Empower yourself! Free yourself from meat dependency by switching to a diverse, plant-based diet. This delicious recipe is based on beans, a legume full of nutrients and a non-destructive crop that is good for the earth. Black and pinto beans used in this recipe are good for us and for the environment. With this recipe you can enjoy a delicious bean burger without resorting to highly processed food.
Sustainability tips:
Remember that supporting organic and sustainable produce goes a long way to reduce harmful pesticide use. I also suggest to avoid produce in plastic bags and to bring your own reusable bags to help reduce the amount of plastic dispersed in the environment. I can send you free cotton grocery and produce bags entirely upcycled from old fabric. Just contact me if you need any.
Useful things to have ready
Legumes are an important component of plant-based diets. You can purchase them canned or dry. Canned legumes are more practical because you can get away with soaking them however the variety is limited and I noticed that they have lately become expensive. I usually keep canned legumes but mostly buy them dry in bulk. If legumes become part of your regular diet you may want to purchase a pressure cooker. A good pressure cooker lasts a lifetime and is useful for many purposes.
For this recipe, rinse and soak the beans overnight (or about 7 hours). This step is NECESSARY. After soaking, discard the water and rinse. Beans in general need to be fully cooked in boiling water, possibly in a pressure cooker. This step is not necessary if using canned beans, however it is good to rinse canned beans before use.
Preparation time: about 30 minutes.
Ingredients (3-4 people)
- One fistful of black beans per person
- 1 fistful of pinto beans
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 1 scallion or 1-2 spinach leaves (optional) chopped in small pieces
- 1-2 cloves of garlic mashed or chopped in small pieces
- 1-2 fistful of corn kernels
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- red chili pepper (optional)
- Salt
Procedure
- After soaking the beans for for at least 7 hours, drain, rinse and boil them until soft (about 13 minutes total time in a pressure cooker). This step is not necessary if you use canned beans.
- Place the cooked beans in an oven-safe plate, sprinkle them with salt and keep them in the oven at 375 degree F (190 C) for at least 15 minutes. This step removes the excess water so that they stick together once blended.
- While the beans are in the oven sautee onion and garlic in a little oil until golden
- Add chopped scallions (or spinach leaves) and cook until tender, if using spinach make sure to use only a few dry leaves to avoid adding moisture
- Add corn, cook until tender and then add the beans
- Add salt and red chilies (optional)
- Place the ingredients in a cup and coarsely blend with an immersion blender, add one spoon of olive oil
- Prepare the burgers; they should stick without the need for a binder
- Heat a skillet with a few drops of oil. Cook the burgers for a few minutes on each side.
Enjoy!
Help reduce meat consumption! If you have a vegetarian recipe you would like to share please email me at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll post it on this blog.
Still undecided? Read here about the destructive impact of the meat industry on forests.
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