Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burger

We are committed to adding more variety and vegetarian meals to our diet. My family loves burgers. We have used store bought frozen veggie burgers to offer the vegetarian alternative. They tend to be expensive, a little tasteless, and not as healthy in ingredients. I have always wanted to come up with a fresh vegetarian burger that my family will like.

It is harder than it seems to make a homemade veggie burger that is tasty and holds up when cooking.  It is an ongoing challenge to keep these healthier burgers from crumbling when cooking and serving.  This current version has a great taste and holds up better than most. Read my tips below to increase your success in keeping your burgers from crumbling…they really do work.  These are also easy to assemble.

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burger

Ingredients

• 1 slice bread, torn into pieces to make into bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15.25 ounce) low salt black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 portabella cap, finely chopped
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped 
• 1 lime, rind grated
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Place slice of bread in a food processor; process lightly, about 4 times or until crumbs measure around 1 cup. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. In a medium bowl place the beans, 1 tablespoon of oil and garlic. Use a potato masher to coarsely smash up the beans.
3. Next add the bread crumbs, lime rind, and remaining ingredients.
4. Form the ingredients into 4 patties, compressing them as you do. Place them in the refrigerator for at least 20-30 minutes prior to cooking.
5. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, cast iron is preferred. Add all 4 patties at the same time. Start on high and then reduce to medium heat to allow a nice crust to form on the bottom of the patty, which should take about 4-5 minutes. Only turn once and make sure to have a spatula that is wide enough for the whole patty to avoid crumbling when turning it over. Cook another 4-5 minutes until the patty has formed a nice crust. Serve immediately. 

Tips

1. It is best to hand mash and hand chop all ingredients other than the slice of bread. The rougher texture will taste better and will hold up better. It is easy to over process the ingredients in a food processor which then makes them too liquidy and they will not hold together well.
2. Make sure to compress the burgers when making them into patties to help them from crumbling.
3. Put the patties in the refrigerator for at least 20-30 minutes before cooking to help them solidify.
4. When cooking make sure you have enough oil in the pan to make it easy to slide them on the spatula for turning.
5. Start with a high heat in the skillet, then turn to medium heat to allow the patty to form a crust on the bottom before turning it to cook the other side.
6. Turn the patty over only once. Patience is a virtue when cooking veggie burgers.

Make It A Meal-
Caprese Salad with Red onion, Grilled Zucchini and Heirloom Tomatoes

Baked “Wild” Fries

Nutritional Information-
Serving size: 1 patty. Calories: 178; Fat 12.4g; Sodium 336mg; Carbohydrate 13.8g; Fiber 4.2g; Protein 5.3.

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Monday Motivational Meal - Black Bean Soup with Cilantro Lime Cream

Here's an easy way to utilize your pantry ingredients by making this Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream recipe! We partnered with our friend @thediabeticfoodie to bring you this diabetes-friendly soup that is high in fiber, protein, and flavor. We served up this budget-friendly and deliciously healthy meal in a cheery Halsa bowl!

Download Our Free SOUPS eCookbook
and Enjoy Healthy Recipes All Year Long!

You can try this recipe here!

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Low Sodium No Soak Beans (Instant Pot)-Guest Blog

Beans are one of the best things you can eat when managing diabetes. Even though they contain carbs, they are also loaded with fiber. According to the Mayo Clinic, fiber slows the absorption of sugar and helps improve blood glucose levels.

Why dried beans?
Beans you cook yourself taste so much better than beans from a can. You can cook them without salt, which especially important if you’re following a low sodium diet. And they are cheaper than their canned cousins.

You can cook dried beans in a slow cooker or on top of the stove, but pressure cooking is by far my favorite way to do it. I don’t have to remember to soak the beans ahead of time and I don’t have to keep an eye on the pot. Also, pressure cooking may preserve more nutrients by reducing cook times.

Recipes for No Soak Beans
Make yourself a pot of beans on the weekend and then plan to use them during the week in dishes like:

Sweet Potato Bean Dip
Barley Salad with Black Beans, Avocado, and Corn
Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream
Tex-Mex Burrito Bowl with Lime Avocado Sauce
Black Bean Burger with Sriracha and Egg
White Beans with Kale
White Beans with Tomatoes
Queen Creek Pasta Fagiole
Tortellini Soup with Cannellini Beans and Spinach
Spicy Black and White Bean Brownies

You can also add cooked beans to salads and soups. If you can’t possibly eat that many beans in a week (a 1-pound bag makes 6 cups of cooked beans), freeze them in portion sizes of 1-1/2 cups. That’s roughly equivalent to a 15-ounce can of beans. Just pull out and thaw a serving whenever you have a recipe that calls for a can of beans.

Low Sodium No Soak Beans (Instant Pot)

An easy way to cook dried beans that requires no soaking or planning ahead

Ingredients 

• 1 pound dried beans (unsoaked) rinsed
• 5 cups vegetable broth, chicken stock, or water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Combine the beans and broth in the electric pressure cooker. Drizzle the oil on top. (The oil will help control the foam produced by the cooking beans.)
2. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the valve to “Sealing.”
3. For black beans, cook on HIGH pressure for 25 minutes.
4. For pinto beans, navy beans, or Great Northern beans, cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes.
5. For cannellini beans, cook on HIGH pressure for 40 minutes.
6. When the cooking is complete, hit CANCEL and do a NATURAL release for 20 minutes. Turn the pressure valve to “Venting” to release any remaining pressure.
7. Once the pin drops, unlock and remove the lid.
8. Let the beans cool, then refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Recipe Notes
You can freeze cooked beans in 1-1/2 cup portions and use them whenever a recipe calls for a 15-ounce can of beans.

Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1/2 cup. Calories: 141. Fat: 2g; Sodium 5mg; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 24g; Fiber 6g; Sugar 1g.

Guest Blog Bio

Shelby Kinnaird is the Founder and Publisher of Diabetic Foodie, a website featuring recipes and tips for people with diabetes. Her motto is “a diabetes diagnosis is not a dietary death sentence.” Shelby is also the author of The Pocket Carbohydrate Counter Guide for Diabetes: Simple Nutritional Strategies to Lower Your Blood Sugar. A passionate diabetes advocate, Shelby runs two support groups in Richmond, VA.

Download Our Free SOUPS eCookbook
and Enjoy Healthy Recipes All Year Long!

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