The Time The Burger Stayed Together

Meatless patties can be rather tricky. They just don't stay together like regular burgers do. For those of you who have attempted to make meatless burgers of your own, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It can be very frustrating and I will admit I have been tempted to stop trying to make them, because no matter what I've tried, they just don't stay together. Last night this frustration was eliminated. After reading some tips on Gina's blog, I discovered that forming the patties and then sticking them in the freezer for a bit (the longer the better), helps prevent the burger from falling apart. It really worked! Not only was this method a huge success but my latest attempt at black bean burgers were as well. 

Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Chipotle Aioli 

(makes 4 burgers, adapted from here)

Ingredients:

For the Burgers:

- 1 (16 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1/2 green pepper, chopped

- 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped

- 3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

- 3 tbsp cilantro

- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

- 1 large egg

- 1 tbsp cumin

- 1 tsp onion powder

- 1 tsp garlic powder

- Salt & pepper, to taste

- Cooking spray

- 4 whole wheat hamburger buns

- Optional: avocado slices, for topping

For the Spicy Chipotle Aioli:

- 3 tbsp light mayo

- 1 tbsp canned chipotle in adobo

- 1 tsp hot sauce, of your choice

Method:

1. Place the green pepper, onion, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Then add the oats, the egg, and the seasonings (cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper) and pulse all together.

3. Lastly, add the black beans and pulse together with the other ingredients. 

4. Divide the mixture into four patties and place on top of parchment paper. 

5. Place the patties in a freezer safe container, and freeze for a minimum of 40 minutes (in order to help keep them together). Keep frozen until you are ready to cook them. 

6. Combine the ingredients for the spicy aioli  together in a blender or food processor, and set aside. 

7. Spray the bottom of a grill pan or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. 

8. Heat the pan on medium heat, and cook the frozen patties for about 7 minutes on each side.

9. Place each burger on a bun, top with the spicy mayo (if you dare!), and place a few avocado slices over top.

10. Serve alongside roasted sweet potatoes (recipe below) for one tasty, healthy meal. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into half moons

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp chili powder

- 1 tbsp garlic powder

- Salt & pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spread the sweet potatoes around a large baking sheet.

3. Brush the sweet potatoes with olive oil, and top with spices (chili powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper).

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until browned.

These black bean burgers are very delicious, but beware the spicy chipotle aioli that goes over top of them is no joke. If you can't handle spicy, I'd suggest a different topping. One thing you should not go without are the roasted sweet potatoes as your side dish. They are good, really really good. Enjoy!