Black Bean & Basil Veggie Burgers

I typically spend a large portion of my "free time" in a kitchen.  If I'm not testing recipes or baking for the farmers market, I'm usually trying to cook myself a meal or squeeze in a blog post.  I tend to get burnt out easily and lose any desire to create involved or complicated meals.  Over the past year I've tried to come up with easy and reliable recipes that are healthy, tasty, and don't require too much effort.

I'd have to say that veggie burgers are my main go-to meal when I don't feel like cooking or thinking. It's really easy to pop one in the toaster oven while I gather a few things to go with it.  Though I have found a couple of store-bought brands that meet both my dietary requirements and taste bud requirements, overall they tend to be a little underwhelming.  If they aren't bland then they shatter into what feels like a million pieces.

Last week on the 4th, I decided to use up the last of a large batch of beans and make some veggie burgers for the occasion. They're full of flavor, easy to throw together, and freeze beautifully if you want to make a bigger batch to have at the ready in the coming weeks.  Oh, and they really don't require too much thinking or prep other than throwing stuff in a bowl and mashing it together. I encourage you to think outside the bun (or bread) and get creative with how you enjoy these.  For the photographs, I decided to go bun-less and enjoy a burger over some fresh spinach and corn.  Maybe you have some collards laying around and want to make a veggie burger wrap? Regardless of the way you choose to eat these, just make sure to have fun and enjoy it :)

Black Bean & Basil Veggie Burgers
recipe inspired by this post

4 cups cooked black beans (I used a mix of black and pinto)
4 oz diced green chiles (1 small can)
1 large shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
heaping 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp chile powder
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp tahini or almond butter
3-4 tbsp oat flour
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt/pepper to taste
oil for cooking

assorted accouterments for serving such as fresh spinach, pickles, vegenaise, avocado, etc.

Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them until about 2/3 are mashed and the remaining 1/3 are still whole.  Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the oat flour and mix well.  Taste and adjust for seasoning.  Add the oat flour a tablespoon at a time until you get a mixture that sticks together. Form 6 to 8 burgers (depending on how large you want them) that are about 3/4-inch thick.  Set them aside in the freezer to firm up. While the burgers are resting, heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once the skillet is ready, remove the burgers from the freezer.  Cook the burgers in the skillet for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until the outside has formed a deep golden crust.  Cool on a paper towel lined plate.  Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and re-heat in a toaster oven or in a skillet.  Or, wrap them in parchment, put them in a freezer bag, and freeze them for later.  Thaw the burgers in a toaster oven. Makes 6-8 burgers.