Black Bean Burgers

I love these "burgers", they are simple and easy to make, no fancy equipment needed. We have them a couple times a month. Also, they are baked, so I'm not stuck standing in front of the stove all night. I usually make a double batch so that I can freeze half for a busy night. Although I don't love to turn my oven on very often in the summer, these are worth it. They are a crowd pleaser in my house, even my picky guy scarfs them down. I'll add additional spices once I have patties formed, like crushed red pepper or cumin. These are easily gluten-free, just leave out the bread!

Or add bread and BBQ sauce, like my hubby did.

Black Bean Burgers

You'll need...

3 cups cooked black beans (I just soak mine overnight and then toss them in the crockpot, but if you use canned make sure the lining is BPA-free)

1/4 c ground flax seed mixed with 1/2 c hot water (to make flax seed "egg")

1 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp oil (I used coconut, but evoo would be fine)

salt and pepper to taste

Let's get started!

Preheat your oven to 425*. Saute the veggies in the oil, until soft. Meanwhile, mash the beans with your hands until mushy, but there are still some whole beans left. Add in the cooked veggies, salt and pepper. Mix in the flax egg, and then form your patties. May use coconut oil  to "grease" a cookie sheet, then place your patties on it. Bake for 45 minutes, flipping once. Your cooking time may differ depending on how big your patties are. They'll be done when both sides are brown, but don't overcook or the beans will be crunchy. I made ten out of this batch.