If you’re like me and looking for a fast and healthy way to serve your family a delicious meal, try these Black and White Bean Burgers. They aim to please!

I created these Black and White Bean Burgers by combining ingredients I had on hand with ideas from recipes I found in the Veggie Burgers Every Which Way book by Lukas Volger.

Having the right ingredients on hand can be such a pain. Flour? Sugar? Sure, those are staples. But quinoa and smoke sauce and roasted red peppers? Well, those come and go in my kitchen in more of a hit or miss fashion. If I remember to write it down and then I remember to take the list with me to the grocery store, then maybe, just maybe I’ll have it on hand.

Besides, precisely following a recipe has never been my cup of tea. I’m not afraid of a flop here and there and I really enjoy mixing things up.

Playing around in the kitchen is a little like golf. Just when you think you’re ready to toss your clubs in the pond and take up ping pong, you hit a decent shot that keeps you coming back for more. In the kitchen you may burn the cookies, forget a key ingredient in the casserole, and catch your favorite apron on fire. That’s when you’re ready to head out to Chipotle.

But then there are those times when out of the clear blue, you’re rewarded.

By some hidden divine force (or more likely a freak act of nature), you stumble onto something really good. That’s what happened to me with these Bean Burgers. They were a hit! In fact, they were so good my hubby asked afterwards if I’d written down the recipe. In case you’re not familiar with this dialect, that’s hubby speak for “This is great!”

So here’s my recipe. Take it as it is, or play around with it. Add a different spice here or there…and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 can Chickpeas
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 3 tablespoons flour, (Use buckwheat if you want to make this gluten-free)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Chile Powder
• ½ – ¾ cup Cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper (optional seasoning)

Preparation:

1. Rinse and drain the black beans and chickpeas. Place half of each along with the chopped onion in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Set aside.
2. Place the rest of the beans in a medium-size bowl and using a potato masher (or a fork) mash the beans. Next add the bean/onion mixture to the bowl, along with the brown rice, flour, lemon juice, chile powder, and salt. Stir until well-combined. Add 1/2 cup of the cornmeal and stir again. Let the ingredients sit for a bit to allow the cornmeal to absorb any moisture. If the mixture still seems too wet, add more cornmeal until you achieve the desired consistency.
3. Shape the bean dough into patties. Depending on their size, you should be able to create 6 to 8 patties.
4. Heat an oven (convection or regular) to 250 degrees. While the oven is warming, get out a medium-sized skillet, add the oil, and place it on a burner set to medium-high heat. Once the oil is warm, add the patties. I like to sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the uncooked side of the patty. Let the patties cook about 5 minutes until brown on the bottom and then flip. Cook the other side another 5 minutes. Place the patties in an oven-safe pan and bake in the warmed oven for about 10 – 15 minutes.

While the patties are baking, prepare a side dish or two such as roasted potato wedges and a salad.