Happy Monday! And if it’s a meatless one, even better. I do love a good bean burger, and these tex-mex burgers are my favorite. If you are trying to lose some weight, beans should be your friends. Beans are loaded with protein, iron and fiber, so they will fill you up but not out. Beans are also virtually fat free and cholesterol free, so you can enjoy them without worrying about what they will do to your heath. Having canned beans on hand is great for making food on the fly. I like using dried beans that I soak first before cooking in large batches then freeze in smaller portions. This saves me money, prevents trash and also saves the planet.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ cup diced zucchini
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp. minced red jalapeno pepper
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp. hemp seeds
- Pinch of chili pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp. flour
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat, and sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add zucchini, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper and carrot, and cook another 2 minutes. Place this in a food processor with kidney beans, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, chili pepper, salt and flour. Blend until just combined. You still want to have a few beans visible. Place in fridge for an hour. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan. Shape bean batter into 4 burgers. Cook on medium heat until golden and slightly crispy. Enjoy burger on a bun with cheese, lettuce, avocado, sprouts and whatever else you think tastes great on a burger.
