Spicy Black Bean Burgers

I've tried all kinds of veggie burgers in the past, yet have only found one that I 

liked, and I can't justify spending upwards of 8 dollars for 4 patties. And even

 though the store-bought veggie burgers are "healthier" for you sans meat, 

they are still chock full of preservatives and unnecessary sodium. Lesson 

here... make your own. I researched a lot online to get inspiration for this 

recipe, and ended up creating my own combination of ingredients. These 

patties are full of black beans and fresh veggies, and you get to decide how 

much salt to add. Serve on a sandwich thin with a side of sweet potato fries 

or asparagus and you've successfully made it through "burger" night without 

the added bloat!

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, drained, washed, and patted dry 
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into chunks 
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped 
• 3 tbsp. fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt

*Additional add-ons; flax seed, wheat germ, chia seeds

Start by draining, washing, and excessively drying off your can of black beans.
Pat dry with a paper towel to get all excess moisture off of your beans. Then
mash with a fork until thick.

In a food processor add the red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, and garlic.
Pulse until broken down into very small chunks. Add oats and blend. Then
add the egg, cumin, and salt, pulsing to create almost a paste-like substance.

Pour into the beans and mix together. If the mixture is too wet, add more oats,
or add some of the additional add-ons listed above to soak up some moisture.

Divide into 4 sections and form patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place them on a
piece of wax paper. Freeze them for at least 2 hours before serving, or store in
an air-tight container in the freezer until ready to consume.

To cook, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray and
cook on each side for about 7-8 minutes. Or you bake them on 375 degrees.

I served these with a dollop of chipotle mayo: To make this blend together 3 tbsp. mayonnaise and 1 chipotle pepper in adobo.