Sweet & Savory

Just last week, less than 5 days ago to be exact, it was snowing here in Starkville. It was reported we got six inches of snow. Six inches! Then of course, today was mid 70’s and gorgeous. The weather brought about spring time feelings and cravings too, of course. 

I thought burgers would be the perfect fit to this afternoon I spent writing on my porch with the sun shining bright. So windows open and oven on I delved into cooking these delicious black bean burgers.

These burgers are topped with barbecue sauce and blue cheese. In my opinion blue cheese is the best cheese to use on a burger especially when combined with the sweet bread and the tart barbecue sauce. I served this burger with a side of oven baked sweet potato chips.

It was only slightly over a year before I began my pescetarian lifestyle that I started really getting into burgers and I thought that burgers were out of the question for me, that is until I discovered the black bean patty. 

I was suspicion, to say none the less, that a black bean patty could offer up the same taste satisfaction of a burger. But embracing the pescetarian lifestyle requires thinking outside of the box sometimes. Sometimes the results are disappointing (such as the meat free frozen chicken I bought….Blech!) But the black bean burger was nothing but satisfying. I would suggest this to meat eaters and non meat eaters alike. My boyfriend happens to be a meat loving fiend and he loves these black bean burgers. That is how I know they are winners.

Recipe for two:

2 Frozen Black Bean Patties

Onion Rings (Recipe Follows)

½ Avocado, Sliced lengthwise

Sliced Tomatoes

Sweet Hawaiian Buns

Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

Blue Cheese Crumbles

I start by defrosting my black bean burgers in the microwave and then heating a skillet to medium. Spray the skillet with nonstick olive oil and cook the burgers for 6-8 minutes flipping often.

Then toast the bottom of the buns in the same skillet, so that they have a crisp inside and a warm, soft outside. 

I spread the BBQ sauce over the bottom bun (this keeps the sauce ON the burger) and sprinkle with Blue Cheese crumbles. 

Layer black bean patty, avocado, tomato, and onion rings in that order and then top with the bun.

Onion Rings

¼ Onion Sliced into rings

¼ Cup flour

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Paprika

1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 Tsp dried Parsley

½ Tsp Pepper

½ Tsp Garlic Salt

½ Cup Coconut Milk

Heat oil over a medium high heat on the stovetop in a deep pot.

Soak the onion rings in the coconut milk for 10-15 minutes making sure they are fully coated.

Mix the flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, parsley, pepper, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture and coat thoroughly. 

Carefully place the onion rings in oil and fry until crispy.

Allow to dry and cool on paper towels. 

Sweet Potato Chips

1 Sweet Potato

1 Tsp Olive Oil

½ Tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Using a mandolin carefully slice the sweet potato into thin slices. 

Toss the sweet potatoes in olive oil and salt until thouroughly coated. 

Spread sweet potatoes out on cookie sheet, making sure they are all separated . Cook for 15-20 minutes on center shelf checking constantly to make sure they don’t burn.

Hopefully this will inspire you to think outside the box and come up with some great burgers of your own!