Spicy black bean burgers two ways

ONE:

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TWO:

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Boom.

Homemade black bean burgers.  FINALLY.  After all these years I can check you off the Things I’ma Make List.  Thank you to this recipe for showing me that homemade black bean burgers are actually super simple to make.  Also thank you to Google for always helping me find delicious recipes to try out.  I may not be a recipe creator, but I’m one heck of a recipe tryer-outer-and-tweaker if I do say so myself.

Here’s how to make your own black bean burgers in four easy parts.

ONE:  Give the following a quick pulse in the blender, then strain out the excess liquids:

  • 1/2 green pepper cut into chunks
  • 1/2 onion cut into chunks
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced

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TWO:  Rinse and drain 1 can of black beans and pat those little bean babies dry with a paper towel.  Once dry, pour them into a bowl and give them a good mash with a fork.  The beans will have a thick and pasty yet slightly chunky (in a good way) consistency.

THREE:  Whisk together the following in a small bowl:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper (or less if you are a wimp)
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Franks Red Hot

FOUR:  Combine parts 1, 2, and 3, then sprinkle in 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs and mix until combined.  Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to evenly portion out four burgers.  If you’re anal like me, your burgers will have precisely the same circumference.  This is optional (though highly recommended).

Cook those burgers up in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes on each side.

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*Ding ding ding* Burgers are done!!!

Now it’s time to get creative.

Last night, I had one of the burgers in a big burger salad (just like we had at Pike’s over the weekend)!

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I’m fairly certain ketchup and mustard have never looked so good:

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Once the leftover burgers were cooled off, I wrapped them in parchment paper and then in a Ziploc baggie, and tossed them in the freezer.  Tonight, I heated one of the burgers up in the oven (again, 375 degrees 10 minutes on each side).

I plopped the burger on a Trader Joe’s low carb tortilla along with some tomato, onion, avocado, and dijon mustard:

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Coming in for your close up:

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I really enjoyed these spicy black bean burgers. The patties held together well even though the middle of the burger had a soft refried bean consistency (which I actually liked).  Next time I think I’ll cook them longer in the oven and see if the burger firms up at all.  Regardless, I’ll definitely be making these guys again!  I think I’ll try swapping out the bread crumbs for oats and egg whites for the egg.

I’m pumped I still have 2 more of these  in the freezer Smile

Stats on 1 black bean burger:  182 calories, 30g carbs, 3g fat, 4g protein, 7g fiber

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Black & White Chicken Chili

Every year, my company holds its annual Crockpot Fest where employees anonymously submit chilis and soups to a contest judged by our fellow coworkers.  I’ve never participated in the crockpost fest from the submission side of things, though I have been more than happy to taste everyone else’s creations!

Given the recent relocation of my wildly attractive boyfriend Winking smile I suddenly have quite a bit of free time on my hands (which my Type A Personality is feverishly seeking to fill), so I thought this contest would be the perfect opportunity to start catching up on all the quality kitchen time I’ve been missing out on.

I decided to go with my spin on this recipe, which I call Black and White Chicken Chili.

As with any great recipe, it started off with a big fat onion:

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Then it was time to bring on the HEAT.  If you can’t take the heat… well… don’t eat the chili.  Just sayin’ Winking smile 

The heat in this recipe came in the form of chopped green chilis, jalapenos, and cayenne pepper along with some garlic, cumin, and dried oregano.

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First up, I heated up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot and then dropped in the chopped white onion:

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Then I sat back and let the onions do their thang.

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Once they were soft and translucent, I added the seasonings, chilies, garlic, and jalapenos and let everything jive together for a few minutes:

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Then I tossed in my black beans:

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And the white beans:

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And gave everything a nice stir.  Isn’t it beautiful?

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Next up, I added the chicken broth, chicken stock, and shredded chicken:

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I popped a lid on the pot, and let the chili meld together for about 15 minutes.  Then I added 1 cup of shredded cheddar jack cheese:

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YESSSSSSSSSSSSS. 

Once the cheese melted, I turned the pot off to let everything cool down. 

As with all soups, making this chili the night ahead makes for EVEN BETTER tasting chili the next day.  Here’s a shot of my hard work at the contest:

Gotta love an accountant’s humor hahaha…

Another great thing about this chili is that it freezes really well.  Last time I made it, I portioned it out into six individual servings and popped four of them into the freezer.  Gotta love that!

Next time I make this chili, I think I’ll start off with a rue to help thicken things up a bit.  As it stands, it’s a bit more like a choup than a chili. 🙂

Black & White Chicken Chili Ingredients List (Serves 6)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 big fat onion
  • 3 cloves garlic (and by 3, I mean 5)
  • 8 ounce can diced jalapeno peppers
  • 4 ounce can chopped green chile peppers
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • 16 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces chicken stock
  • 3 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
  • 2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
  • 

Stats on 1 Serving:  351 calories, 38g carbs, 11g fat, 27g protein, 14g fiber

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