Black Bean Burgers

Thought I would stick with the healthy kick at least a little while longer and make a recipe that was delicious but super healthy to pack in my lunch this week as well.  I have been trying to get in more fruits and veggies and less meats and dairy so I thought what a better way to do that than with black bean burgers.  I'm not usually a veggie burger person but something about black bean burgers has always been deliciously yummy to me.  I love their spicy flavor and meaty texture.  I hate buying them at the store though. They're more expensive than real hamburgers!!  If I'm eating healthy I don't think it's fair to make my wallet suffer too... so I made some cheap ones on my own! :)

Turns out finding a black bean burger recipe online can be pretty tough.  I didn't have much to go with except complaints of a lot of reviewers stating that the recipes online left you with sticky patties that almost certainty fell apart while trying to turn them.  I knew that wasn't what I wanted so I thought I would investigate.

This recipe definitely took a lot more experimentation than most of my others.  Seemed I was just as susceptible to the dreaded crumbling as all my friends before.  The burgers were just too wet to stay together and I didn't want to keep adding breadcrumbs after breadcrumbs to get them to stick... I mean it's supposed to be a *black bean burger* not a *breadcrumb* burger!!  Finally I tried something odd, after I finished rinsing and draining the black beans I poured them out onto paper towels and patted them until completely dry.  After that they were sticking together perfectly.  Don't skip this step, you'll find yourself with a mess!

Black Bean Burger Recipe

Ingredients

yields 4 patties
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cooked brown rice (or quinoa)
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (remove seeds to reduce the spice level)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 T. chunky salsa
1/4 t. garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1) Rinse the beans and drain well.  Excess water will cause the patties to fall apart so be sure draining them well... I would recommend pouring the beans out onto a few clean paper towels and patted them completely.  Place the beans in the food processor and process until chunky (you want it to be like a chunky black bean dip) and pour into a large mixing bowl.

2) Gently mix all remaining ingredients into the processed beans until well combined.  Set aside to rest for 20 minutes.  This will allow the breadcrumbs to have time to soak up and remaining liquid from the beans and salsa.

3) Heat 1 t. oil in a sauce pan over medium heat until hot and shiny.

4) Shape the black bean mixture into patties and place into the hot oil.  Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.  Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve and retreat in the oven set to 350 for 10 minutes or in a microwave.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

What a week!  Last week my boyfriend, brother, sister-in-law and I all went to Louisville, KY to tour the bourbon trail.  It was a fantastic week of delicious food and delicious drinks.  But with the last 5 days consisting of mostly meat and liquor I figured something light and healthy would be the best way to start out this Monday.  So I made my favorite vegetarian entree.  Quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, avocados... what else could you need?!

This salad was actually one of my favorite meals in college.  It is super quick to make and you can prepare a large batch, save it in an air-tight container in the fridge, and eat it throughout the week.  Make this on a Sunday night and you have lunch for the whole week ready and waiting.  Which is just what I need this week!

This salad is pretty easy going... don't like tomatoes - leave them out and use more peppers or add mangos... need more protein in your diet - add in some grilled chicken or steak... don't like quinoa - use brown rice!  No joke, this is pretty easy and tasty too!

Quinoa Salad Chipotle Style

Ingredients
yields 4-6 lunch time servings
1 cup quinoa, prepared according to instructions on the box
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped (I used orange for color but any pepper will do)
1/2 jalapeno, minced (seeds removed if you don't like things spicy).
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium avocado, chopped
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 small lime

Directions
1) Prepare quinoa according to directions on the package.  Set aside to cool.

2) Rinse and drain the black beans and place into a large mixing bowl with the quinoa.

3) Add the chopped/minced veggies and the cilantro to the bowl.  When chopping the cilantro use only the leaves and stop when you get to the part that is just stem.  Since cilantro bunches vary widely in size I would recommend about 1/4-1/3 cup fresh cilantro.

4) In a small bowl mix together the cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper and sprinkle over the top of the salad.  Toss the salad lightly.  Dress with the juice from one small lime.  Toss lightly again.

**Storage tip** Avocados brown easily when exposed to oxygen.  To keep your salad looking fresh store in a airtight container without much space at the top.  The lime juice should help to keep the avocado from browning too quickly but if you let it sit for more than a day you may see some discoloration.  It will still taste fine and be safe to eat, just not as pretty.

Roasted Corn Salsa

I love chips and salsa.  No better way to enjoy a beer than with a bowl of fresh salsa and some salty chips.  I especially like roasted corn salsa because not only is it great on chips it goes well on top of a salad, in a burrito, or on tacos.  Versatile recipes are some of my favorites because you can use them so many different ways.

This recipe was first created by my dad years ago to go along with his carne asada tacos.  It has been a staple in our family ever since.  It is super easy to make and only takes a few ingredients.  It is especially delicious in the summer time made with fresh sweet corn but is still very tasty made with frozen corn.  The corn begins to caramelize as it roasts in the pan and develops this absolutely perfect sweet and smoky flavor.

Roasted Corn Salsa Recipe

Ingredients
yields 2 cups salsa
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1-2 finely chopped jalapenos (use only 1 and remove the seeds if you don't like it spicy)
2 cloves of garlic
2 T. olive oil
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

Directions
1) Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat until the oil becomes hot and shiny.  Place the corn in the pan and cook until it begins to caramelize.  The edges will begin to turn brown.

2) Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeno and turn the heat down to medium.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is well caramelized.  See picture below for an example.  The corn should become soft and darken around the edges.

3) This is best served warm but is really easy to chill and re-heat in a pan with a little bit of oil in it until the corn becomes warm and crispy again.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Stacked Salad

I hated beets.  That's right, I hated them.  They taste funny, they look funny, they smell funny.  I did not want to be friends with them.  I did not want them to come over for dinner.  But my friend Kim loves them and I have not been posting much about veggies lately so I thought I would give them a chance and dedicate this post to Kim.  Off to the store I went to find beets.  Oh man, I forgot how truly ugly they are.  Their roots look like the tail of a rat!  I couldn't possibly eat these.  I mean honestly - look at those things.  They look like aliens or something!

As I am not one to give up on a challenge I decided to bring those little aliens home and do some research.  About 15 food blogs later it seemed like roasting them was the best idea to bring out some flavor and sweetness.  I saw a lot of recipes that tossed them with orange segments and sherry so I decided to include both of those flavors.  Finally I decided on a little bit of goat cheese and some micro-greens to bring it all together.

So here went nothing.  I peeled and roasted the beets and then spent 20 minutes washing the beet stains off my hands.  They came out of the oven smelling... could it be? smelling... delicious.  A small and timid bite later I was converted... a beet lover in fact.  I cannot get enough of this salad!  Seriously you're lucky there are pictures I wolfed down about 2/3 of the recipe before I even got started.  The beets are sweet and the roasting gives them a nice caramelized taste.  The dressing is prefect and goes great with both the spicy greens and the sweet beets.  Finally the tangy goat cheese adds nice texture and the perfect rounded taste.  And thus the beet, goat cheese, and micro-green salad was born.  The recipe for this roasted beet and goat cheese salad is super easy and can be made in advance and be served the next day.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Stacked Salad

Ingredients

yields 2-3 salads

1 batch roasted beets, cooled (recipe below)

1/2 cup micro-greens or arugula

4 oz log fresh goat cheese

1 batch orange sherry vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions

1) Toss the micro-greens or arugula in the dressing.  Slice the goat cheese log into small disks about 1/4 inch thick.  Layer the salad on small serving plates.  Beet, cheese, greens, beet, cheese, greens, beet.

2) Drizzle any additional dressing on top of the salad and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Beet Recipe

Ingredients

3 large beets, peeled, and cut into 1/2 slices

2 T. olive oil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 t. fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1) Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) Clean and peel beets (careful they can dye your clothes so be sure to wear an apron or something you are keen on replacing soon!).  Slice the beets into 1/2 inch slices.  Toss beets with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.

3) Arrange beets on a pan and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  Turning 2 times half way through (don't use your favorite white spatula though - unless you want it to become your favorite pink spatula!).  You will know the beets are done when they are tender to the touch.

4) Remove beets from oven and allow to cool.  You can stop here and place them in the refrigerator overnight if you like and make the rest of the salad just before serving.

Orange-Sherry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 T. fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 an orange)

1 T. sherry vinegar

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. fresh thyme leaves

1 T. finely minced shallots (about 1/2 small shallot)

2 T. olive oil

Directions

1) Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl and whisk to combine.

2) Whisk the in the olive oil.  You can add more to your liking if you prefer your dressings on the less acidic side.  Try adding an additional 1/2 tablespoon at a time up to 2 more tablespoons.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

**You can make a double batch of this and keep it around - I really love it drizzled on about any veggie, especially asparagus and green beans.

Spiced Kale Chips

I believe it's time for something healthy and green to show its face on this blog!  Don't get me wrong, I love, love , love all the baked goods, chili dogs, and pizzas... I just think it's time for a bit of veg.  I have never much been a fan of leafy greens, mostly because I think they lack flavor.  So I was intrigued when I saw recipes for kale chips.  Baking them makes them light and crunchy and you can add whatever spices you choose to pack in some flavor.

I must admit I was skeptical at first glance and even more skeptical when I tasted the raw kale leaves.  This couldn't be tasty... I carried on though.  Boy am I glad I did.  These turned out so tasty.  Their texture, however, is the best part.  These are the crispiest, crunchiest little treats I ever did eat.  Like they are made out of a mixture of Pop Rocks and dynamite!  Nick and I had a great time competing to see who could crunch the loudest!

This snack was super easy to make and only took about 5 minutes of prep; this is definitely a recipe I am going to keep handy when I need to make a quick veggie.  I read all sorts of flavor combinations with these so fell free to experiment away.  I settled on a spicy, garlicy chip but if you aren't into heat try some Parmesan instead of the red pepper flake for a more savory snack.

Ingredients

Yields 10 snack size servings

1 lbs fresh kale

1 T. olive oil

1 t. sea salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flake

Directions

1) Pre-heat the oven to 275.  Wash and dry the kale leaves.  Using kitchen shears, or a paring knife, remove the stem from the middle of the leaf.  Rip the leaves into small pieces and place in a bowl (or salad spinner).

2) If you have an oil spritzer, spritz the oil onto the leaves.  If you don't have a spritzer drizzle the whole evenly over the leaves and shake well to distribute the oil.  Sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the leaves and shake well to distribute.

Stem Removed

3) Place the leaves on two baking sheets and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they just  begin to brown.  Remove from oven and enjoy the snack!  Just don't crunch so loud it annoys the neighbors! :)

Store the leftover chips in an air-tight container.  Eat within 2-3 days for best flavor.