn removed from cobs (4-6 ears of corn depending on size), divided
3/4 c water
3/4 c cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c milk (I use homemade almond milk to make this plastic-free, but really any kind of milk will work.)

Oven directions: Place roasting pan in the oven.  Fill it with water to a depth of about 1".  Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, masa and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Spread in a glass dish with 2" sides. (Use a 2 qt round with a lid or an 8" square with aluminum foil.)

Blend 2 cups of the corn and water in a blender until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl (I use the same bowl that I mixed the butter mixture in) and add remaining 2 cups of corn, cornmeal, salt & milk.  Mix well, then spread on top of the butter mixture.

Cover with lid (or tightly with aluminum foil).  Place the dish into the water-bath.  After 15 minutes, stir... then stir again after 45 minutes.  Continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the tomalito comes out clean.  Keep tightly covered until ready to serve.

To serve, use an ice cream scooop :)

Approximately 16 (ice cream scoop sized) servings.

TIP: If you don't have a roasting pan (or large enough pan to make a water bath)... you can steam this on the stove-top using the double-boiler method :)