Veggie Burgers

That's right, Veggie Burgers. No, Josh and I aren't getting all Tofu on ya, but once and awhile I like a vegetarian treat - they can be flavorful, cheaper than meat, better for you, and a fun way to shake things up. This recipe seemed right up our alley since it is based on black beans and rice, no weird soy products, and even cheats on the vegetarian aspect of this meal since it uses chicken broth for flavor. I'm not saying that this will be a new family classic, but it was a yummy departure from a traditional summer BBQ.This is actually a 2 part recipe, so we'll start with beans & rice:

For beans and rice, in a 10-inch skillet cook 1/2 cup finely chopped onion until tender, just a few minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice; stir for 1 minute. Add 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Stir in 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained. Heat through. Makes 2 cups.

Veggie Burgers

2 Tbs. finely chopped carrot

2 Tbs. finely chopped red pepper

2 Tbs. frozen whole kernel corn

1.5 cups cooked beans and rice*

1 egg yolk

fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions: Combine carrot, corn, and red pepper in a small microwave safe bowl, cover with loose saran wrap and microwave on high for about 2 minutes until softened. Meanwhile place beans and rice in a larger mixing bowl and mash. Stir in the veggies and egg yolk until well combined. Using your hands form a small palm size ball of the bean-veggie mixture. Roll ball in the bread crumbs then flatten to the size of a burger patty. Repeat until all of the mixture is used, makes about 4 patties. Cook veggie patties in a skillet on med-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they reach desired doneness. Serve in hamburger buns with all of your favorite hamburger toppings.

*Some fun ideas - before cooking time ends on burgers add some grated cheese and cover with pan lid four about a minute to make veggie cheeseburgers. Top with lettuce, tomato, A1 sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, whatever you like! I also had one patty in a lettuce wrap and it was great!