Black Bean Burger

Ingredients:

For the Burger:

• 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ green bell pepper
• ½ small onion
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large egg, beaten (*see note below)
• ⅔ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Chipotle Mayo Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
• 1 Tablespoon adobe sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• hamburger buns
• desired burger toppings: lettuce, tomato, etc.

Instructions:

To make the Burger:

1. Place rinsed and drained black beans in a bowl. If needed, blot them with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Place in a large bowl and mash well with a fork.
2. Place the bell pepper, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced.
3. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh strainer to remove the excess water. (Remove as much moisture as you can--if it's too wet, the burger won’t hold together as well.)
4. Add the strained vegetable mixture to the bowl with the black beans. Add the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
5. Add beaten egg and mix. Stir in breadcrumbs. Form mixture into 4 or 5 patties.

At this point you can choose to:

1. Grill the burgers on a well-oiled grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
2. Bake them at 375 degrees on a lightly oiled baking sheet, for 10 minutes on each side.
3. Cook them on your stove using a grill pan, for 4-5 minutes on each side.
4. Refrigerate them for later.
5. Freeze them, covered, in a freezer ziplock bag for a quick weeknight dinner in the future.

For the Chipotle Mayo Sauce:

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Serve burgers on a white or whole wheat bun topped with a spoonful of chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, or any other desired toppings! Enjoy!
3. Serve with one of these healthy side dishes!

Nutrition:

Calories: 183kcal I Carbohydrates: 34g I Protein: 11 g I Fat: 2g I Saturated Fat: 1 g I Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g I Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g I Trans Fat: 1 g I Cholesterol: 37mg I Sodium: 120mg I Potassium: 390mg I Fiber: 10g I Sugar: 1g I Vitamin A: 583IU I Vitamin C: 13mg I Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 4mg