AMAZING!!!! Southwestern Black Bean Burgers

As promised here are the amazing, wonderful, scrumptious, delicious, yummy black bean burgers.  Man after all of those adjectives I hope you guys like them too….. yikes.  I have been craving these since I made them last week, in fact I had one for lunch the following afternoon and made it like a plain regular hamburger (or at least the way I like it) with mayo and ketchup!!!  Love it!!!  I also found the most amazing hamburger buns at Whole Foods, these may have made a difference because I can eat on these alone – delish!!  Also, I thought I would offer a heads up… The Berry Patch at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market sells spices that are a great value – this is where I buy all of my spices and herbs that don’t come out of the garden.  Check them out!  The Southwestern burgers were served with an avocado salsa and oven fries – scrumpdeliumptious – yes, I am making up words now. :)

(Sorry the picture looks like this, the hubs had to remind me to take a picture… that’s how good it is!!)

Adapted from: Moosewood Restaurant

Yields: 6 Yummy burgers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes (yes these babies are baked!!!)

Burgers:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil	1 Cup grated or finely diced carrots
1 Cup chopped onions	1 fresh chili or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons ground cumin	1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1 tablespoon ground coriander	1 Cup ground tortilla chips
1/4 teaspoon salt	2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
black pepper (up to you but remember it can get spicy quick)	1 large egg beaten
1 Cup finely chopped mushrooms

1. Warm oil in a skillet on medium high heat.  Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, cook until onions are softened.  Add mushrooms, carrots, chilies or cayenne, and orange juice, lower the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring until tender, about 3 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  While veggies cook, combing the ground tortilla chips, beans and egg in a food processor and pulse.  When the vegetables are tender, drain and stir in bean mixture. ( just dumped them into the food processor and let it do the work for me, lazy.. I know) 
*Meatatarian Option – add cooked shredded or diced chicken into the patty and proceed as usual.
3. Prepare your cookie sheet by lightly oiling it.  Form the burger mixture into six patties and place on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, until firm and lightly crusty.

Guacamole Salsa:

1 Whole Avocado	1 whole small tomato, seeded and diced
juice from 1/2 a lime	salt and pepper

Remove the fruit from the skin and mush in a bowl, I find its easier to dice the avocado and then smoosh it.  Add the lime juice, tomato and salt and pepper.
To assemble:  Split your hamburger bun and smear with mayo or vegannaise and a little sour cream, add the burger, top with Guacamole Salsa and the top bun.  Eat until you can’t stand it anymore – my belly didn’t even hurt afterward but I was full – crazy I say, crazy!!