In a little over two weeks I've lost 6 pounds! Even after spending a long weekend in Tucson with some awesome friends, I managed to stay on track. Admittedly, I allowed myself one cheat day, where I went over my calorie goal - but not by a lot. (I totally caved when I saw the white chocolate raspberry mousse.) The next day I got right back on track & I still managed to lose 3 pounds this week. Yeah me!
On Friday we ate lunch at a place called AJ's. It's a high-end grocery store in a strip mall in Oro Valley, Arizona. They have a huge deli counter area with all sorts of pre-made deliciousness, similar to Whole Foods, and an outdoor grill area with burgers & sausages. I had veggie sushi rolls and half an acorn squash filled with apples & topped with streusel (heavenly - watch for future post!) Well just about everyone else had a big, fat, juicy hamburger of some kind or another. Even when I used to eat meat, I was never a huge hamburger fan - I'd usually get a fish or chicken sandwich. but these burgers looked really good! So when I got home I just had to make some veggie burgers, and you know what? These bean burgers totally satisfied me. The patty is full of flavor and has great texture, but for me it's all about the salsa. Sweet and spicy at the same time, it makes my tongue sing and dance!
Red Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
makes about 8 patties
2 c. cooked red quinoa
1 c. old fashioned oats
3/4 c. corn masa
2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded & diced
2 jalapenos, seeded & diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten (or vegan equivalent)
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne
2tsp salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. additional oil for cooking patties
Mango Salsa (see below)
romaine lettuce
ripe avocado
ripe tomato
slices of raw red or white onion
whole wheat hamburger buns
Saute diced vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat, until softened and lightly browned about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir in cooked vegetables. Pulse half the mixture in a food processor until beans are mashed and mixture is combined but you can still see some chunks. Add this back to remaining bean mixture and stir together with a large spatula until well mixed. Form into 8 patties and press to about 1/2" thick. I have a 2-ounce cookie scoop, and used three level scoops per burger. Saute in batches in olive oil until crispy and browned about 5 minutes per side. Serve with lettuce, and sliced avocado, tomato and onion if desired, with or without the bun.
Mango Salsa
makes about 2 cups
2 large ripe mangoes
1 large jalapeno (seeded if desired), minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
juice from one lime
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
salt
Peel, seed and dice the mango, mix with remaining ingredients. Add salt to taste. Toss well to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
One patty served on a bed of romaine lettuce with toppings and 2oz. mango salsa is about 375 calories, with the bun about 495.
2 Tbsp. additional oil for cooking patties
Mango Salsa (see below)
romaine lettuce
ripe avocado
ripe tomato
slices of raw red or white onion
whole wheat hamburger buns
Saute diced vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat, until softened and lightly browned about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir in cooked vegetables. Pulse half the mixture in a food processor until beans are mashed and mixture is combined but you can still see some chunks. Add this back to remaining bean mixture and stir together with a large spatula until well mixed. Form into 8 patties and press to about 1/2" thick. I have a 2-ounce cookie scoop, and used three level scoops per burger. Saute in batches in olive oil until crispy and browned about 5 minutes per side. Serve with lettuce, and sliced avocado, tomato and onion if desired, with or without the bun.
Mango Salsa
makes about 2 cups
2 large ripe mangoes
1 large jalapeno (seeded if desired), minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
juice from one lime
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
salt
Peel, seed and dice the mango, mix with remaining ingredients. Add salt to taste. Toss well to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
One patty served on a bed of romaine lettuce with toppings and 2oz. mango salsa is about 375 calories, with the bun about 495.
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