WE EAT | Black Bean Veggie Burgers + Sriracha Mayo

Make no mistake- we love meat in this house.  Okay, really - the hubby loves the meat.  The girls and I could stand to eat 'vegetarian' at every meal.. but I do love a great steak every once and awhile.  Bean burgers are probably my most favorite meal to make sans the meat, for a few reasons.. 

ONE - it is so easy.  Easy isn't even the right word.  But really- its so easy.

TWO- its really cheap.  Beans are probably the cheapest protein in the grocery store, am I right?

THREE- they are healthy.  Just so long as we keep the Sriracha mayo to a minimum (I have a hard time with limiting the 'sauces'.  I always want extra!)

FOUR (because I feel like just three is limiting the amazing that are bean burgers) - you can put absolutely anything you want in them.  The versatility is endless.

This recipe, I can promise, even your household carnivores will enjoy.

Vegetarian (dietitian says go meatless at least once a week), high in fiber (we all need more fiber, yo), and if your diet requires it, gluten free by simply subbing out the panko breadcrumbs for gluten free oats (excluding the bun, too).

also..

Sriracha on er'thing.

Ingredients

BURGERS

adapted from eat, live, run 

3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 egg (..or 2 if your mixture seems to be really dry and crumbly)

2 jalapeño peppers, seeds + ribs removed

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

avocado, sliced thin

hamburger buns

SRIRACHA MAYO

adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup canola mayo

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

--

In a food processor, pulse together jalapeño, garlic, 1/2 of the black beans, salt, & pepper.  Remove bean mixture from the food processor and combine with remaining black beans, egg, panko, cilantro, tomato sauce, and thawed corn.  Fold in chili powder and paprika.

Form into 6 'burger' patties.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat- cook burgers on each side for 4-6 minutes.  

Serve on hamburger buns with avocado slices and Sriracha mayo.

For the mayo: combine all ingredients - mix well.

This recipe is written so that I can make plenty to feed my family, but also to freeze some for later cooking.  To store them in your freezer, freeze them on wax paper until they set, about 2 hours, then transfer them into labeled containers or freezer safe bags.  I can't promise you'll have left overs to freeze.  They are good.  I've been craving this recipe since I made them.. We might have these burgers again very soon.  Just so I can eat the leftovers.

It was a crowd pleaser at this table.

I served these with baked fries (and ketchup!).. but they would be amazing up on top a bed of brown rice or quinoa with shredded jicama, peppers, avocado and a vinaigrette dressing for a healthy veggie bowl.  

 While dinner time isn't usually a huge mess anymore, we do still strip the girls of most of their clothing and always throw on a bib before setting them up in their highchairs at the table for meal times. We are bib-lovers of all kinds, and have been since they started solids at 4 months.  

While we have graduated from the 'pocket-bibs', we had the opportunity to try out these apron-style reversible bibs from Dabbling Duck Boutique.

 The 'food protection' of these bibs is pretty impressive. These bibs have arm holes for full coverage of the shoulders torso.. and while I just said my kids aren't super messy anymore, after this typically non-messy meal they somehow got ketchup on their shoulders, too.

Excitement on this face for veggie burgers.. and for the new colors on her bib.

Four bobby pins in that girl's hair doing nothing for her at the moment..

 Parker is a 'sauce dipper', like her mother, and no matter what sauce is on her plate, everything is dipped before it goes into her mouth (and everywhere else on her person). 

On this night we were covered for the mess.  Literally.
I tossed these messy bibs in the wash after dinner - and Parker was clean as a whistle.
Well.. her ketchup covered face sung a different tune, I'm afraid.

 She is the silliest.  The silliest and the most sassy.  Gives me a run for my money in every situation- but that smile captures it all into one sweet pot of sugar. 

..and there is also this face.  I have two sweet babes I share the table. 

These burgers.  Delectable and delicious.  Mix them up, throw them on a salad or eat them with a bun.  But don't forget the spicy mayo.  You won't be disappointed! 

mint arrows bibs c/o dabbling duck boutique

flex straw sippy cup c/o nuby