Nice weather is here, (maybe), so it's time to fire up the grills! The first thing that comes to mind are burgers. In yesterday's blog I showed you the calories in a cheeseburger and fries...about 691...not to mention the saturated fat and cholesterol that is wrapped up in that food. But, not to worry, there is a MUCH HEALTHIER choice--bean burgers! There are recipes for black bean burgers, chickpea patties, pinto burgers...whatever kind of bean you have you can make a burger out of it. And, they taste really, really good!
I know there are a lot of vegetable burgers available in the grocery store. However, they do come with a lot of artificial ingredients--remember, one of the goals of following a whole-food plant-based diet, (WFPB), is to eliminate artificial and processed foods. With that being said, is the vegetable burger a healthier choice than the regular hamburger...YES!!
The following recipe is from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, by Caldwell Essestyn, MD, and is one of my favorites for black bean burgers.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
6 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed, (or use your own homemade beans)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1 cup)
3 green onions, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1/2 c salsa
Can these burgers go on the grill? Of course! Just grill over a low heat...you don't want to burn the outside and not have the inside cooked.
Now, how about some HEALTHY potato salad to go along with that burger? Forget the Hellmann's, here is a recipe for mayonnaise that has 10 calories per tablespoon and 0.2 g fat!
MAYONNAISE
This recipe make about one cup. There are 'vegan' mayonnaise brands on the market, but you can make your own low-fat, inexpensive version at home!
1 12 oz package of Mori-Nu tofu (can't find that brand, substitute for whatever is available, choose low-fat)
2-3 T Dijon mustard
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
lemon juice, to taste
agave nectar, to taste (no agave, use raw honey)
Just chop up your cooked potatoes along with whatever vegetables you are adding....red peppers, green peppers, onions...whatever you like in your potato salad...mix with your healthy mayonnaise, salt and pepper....absolutely delicious. Of course, make a pasta salad, coleslaw or any other kind of salad that calls for mayonnaise....not only are you saving yourself a load of calories, but there is no cholesterol or saturated fat to worry about! You absolutely can make your favorite summer-time dishes in a much more healthier version....it just takes a little planning.
So, the next time you want a burger, give this black bean burger recipe a try....it won't take any longer mixing up these ingredients than it would to mix hamburger with whatever you put in the mix.
Remember, that hamburger version comes "packaged" with cholesterol, saturated fat, antibiotics and hormones that were pumped into that animal....the black bean version....nothing but Mother Nature's goodness!! It doesn't get any better than that......
I know there are a lot of vegetable burgers available in the grocery store. However, they do come with a lot of artificial ingredients--remember, one of the goals of following a whole-food plant-based diet, (WFPB), is to eliminate artificial and processed foods. With that being said, is the vegetable burger a healthier choice than the regular hamburger...YES!!
The following recipe is from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, by Caldwell Essestyn, MD, and is one of my favorites for black bean burgers.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
6 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed, (or use your own homemade beans)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1 cup)
3 green onions, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1/2 c salsa
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put beans in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.
- Mash mixture well, using a potato masher or your hands.
- Form patties, about 1/2 inch thick and place on baking sheet.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, until tops are browned. (Oven times may vary, so watch to make sure you don't burn them).
- Serve on a whole-wheat bun with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, salsa, etc.
Can these burgers go on the grill? Of course! Just grill over a low heat...you don't want to burn the outside and not have the inside cooked.
Now, how about some HEALTHY potato salad to go along with that burger? Forget the Hellmann's, here is a recipe for mayonnaise that has 10 calories per tablespoon and 0.2 g fat!
MAYONNAISE
This recipe make about one cup. There are 'vegan' mayonnaise brands on the market, but you can make your own low-fat, inexpensive version at home!
1 12 oz package of Mori-Nu tofu (can't find that brand, substitute for whatever is available, choose low-fat)
2-3 T Dijon mustard
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
lemon juice, to taste
agave nectar, to taste (no agave, use raw honey)
- In a blender or small food processor, blend tofu with Dijon and vinegar until smooth and creamy.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice and a few drops of agave nectar and blend again.
- Taste and add more lemon, agave or Dijon as needed. Chill until you're ready to use!
Just chop up your cooked potatoes along with whatever vegetables you are adding....red peppers, green peppers, onions...whatever you like in your potato salad...mix with your healthy mayonnaise, salt and pepper....absolutely delicious. Of course, make a pasta salad, coleslaw or any other kind of salad that calls for mayonnaise....not only are you saving yourself a load of calories, but there is no cholesterol or saturated fat to worry about! You absolutely can make your favorite summer-time dishes in a much more healthier version....it just takes a little planning.
So, the next time you want a burger, give this black bean burger recipe a try....it won't take any longer mixing up these ingredients than it would to mix hamburger with whatever you put in the mix.
Remember, that hamburger version comes "packaged" with cholesterol, saturated fat, antibiotics and hormones that were pumped into that animal....the black bean version....nothing but Mother Nature's goodness!! It doesn't get any better than that......
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