Saturday Night Special

Black Bean and Mushroom Burger on a homemade Whole Wheat Bun with Sweet Potato Fries. Yum.

I've made these bean burgers a few times, but they are a bit time intensive, albeit delicious. So the last time I made them, I made a huge batch and froze them in patties separated by parchment paper. So, this evening when I was craving a burger, all I had to do was throw them on the George Foreman and wait for the magic. Here's the recipe:

Black Bean and Mushroom Burger:
1-2 T Oil
1 Onion
1-2 Cloves Garlic
2 C. Mushrooms, diced
3 C. Black Beans, cooked
1 tsp. Cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Oil for Grilling

First, saute the garlic and onion together for several minutes, until the onions are tender. Add in the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through. When that's all nice and cooked up, add the mixture to the beans in a big ol' bowl along with the cumin, salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you dream up. Mix them up together. I used a potato masher. Then form them into patties and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or so. (You don't have to refrigerate. But it helps the patty keep it's shape during cooking, in my experience.) Or freeze them at this point, if you're not going to eat in the next couple of days.

When you're ready to cook, coat your pan or grill with a little oil and fry 'em up! They are a little delicate, but really stay together pretty well, if you are careful.


Now, I know you are all dying to get my whole wheat bun recipe. But it is still in the works. I was inspired by Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, but I've been deviating from their recipes to find one that I like better. My dough is a little too wet still. But as soon as I have it perfected, I will announce it to the world.

As for the Sweet Potato Fries.... Here you go.

Sweet Potato Fries:
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 T. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Cut the Sweet Potatoes into fries. This is really complicated. Just kidding. I like to cut them in half, and then cut nice wide strips from there. Sometimes I cut them in half lengthwise, if they are really long. I don't even peel them. But you could, and it would make them better. I just don't mind the skins. And then it takes longer, which is a turnoff for me. Put them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle your Olive Oil over them, and make sure they all get their fair share. Cook them at 400 F for about 20 minutes, stirring every once in a while. (Once or twice during the cooking time.) Pull them out, season them to taste. Paprika might be nice too. Devour them in minutes, as my daughter and I do. It's a little ridiculous how much we love them.

And that, my friends, was my delicious dinner. Happy Weekend.