Don't Forget Some Bean-O!

My goal lately has been to eat healthier overall and to eat more moderate portions of food. I can't say that I'm doing an amazing job with this goal, especially since Buppy and I have tried out a few new restaurants lately, but hey, I'm trying at least!

This past week when I made my trip to the grocery store, I decided to get what I didn't already have on hand to make grilled bean burgers. This wasn't much, lucky for me, and all I had to pick up were the beans. I found the recipe in the Sept. 2007 Taste of Home Light & Tasty magazine and have wanted to try it for some time now. I didn't really think Buppy would go for them, but even though both of us were a little afraid, we jumped in and made 'em for dinner last night. They were actually pretty tasty! I forgot to take pictures of them, but they weren't uber pretty anyway. Oh well, as long as they tasted alright, I'm ok with that.

Grilled Bean Burgers
Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Magazine, Sept. 2007

1 lg. onion, finely chopped (I love using our 'slap chop' for this!)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 med. carrot, shredded
1-2 tsp. chili powder (I used 1 1/2 since I'm not huge on chili powder but Buppy is; this was just the right amount for us)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can 915 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (recipe called for reduced sodium but I only had regular on hand)
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 hamburger buns (recipe calls for whole wheat, I happened to have white)
Lettuce, salsa, tomato --- whatever other toppings you want for your burger

In a large non-stick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil for 2 min. Stir in the carrot, chili powder and cumin; cook 2 min. longer or until carrot is tender. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, mash the beans together; stir in the oats. Add the mustard, soy sauce, ketchup, pepper and carrot mixture; mix well. Shape into 8-3 1/2" patties. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill patties, covered, over med. heat for 4-5 min. per side or until heated through. Serve on buns with whatever toppings you choose.

To be honest, Buppy struggled with them a little on the grill. They don't stay as firm as a regular burger and so are harder to flip and manage. He did his best though, and only a small piece of one was lost to the fire. The kids ate them as well and said they were good; we called them 'burgers' instead of bean burgers. Omitting the 'bean' in the title made me think they'd have more of an open mind. Who knows though. A slice of tomato was really good them because it added a little moisture they seemed to lack. Overall though, I'd make them again. I think next time I might try some different spices, but I'm not quite sure what yet. Enjoy!