banner
alive logo
FoodFamilyLifestyleBeautySustainabilityHealthImmunity

Hearty Black Bean Burger

    Share

    This burger is a little unusual in that it features bulgur, a grain that adds fibre to a burger! Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health showed that men whose diets contain lots of whole grains appear to have a lower risk of heart disease than men who consume only small amounts of foods such as oatmeal, brown rice, barley, bulgur, whole grain breads, and breakfast cereals. Black beans are also a healthful addition, as they add quality protein and fibre without the saturated fat of beef. We’ve used a meat substitute here to implement some soy and reduce the overall fat content. These burgers grill up just as dark and delicious as any beef burger and you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference.

    Advertisement

    1/3 cup (85 mL) bulgur wheat
    1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 2 Tbsp (30 mL) boiling water (or red wine)
    1 tsp (5 mL) extra virgin olive oil
    2 cloves garlic, crushed
    1 small onion, finely chopped
    1/3 cup (85 mL) black beans, cooked
    1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
    1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
    1/4 tsp (1 mL) allspice
    400 g (14 oz) veggie ground round
    1 egg, lightly beaten
    1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt to taste
    1/2 tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper
    1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 mL) soy flour, as required
    4 whole wheat hamburger or kaiser buns

    In a small bowl, combine bulgur wheat with boiling water. Cover and let sit 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add black beans and cumin, coriander, and allspice. Stir and cook another 3 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water and stir until absorbed, about one minute. Remove from heat.

    In a large bowl, mix together ground round, egg, salt, and pepper. Add black bean mixture and bulgur. Stir well until mixture is thick and sticks together easily. If the mixture is too wet, add a little soy flour. Make 4 large patties, each about 3/4-in (1.5 cm) thick.

    Lightly oil skillet or grill and heat to medium. Cook patties 4 minutes on each side. Meanwhile toast whole wheat buns.

    Serve burger patties hot on whole wheat buns with trimmings such as natural mayonnaise, ketchup, tomatoes, and lettuce.

    Serves 4

    source: "Tex-Mex Barbecue",  alive #272, June 2005

    Advertisement

    Hearty Black Bean Burger

    Directions

    Advertisement
    Advertisement
    Advertisement

    READ THIS NEXT

    SEE MORE »
    Warming Winter Chocolate Bark
    Food

    Warming Winter Chocolate Bark

    A tribute to the bounty and beauty of nature, this chocolate bark is studded with nuts, seeds, and berries and flavoured with the warming spices of ginger and cinnamon. Adding sweet paprika and chili also gives an interesting kick to a winter favourite. Cut back on the red pepper flakes if you prefer a less spicy version. Chocolate contains tryptophan—an essential amino acid—that helps our brain produce serotonin. Eating chocolate is a delicious way to get a mood boost, which can help lift our spirits when sunlight levels are low. Food of the Gods In the taxonomy of plants, the cacao plant, from which chocolate is derived, is called Theobroma cacao. Theobroma comes from Greek for “food of the gods.” Cacao comes from the Mayan word for the plant.