We are always on the lookout for a great bean or lentil burger that we can make a huge batch of and eat for days. We have come to really dislike the store bought ones for the lack of taste and large amount of salt and other preservatives and unhealthy things in them. These black bean, sweet potato and almond butter burgers fit the bill and are SO tasty!
This recipe if from Extra Vegan Za cookbook, another one of our favorites. Best part is – they were super easy to make. You just have to remember to soak your beans and cook them a day ahead or so. If you forget like I did – use the Quick Soak method, below.
8oz of black beans have as much protein or more protein than does an 8oz steak?
When I tell people I eat mostly vegetarian at home I often get asked “how do you get your protein?” Are you aware that 8oz of black beans have as much protein or more protein than does an 8oz steak? AND beans have NO fat or cholesterol and beans are full of fiber where the steak has none! Yes – you heard right – ALL MEAT has NO fiber. Zero, nada, zip. Fiber fills you up and you want to eat less – try eating two of these burgers one night and your steak the next and see which fills you up more and you have to stop eating. Think that will help control over eating? You betcha! Try it!
Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Burgers
2 cups cooked black beans (or one 14oz can, drained and rinsed)
cooked black beans (1 2/3 cups)
Total beans: 3 and 2/3 cups
[note: first portion to be mashed, 2nd portion are whole beans – see instructions below]
1 cup sweet potato, grated
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup red onion, diced finely
1/4 cup Sicilian olives, diced
1/4 cup spelt or kamut flour
2 Tbsp Braggs
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated
Put first portion of black beans in a bowl and mash. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Scoop 1/3 cup of batter at a time for form patties. Place in a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Fry a few at a time for 7-10 minutes per side, or until the centers of the burgers are cooked through.
Serve alone, or in a spelt pita or whole wheat wrap (as in the photo above). Garnish with hot sauce or Avocado Wasabi Sauce as we did, and tomatoes, lettuce, etc. Get creative and think outside the box for new ideas for sauces and condiments and don’t be afraid to try things that sounds odd together – they might be great, who knows.
Beans have no fat, no cholesterol and fill you up with fiber – leaving you full on fewer calories
Soaking and cooking dried beans
Sort, rinse and soak
Sort beans by spreading them out on a clean kitchen towel or shallow baking pan. Discard any shriveled, discolored or broken beans along with stones or debris and rinse in cold water.
To soak beans, add 3 to 4 cups of water for every cup of beans or bring the water level in the pot to 2 or 3 inches above the beans. (In extremely warm weather, soak the beans in the refrigerator to avoid fermentation.) Then use one of these two methods:
Quick Soak Method
Quick soak them by bringing to a boil and boiling briskly for 2 to 3 minutes, then cover and set aside for 4 hours;
Long Soak Method
Long soak the beans at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
The quick soak method can remove up to 80% of the indigestible sugars that cause flatulence. The long soak method does not remove as much of the indigestible sugars but the beans retain their shape better. Do not add salt to the soaking water and always discard the soaking water before cooking.
Cook
Regardless of which soaking method you used, drain and discard the soaking water. Add fresh water or broth to a level about 2? higher than the beans. Bring to a boil slowly, skimming off any foam that may appear on the surface. When the liquid is at full boil, reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. The beans are done when they can be easily mashed with a fork or easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Source: Whole Foods Market
Microwaves – Your Choice
Even though the whole foods website gives instructions for cooking them in the microwave, I do NOT suggest you use that option. I have not used my microwave in 2 years (except for timing things in the real oven). There is much controversy and discussion over whether they are safe or not, but I know one thing that has been proven – it kills virtually ALL or most of the valuable nutrients in food. Just as we know steaming is better than boiling for that same reason – we all ran out and got steamers way back when. So – the microwave leaves behind even less than if you boil your food and throw all the nutrients out in the water. The only time I boil things is when I’m making my own soup broth, and eating it!
I believe the microwave is an appliance of convenience and speed – not of high value nutritionally. You do as you will, but that’s my 2 cents worth – do your own research on it and decide yourself.
Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Burger Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography
This is the fourth meatless burger we’ve made now and this one is incredible. They’re all good, but this one is the “latest on my tongue”.
It rocks. I highly recommend it
Mmmm, Un official Taste Tester here.. Questïon: Please clarify recipe with the black beans. The measurements for the black beans are listed twice.
I will give the tofu portion of the topping a go even though you know how I do not love Tofu but for Rob and yourself I will eat the Tofu!
Another recipe I’m going to have to try very soon. This looks so good! I wonder if I can get the kids to eat it? 😉
~ Annie
Sure the kids will eat it. Tell them it’ll make them fart if they are boys – they’ll love that.
Christina – if you read the first line of the recipe – the beans are listed twice cause the first portion gets mashed the others don’t.
@christina @Darlene – I edited the ingredients so it was a little clearer
Yeah, maybe beans have that much of a protein, but you must know that not all protein is of same quality. Animal source protein has much better amino acid profile than vegetable source protein. You must be aware of the fact that most bodybuilders don’t even count proteins from vegetables in their diet.
Veggies are good, but use animal sources for protein intake. 😉
Karlo
@Crash Thanks for the comment, but I don’t agree at all. It’s not about the quality of the protein at all, it’s about your body’s ability to use the protein and plant source protein is King.
Just because bodybuilders use animal protein (which isn’t even totally true – lots of vegetarian and vegan athletes including 5x Mr Universe Bill Pearl), does not mean that they’re correct.
I built over 50 pounds of muscle on a vegetarian / vegan diet before adding animal protein back in (which has now been drastically reduced)
Karlo – that is one opinion. Ask Rob, he was vegetarian for 12 years, vegan for 2 and he did just fine building muscle and body building during that time. What you are stating is actually not substantiated.
You are right about one thing – not all protein is the same. Eating animal protein is linked to higher rates of: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other diseases of affluence. Read the China Study and then you will have more information on what type of protein is best.
You decide – but I mostly choose plant.
and for the record, I’m NOT vegetarian. I understand that plant protein is of higher quality while getting nutrients. I eat meat (when I do) for the pleasure of it, certainly not the muscle building quality of it.
I will eventually write a post with my position on this, but I simply don’t have the time right now. Writing my natural foods course and my fat loss book.
now, that said – I respect your position on eating meat Karlo, but I don’t agree. I’m not here to fight with you or argue with you – lets get that straight.
There are many advantages to plant based protein sources over meat and there is no proof that eating meat will produce more muscle mass than the same protein coming from plants. None.
People eat meat because they want to eat meat or they don’t know of any other options. I like to think that I’m here to present the other options. See my upcoming course on whole food nutrition.
Take care, thanks for the comments.
and…
this bean burger is awesome! So is the Wasabi Avocodo spread
No problem, I always respect other people opinions, and after all the point in all of this is to learn from each other. I don’t know really, maybe you are right, but I have read many studies and articles that doesn’t really back up your theory. But if it works for you, fine, then use that kind of nutrition!
In this “sport” rules are not really written in stone. I know a guy that eats tons of sugar and junk food a day and has an 8-pack. For me that has no logic, because even the most hardcore ectomorph won’t be able to process junk in quantities he eats it, the only thing saving him is the amount of cardio he does.
You won’t find what’s best for you in books and on internet, you need to figure it out for yourself, that is the beauty of bodybuilding. Listen to your body, and you will able to achieve everything with it. 🙂
Cheers
Karlo
I made this today and am doing my cooking for the week. These will be great to take for lunches or chase away the munchies! MMmm.
I am not a very big fan of meatless hamburgers, but this actually does look very good. I will have to try it sometime this week.