The Life Changing Burger (Is that dramatic?)

New York Times Veggie Burger

So my husband loves meat.  He is a meat, potatoes, and vegetable meal kind of guy.  Just vegetables do not a meal make.  So I knew if I were going to get him to stick to his commitment of one month vegetarian (dinner time only for him), I would have to make some pretty hearty, tasty, MANLY meals.  And it has not been easy.  There have been more misses than hits but this recipe I am going to share with you was a big hit—for him and me.  He loved the flavor and I loved how easy it was to make. 

It makes eight so I shared leftovers with my coworker and after having it herself and other people seeing her eat it, I have had requests for recipes.  Every person who tried this LOVED it.  And, while I would love to take credit for coming up with this delicious, vegan, TASTY burger, I cannot.  This is a recipe from the Engine 2 Diet book.  I knew this book would be helpful in coming up with meals because, after all, this book was written by a firefighter and contains meals he and his firefighter (aka manly men) friends enjoyed.  Sure enough, Casey loved it so much he had TWO!  And he had one the next day for lunch.

You can really experiment with these, too.  You can try different toppings.  You can try making the cooked burger into a quesadilla filling by chopping it up.  You can make a wrap or lettuce wrap out of it.  And you can even experiment with spices.  Casey and I decided to try that next time.  I am thinking avocado for a topping on mine next time, for sure.  Maybe some mango salsa (a restaurant nearby puts Mango Salsa on their black bean burgers and it is GOOD).  Who knows!  The point is, have fun in the kitchen with all the time you will save with these being so daggum easy!

New York Times Veggie Burger

INGREDIENTS
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes with zesty mild chilies, drained
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 green onions, chopped (I used ½ chopped Vidalia onion)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup parsley or cilantro (I used ½ cup loosely packed cilantro)
2 cups quick rolled oats
8 whole grain buns
Fresh veggie toppings and healthy condiments

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450º. Process the first seven ingredients using an immersion or a regular blender or food processor. Remove contents into a large bowl and stir in the oats. Form into patties (*I made patties flat so they would cook more evenly), place on a sprayed baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes (**if you did not use Quick Oats, bake for 16 minutes). Turn oven up to broil and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Toast the buns and pile on your favorite toppings.