Smokey Black Bean and Beet Veggie Burgers

Blaine and I recently shared probably the best veggie burger Ive ever had, ever! Our waitress at ABC Kitchen in New York described it as "it's basically a giant falafel" It was simply that, It came in a very fresh soft pita shell with a bit of greens inside and a really great Mediterranean sauce. Super simple with big flavour! If you're ever in the big NYC you must!

Anyways, this got me thinking of making a batch of my own veggie burgers again. Of all the recipes I have attempted, this one is a definite winner. These don't require too much prep or ingredients but are super flavourful, nutrient dense and hold their texture well! I actually initially made these to take on a camping trip, thats the kind of thing I do when camping. I also like to have foods like these in the fridge for quick week night meals or stashed in the freezer for when groceries are at an end or there isn't much time or energy for cooking. 

Well I hope you like them as much as we do! 

Ingredients:

1.5 cup cooked black beans or 1 can well rinsed (I like to cook my own from dry and freeze them but canned beans work as well)
1 cup grated red beet root
1 cup mushrooms of any you like, i recommend portobello
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pecans
2 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
.5 tsp cayenne (double for extra spice)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garlic powder
sea salt and pepper to taste


To Assemble:

1. Add all ingredients to a large food processor and pulse until well combined but still keeping some if the texture, if you don't have a food processor mash with a large fork instead
2. Divide dough and form into 6-8 large balls, flatten into patties
3. Fry patties in a pre heated and oiled pan at medium to low heat covered for 5-10 minutes on each side
4. Serve in a whole grain bun or in a lettuce wrap with your desired burger toppings, the smokey flavour pairs very well with goat cheese and arugula!!
5. Enjoy!

Notes: 

To freeze uncooked burger patties - Lay them on parchment paper and cut around each patty then stack them keeping the paper between each, place in a tightly sealed container, once frozen transfer from the container to a large ziplock bag so you can remove any air from the bag to seal in the freshness, freeze up to 2 months

If preferred you could also bake the burgers, spray or paint both sides with a bit of oil before hand, flip half way

to BBQ spray or paint patties with oil and place on a sheet of tinfoil over the grill to avoid burning and sticking