I was a vegetarian for ten years (from 1998 until around 2008). I initially adopted a vegetarian diet on a whim by choosing to give up meat for the 40 days of Lent one year (back in my Catholic days). That decision coincided with a semester of Environmental Ethics at college, and learning about concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and other unsavory aspects of eating meat helped to cement my choice to continue to follow a vegetarian diet after Lent was over.
I was never a fan of vegetarian food products that claimed to "taste just like meat!," (because, as a vegetarian who eschewed meat, why would I want to eat a fake version of it?), and I always sought out veggie burgers that had nothing to do with a meat-like flavor. My favorites featured ingredients such as portobello mushrooms, black beans, and interesting spice combinations such as curry or southwestern chili blends.
Fast forward to the present, and I am again eating meat, as I have for about four years now. As I have discussed before, I am very particular in what types of meat I buy, and will only buy meat that has come from naturally-fed and pasture-raised poultry or livestock. That being said, I also like to incorporate meatless days into my diet, and this week, I finally tried to make my own veggie burgers from scratch. Back in my vegetarian days I relied on packaged vegetarian products for convenience, but these days I like to control what exactly goes into my food. For my first foray into making veggie burgers, I turned to my personal cookbook library and Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. These black bean burgers are simple to make and are quite versatile -- just change up the spices used, add in some different vegetables, and you've got a whole new veggie burger.
Black Bean Vindaloo Veggie Burgers (printer-friendly version)
makes about 6-8 burgers, depending on size
2 cups cooked black beans [alternately, use a 14-oz can of black beans, drained]
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon vindaloo spice blend, or the spice mix of your choice
salt and black pepper to taste
1 egg
extra virgin olive oil
1. In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attached, add together the cooked black beans, quartered onion, oats, chopped mushrooms, vindaloo spice blend, salt and pepper, and egg. Pulse until the mixture appears chunky; do not puree to a smooth consistency.
2. Place the black bean mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until slightly chilled (at least five minutes).
3. With wet hands, shape the black bean mixture into patties. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate again for about five to ten minutes.
4. Coat a large skillet with olive oil and turn heat to medium.
5. Add the patties to the hot skillet (leave enough room for flipping; I cooked my patties in three batches) and cook for five minutes on one side until lightly browned, then flip and cook until firm, about three to four minutes more.
6. Serve on buns and garnish with the toppings of your choice -- my burger featured greens, mashed avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, and a squirt of ketchup.
(adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe)
makes about 6-8 burgers, depending on size
2 cups cooked black beans [alternately, use a 14-oz can of black beans, drained]
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon vindaloo spice blend, or the spice mix of your choice
salt and black pepper to taste
1 egg
extra virgin olive oil
1. In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attached, add together the cooked black beans, quartered onion, oats, chopped mushrooms, vindaloo spice blend, salt and pepper, and egg. Pulse until the mixture appears chunky; do not puree to a smooth consistency.
2. Place the black bean mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until slightly chilled (at least five minutes).
3. With wet hands, shape the black bean mixture into patties. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate again for about five to ten minutes.
4. Coat a large skillet with olive oil and turn heat to medium.
5. Add the patties to the hot skillet (leave enough room for flipping; I cooked my patties in three batches) and cook for five minutes on one side until lightly browned, then flip and cook until firm, about three to four minutes more.
6. Serve on buns and garnish with the toppings of your choice -- my burger featured greens, mashed avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, and a squirt of ketchup.
(adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe)
So easy to make and absolutely delicious! Even though I froze them the taste and texture remains the same.
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