Last night I got my kitchen groove thang back on. Thank goodness.
It was such a nice and warm evening, and when dinner came around, I was feeling in the mood for something reminiscent of summer. Naturally, grill food, like burgers or fresh fish, and gorgeously colored fruit make me think of summer on a plate. So, I put my creative food cap on and got to work on a vegan bean burger.
I've made black bean burgers before, and lentil burgers are a yummy favorite, but I wanted to try something different. We always have tons of beans on hand, so when I spotted cannellini beans just behind a can of black, I thought, "Why not combine the two?"
I went with a simple burger because I was inspired to top it with a spicy and sweet homemade salsa. The whole dish turned out wonderfully colorful, and the taste was even better!
Check out the details:
Black & White Bean Burgers with Spicy Mango Salsa (makes 4 burgers)
Burgers
- 1 15-oz. can black beans
- 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for cooking)
Salsa
- 1/2 of a mango, diced
- 1/2 of a red pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 Tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and minced
- 1 Roma tomato, partially pureed (still chunky)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine half a can of black beans, half a can of cannellini beans, garlic, carrot and salt. Set the bowl aside. In a food processor or blender, puree the remaining 1/2 cans of black and cannellini beans, and then add to the bowl that was set aside. Stir the mixture, and mash the beans by stirring and pressing the ingredients against the sides of the bowl with a metal spoon.
In a separate bowl, combine all of the salsa ingredients (mango through salt). Stir to combine and set aside.
Begin to form patties by forming bean mixture with hands. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large saute pan for about 1 minute. Place patties in pan, cooking each side for 5 - 6 minutes or until golden brown. (NOTE: Patties will have a soft inside texture -- this is the correct consistency.)
Place patties on lettuce wraps or on a hamburger bun, and then top with salsa.
I wrapped the burgers in Boston lettuce and piled the salsa on top. I love how fresh and pretty they look! Dan made french fries by tossing sliced potatoes in salt, pepper and olive oil, and baking them in the oven. I served them up alongside the burgers and dinner was good-to-go!
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Today's a busy, busy day, but part of it includes getting a bit more settled in our apartment, so I am excited to start making it feel home-y. We have been in and out so much that we have barely had time to enjoy our new living space. So, here's to a day of getting organized!
Tell me: What dish or special ingredient makes it feel like summer at your dinner table?
Find more recipes, gluten-free information and healthy living tips at The G-Spot.
