Black Bean Burgers

Prep Time:
25 Min

Cook Time:
16 Min

Ready In:
41 Min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 cup water
• 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 green bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, or as needed

They can be very messy so you need to use foil to cook them and spray it first!

Directions

1. Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. Mash black beans in a large bowl with a fork until thick and pasty; set aside.
3. Place the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and chop finely. Stir the bell pepper mixture into the mashed black beans. Place the brown rice and mozzarella cheese in the food processor, and process until combined. Stir the mixture into the black beans.
4. Whisk together the eggs, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and hot sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the black bean mixture. Stir in the bread crumbs, adding additional bread crumbs as needed until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into 6 large patties.
5. Place patties onto the prepared foil, and grill until browned and heated through, about 8 minutes per side.

Cook's Note

• To bake the patties: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.
  
  

Fried Rice

(this recipe is from a children's recipe book, which is perfect for most of us, but may taste bland to others)

Serves: 4

2 c. cooked brown rice

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/4 c. diced onion

1/4 c. diced green pepper

1/4 c. diced celery

1/2 c. cooked peas

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Tamari (low sodium soy sauce)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

Add onions, green pepper and celery.

Sautee until just tender, then remove from skillet and set aside.

Add rice to skillet and sautee 1 min.

Push rice to edges of skillet, forming a ring around a cleared area of skillet.

Drop in eggs and cook/scramble, leaving rice ring untouched.

Once eggs are cooked, mix with rice and return veggies, plus peas to skillet.

Stir-fry 2-3 min, Add tamari soy sauce to taste and serve.

Bisquick Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 c. bisquick or flour
1/2 c. milk
1 t. salt
3 eggs
3 c. finely shredded uncooked potatoes (can use frozen hashbrowns, slightly thawed)

Directions:

Stir bisquick, milk, salt, and eggs in large bowl until blended. Stir in potatoes. Pour a little less than 1/4 c. batter onto hot griddle, spreading slightly to 4-inch size. Cook until edges are dry. Turn and cook until golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Tip: We also add cheese, green peppers, ham cubes, and other fixin's to the batter.

Submitted by Linda Perkins

Italian Skillet

Ingredients:
14 oz. veg. broth
8 oz. orzo pasta
15 oz. black beans

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano
2 c. broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
2 T. fresh parsley (optional and I leave out)

OR

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
2 c. zucchini and squash or corn
cumin to taste
1/4 c. taco seasoning
garlic powder

Directions:

Cook orzo pasta in vegetable broth until al dente. Add tomatoes and heat 5-10 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients. There are two variations here. The first three ingredients go with both and then there is an Italian version or a Mexican version.

submitted by Erin Gilbert

Basic Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• ½ whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Long Grain Rice
• 1 can Rotel (10 Ounce)
• 1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce)
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (more If Needed)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

***I use brown rice and double or quadruple the water - I keep adding water occasionally until it's done. Also, I sometimes just use the plain tomatoes rather than the Ro-tel to have it less spicy depending on who is going to eat it.

submitted by Janis Hansen, from thepioneerwoman.com

Refried Beans without the Refry

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and

chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black

pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

9 cups water

Directions:

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

submitted by Janis Hansen, from allrecipes.com