This burger is all about summer!

I love bean burgers but BL often finds them too mushy. The key to this one is baking it first and then lightly frying for an outside crunch.  I topped the burgers with fresh mango slices, tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and a yogurt-basil sauce. Make extra of the sauce- it was perfect on sandwiches throughout the week!

Black Bean & Mango Burgers

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. cumin
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tbsp. oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Flour

Fresh mango slices
Thinly sliced red onion

In a sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil with a small pinch of salt. Add the minced onion, cumin, garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. In a food processor or with a fork, mash the beans until a paste forms with some beans left whole.   Add the beans, rice, and chopped pepper to the pot and cook an addition 5 minutes until thickened.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the bean mixture from heat and let cool slightly. Add a tbsp. or two of flour if the mixture is having a hard time staying together. Measure out a scant 1/2 cup of mixture and form into a patty. Continue to make the patties until the mix is gone.  Bake for 15-20 minutes and remove from oven. Heat a skillet pan to medium-high, either coat with cooking spray or add 1 tsp. oil to the pan.  Lightly dust each patty with flour and add to the pan, cooking  2-3 minutes per side until crispy.

To serve: Place patty on 1 side of bun. Add basil yogurt,  fresh mango slices and thinly sliced red onion.

I wouldn’t say I like foolingpeople into eating something, but I don’t always disclose ingredient list before they try it. I made a big batch of these crock-pot Sloppy Joe’s, set out toppings and buns, and watched everyone destroy them. It was only afterwards I let them know they were eating tempeh, not turkey. If they knew before hand, you wouldn’t have known. I guess that means this recipe gets a ‘meat eaters seal of approval’. Top these anyway you like your sloppy joes. I perfer mine cali style with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Is there any sandwich that doesn’t taste better with avocado?

California Style Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 lbs. tempeh
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced 
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups  tomato sauce
1/2 cup barbeque sauce 
1/4 cup ketchup
4 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

Hamburger Buns or bread of choice
Optional toppings: pickles, avocado slices, tomato slices, lettuce

You can do this in a crock pot or on the stove. I browned the onion, peppers and tempeh on the stove before adding it to the crock pot.

Cut the tempeh blocks in 4ths and steam in a steam basket for 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Grate or crumble into small pieces.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. oil or broth.  Add the onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes and add the green peppers. Cook down until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened. Add the tempeh and stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes until the tempeh is very soft.

Don’t worry if it looks really saucy at first, the tempeh will absporb most of it as it cooks. The liquid should reduce and become thick. If it’s too thick for your liking, you can thin the sauce with a bit of water.

Paired with some sweet potato fries, this is perfect to eat while watching football!

Ah, falafel. One of my favorite fried treats. I wanted to create a healthier patty, so these are baked instead of fried. The panko breadcrumbs are the key- they give them crunch, like they just came out of a fryer.

Falafel with TT Sauce

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
¼ onion, quartered
1 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons olive oil
3-4 tbsp. panko bread crumbs

In a food processor or blender, combine the garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, 2 tbsp. cilantro and 2 tbsp. parsley. Combine until a chunky batter forms.

Remove the bean mixture and in a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the herbs, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix well with a fork until combined. Add the panko bread crumbs and lightly toss together, being careful to keep the bread crumbs crisp. Form into small 3-inch patties. Place on a baking sheet, lightly coated with oil. In a 375 degree oven, bake for 10-15 minutes per side until lightly brown and crisp.
Serve with pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and TT sauce.

TT Sauce (Tzatziki meets Tahini Sauce)

1 package silken tofu
1-3 cloves garlic, depending on your taste
2 tbsp. tahini
¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 medium/large lemon)
2 tsp. dill
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
salt/pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne
3 tbsp. parsley, chopped fine
¾ cup finely chopped cucumber, peeled or not

In a blender combine tofu, lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and dill. Pour the blender mixture into a bowl and add cucumber and parsley.

My favorite kinds of foods are the simplest: soup, salad, sandwich. This wrap fits the criteria of easy, hearty, and delicious. Also, my camera is on the fritz, I will keep apologizing for my camera phone until I get a nwe one!

Tempeh Bacon and Avocado Wrap

Ingredients:

Tempeh Bacon (recipe follows)
Small handful microgreens or sprouts
3 slices tomato
1 large whole-wheat wrap (I used a Sprouted Wheat wrap)
1 tbsp. egg-free mayonaise
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 large leaf lettuce or spinach

Tempeh Bacon:

Slice 1 package of tempeh into thin slices to resemble bacon strips. Add these to a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. You can also steam the block whole and then slice, I just prefer it in reverse!

Marinate the sliced tempeh in 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional). The longer you let marinate, the richer the flavor will be. I usually do 3 hours, but you can do as little as 30 minutes.

Fry the bacon strips in oil until crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Also a delicious in  scrambles, Rubens, or better than tuna salads!

Assemble the Wraps:

Spread mayo on wrap or multi-grain bread. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and layer with lettuce, avocado, tomato, bacon, and micro greens. Wrap together or top with bread slice.

Enjoy! What are some of your favorite sandwiches?