Tag Archives: fiesta

Fiesta Lettuce Wraps

I thought that by making this dish the Wednesday before Expo West that I’d be able to post it in a timely manner and not leave you hanging for a week. Clearly, this is not the case. I’ve already been caught up in the Expo, along with finishing some Easter Brunch recipe for a VegNews web feature (!!!). I CANNOT wait to share both of those with you, as there are a lot of really awesome new, vegan products debuting at the Expo this year; and the brunch recipes that I’m making are SO good. (If I don’t say so myself ;) )

Basically, this all came together when the lovely Jill from Vegan Cuts came into town and stayed with me for a night, before heading off to Anaheim. She was starving, but wanted something healthy to eat, especially after indulging at the New York Veg Fest (I’m not jealous, oh wait, yes I am). I’ve been wanting to make some lettuce wraps, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to make them more Asian or Mexican-inspired. This problem was quickly solved after I spotted a can of black beans and my mind began racing.

These wraps are great because they’re totally plant-based, oil-free, and flavorful! Not to mention, a good amount of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. What more could you ask for? Maybe dessert. :D Here we have your black beans, your quinoa, some plantains, bell peppers, spinach and more. Plus, when you ditch the tortilla for lettuce, you drop the empty calories and extra carbs.

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Filed under Healthy Recipes, Holidays, Savory Recipes

Black Bean Party Burgers

First off, I hope that everyone had a great Memorial day weekend and that you had some great food and a lot of fun. The weather here in Southern California was sunny, breezy and just about perfect for grilling. I’m not trying to brag or anything, I just want to set the scene for you: clear skies, a slight breeze, mid-70s outside, chilled drinks and party burgers. All in all, I can’t complain!

So, let me share with you these delightful black bean party burgers. I’ve made black bean burgers a couple of times previously and I feel that when I winged it this past weekend, they turned out to be some of the best that I’ve made at home. They baked up perfectly, were definitely grillable (although I had veggie kabobs taking up my grill space), and full of great flavors.

One Year Ago: Easy Breezy Burrito

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Black Bean Party Burgers
Author: 
Recipe type: entrée
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 5-6
 

Easy-to-make Black Bean Party Burgers that create a party on your plate!
Ingredients
  • 2½ Cups Cooked Black Beans
  • 1 Cup Kale, Chopped
  • 1 Cup White Onion, Diced
  • 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1½ Tbsp. Liquid Aminos
  • 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp. Chili Powder
  • ¾ tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
  • ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • ⅔ Cup Sliced Black Olives
  • ½ Cup Rolled Oats
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients, with the exception of the black olives, oats, salt & pepper, into a food processor. Pulse mixture until it is chunky, and not too finely pureed.
  2. Fold the olives and rolled oats into the mixture until evenly mixed throughout. Season with salt & pepper to taste, and let the burger mix sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 360°F. Prep a baking sheet by coating it with a very thin layer of coconut oil or non-stick spray.
  4. Next, take roughly ½-3/4 Cup of the black bean mixture and gently place it on the baking sheet. Spread it out using your fingers or the back of a spoon until it is ½” thick and about 4″ in diameter.
  5. Repeat the burger forming step until you have run out of mix; you will have 5-6 burger patties depending on how large you make them.
  6. Bake them on one side for 15 min., flip over carefully and bake for an additional 15 minutes. If you would like vegan cheese on top, melt it on the patty for the last 5 minutes of baking.
  7. If you want a bit of grilling flavor, bake it only 10 minutes on each side, then grill it for 2-3 minutes on each side at medium heat (flipping carefully).

Top this delicious patty with some guacamole, grilled onions and mushrooms, or even a spicy salsa. It is easily customizable, so enjoy it however you please!

What are some of your favorite burger toppings?

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Filed under Healthy Recipes, Savory Recipes