RECIPE: Easy Black Bean Burgers

While black beans may not currently be hailed as a superfood, they should be.

These little guys are packed full of so many amazing nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants to enrich your diet. In fact, if you pair them with brown rice, you make a “complete protein” - an essential part of health requirements and something that many vegetarians and meat eaters alike are lacking. While they’re common in Latin American cultures, black beans are growing in popularity in recipes from all over the world.

These black bean burgers are so simple to make it should be illegal. Okay, not really, but they’re so quick, easy, and utterly delicious. Aside from soaking the beans overnight (if you’re not using canned black beans) these literally take about 15 minutes. I like to eat these with a huge salad full of spinach, beetroot, and seeds and add a big dollop of freshly made guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup black beans, soaked overnight (can also use canned black beans)
• ¼ cup steel cut oats, cooked with salted water
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 Jalapeno chilis
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro/coriander
• ¼ cup chopped baby spinach
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp coconut or extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. If using soaked black beans, drain and cook in a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes. Skip this step if using canned black beans - just drain and rinse.
2. Cook the oats in a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes as well.
3. Put black beans, cooked oats, garlic, ginger, and jalapenos in a blender and pulse. You want the mixture to still have some bite to it.
4. In a bowl, combine bean mixture with cilantro, spinach, spring onion, and onion. Form into patty shapes. This recipe should make 4 substantial patties or you can make 6 or 8 smaller ones.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan or use a grill and cook the burgers for 5 minutes each side. You can cook them longer if you want a more well done burger.
6. Enjoy with a large, gut-friendly side salad and some fresh guacamole or salsa.