Black Bean Patties

I'm on a quest to use all of the grains, beans and legumes in the pantry. This is no easy feat. I seem to collect these food items. I had about a cup and a half of dried black beans and knew they would make good burgers. On the other hand, I had a taste for a pilaf type dish. This is when I spotted the quinoa. Actually, I spotted the regular quinoa and the red quinoa. In a moment of whole grain inspiration, I realized I could have my burgers and my pilaf plus hasten my quest to empty the pantry. Not to mention that pairing whole grains with beans (and legumes) is a healthy way to get the most out of the proteins these foods hold.

In the morning I covered the beans with plenty of water. When I got home from work I rinsed them well then put them in a pot and sufficiently covered them in cold water. Brought them to a boil then reduced the heat to a simmer and let them cook until tender but with a slight tooth. You are left with an extremely versatile source of protein and fiber. And they taste good too.

Quinoa cooks up much like rice. Some folks swear by rinsing the quinoa first but I usually don't. I don't encounter the bitterness some claim exists unless you first rinse the off the coating. Take one part quinoa to two parts water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Now that your beans and quinoa are cooked, you have the base for great veggie patties. You also have the makings for a great salad, stew or casserole.

For the patties, I made a small dice of onion, garlic, and a jalapeno pepper. Use whatever veggies you have that day. I cooked the veggies in olive oil until they were soft. I seasoned mine with ground cumin and corriander, salt and pepper. While the veggies cooled, I mashed 1/3-1/2 of the black beans with a potato masher. A rough mash. When the veggies were cool I combined beans, quinoa, and veggies with two liquid egg whites and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. I formed patties about four inches across.

In a non-stick pan I cooked the patties until they were dark golen brown on each side. You can use cooking spray or olive oil. You can even bake these on parchment paper. All the ingredients are cooked so you just need to heat the patties through and get some color on them.

Grains and legumes are so easy to use and lend themselves to an endless number of delicious dishes. What are some of your favorites?