Black Bean Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 egg, lightly beaten

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped 1 tbsp. cumin
1 onion, finely chopped ½ cup (or more) plain breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced salt & pepper to taste
1 16oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained other seasoning /toppings as desired

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil; grease lightly.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring often until
softened (about 3-5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté for one additional minute.

Pour beans into a large bowl and use a fork or potato masher to mash into a thick paste. Scrape
vegetables from skillet into bowl. Stir in egg, cumin, (other spices) and bread crumbs. Season to taste
with salt and pepper.

Form mixture into approximately 4 patties (do not overmix!) Place patties onto baking sheet and bake
until firm and set, about 10 minutes on each side.

OPTIONS:

If you have a mincer/chopper or a food processer, you can use plain oatmeal in place of the
breadcrumbs. Just mince into either rough or fine oat flour (your preference for texture) and add to the
mashed beans until they arm firm enough to form into patties.

Other veggies, minced or finely chopped, can be added if you like them – examples: green, yellow, or
red peppers, broccoli, carrots, whatever you can think of!

Powdered spices can be used in place of the fresh – such as garlic powder instead of a clove, or minced
dried onions instead of a full chopped one. If this is done, leave out the vegetable oil/sauté step and just
add the items to the bean mixture as they are.