Black Bean "Burgers"

I'm a sucker for a good burger. So's my husband. We like 'em with lots of dill pickles and...cheese? Yes, please. But we can't afford to buy all the meat we'd like to eat, so one day my hubby got a wild hair and decided to make himself some black bean burgers. (He was inspired by a menu item from Chili's way. back. when. that is no longer available. Of course.) He did a little recipe research, gleaned a few generalities, and then set about dumping ingredients into a bowl. (He's not much of a recipe guy. Measuring spoons? What's that?) But I'm here to tell you he performed some magic in the kitchen that day. Pure magic. And while black bean burgers actually taste nothing like a BURGER, they are exceptional. And they are affordable!! (They are maybe even a little addicting. So don't say I didn't warn ya.)

Here's our version:

1 (15 oz.) can of black beans (or the equivalent of soaked and cooked dried black beans)
Green olives (a handful or so), chopped
Feta cheese (maybe 3 oz.), crumbled
Rolled oats (Have them soaked and ready to make this meal more nutritious)
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
Couple "bams" of homemade "Essence of Emeril"
Whatever else you'd like to throw in there
Buns and burger fixins

You'll need some sort of food chopper/processor. I start with my olives. Just chop 'em up and set aside.

Next I process my beans. A teeny, little bit of the cooking liquid will help the beans process smoother and quicker. They don't have to be perfectly smooth. Lumps are perfectly acceptable!

Transfer your beans and olives to a mixing bowl and start adding stuff. I've never once measured the oats, so I apologize that I can't help you there. Maybe 1/2 to 1 cup??? Ehh...just eye it!  :)

We luuuuuuuuv Feta!!

Sometimes I sneak in a shredded veggie.

You'll end up with a goopy mess that looks anything but appetizing. But hang in there...

You'll want it to be pretty thick. Oh, yeah!! An egg will help it all bind together a little better. Once your griddle is preheated, oil it (olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, etc.--I use coconut oil.) and start scooping out your burgers.

You'll need to use the back of your spoon to sort of flatten and shape your burgers while ON the griddle. (You can't pat them out ahead of time the way you do beef.) As you can see, the burger on the left is shaped, while the burger on the right just got plopped down.

Flip 'em when they stop sizzling and are nicely browned.

I like to serve mine with mayonnaise (make it lacto-fermented if ya can), tomatoes, lettuce, and sliced raw cheese.

Ain't my hubby an amazing man? This is one of my absolute favorite meals. And it's kid-friendly, too!

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday and Real Food Wednesday.


Lori