Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Crunchy cornmeal on the outside and Southwestern flavors on the inside, these bean burgers please all kinds of eaters.

Make burgers one day in advance to save time.

Ingredients

Burgers

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, well drained
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted cumin seeds (see Tip)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal, plus 1/3 cup for coating burgers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
• 6 lettuce leaves

Guacamole

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover and let stand.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add beans, paprika and ground cumin and mash the beans to a smooth paste with a potato masher or fork. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the quinoa, 3 tablespoons cilantro, 3 tablespoons cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Form the bean mash into 6 patties. Coat them evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup cornmeal and transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. To prepare guacamole: Mash avocado with a potato masher or fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons onion, garlic, cayenne and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
5. Preheat oven to 200°F.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron (or similar heavy) skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 burgers until heated through and brown and crisp on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven to keep warm. Cook the remaining 3 burgers with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent over-browning. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato and the guacamole.

Tips & Notes

• Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Grind into a powder in a spice mill or blender.
• Quinoa is a delicately flavored, protein-rich grain. Rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

Authored by Eatingwell.com. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. 

Smoked Tofu Burgers

Tofu is like a sponge, soaking up smoke and getting firmer and denser as it sits on the grill. Just keep it on the cool side of the grill and give it plenty of time to get nice and smoky. 

Double the tofu and marinade and grill up an extra batch of tofu to use in sandwiches, salads, and soups for the week.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 block (1-pound)  extra firm tofu
• 5 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 5 large lettuce leaves, shredded
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, if desired

Materials

• 4 cups woodchips, soaked in water
• 1 spray bottle filled with water
• Smoker box or foil to make a pouch

Preparation

1. Mix soy sauce, vegetable oil, wine vinegar and paprika in a square container with a liquid-tight lid large enough to hold all of the tofu. Drain water from tofu and wrap in clean towels, press carefully to soak up water without breaking the tofu. Unwrap tofu and slice into 5 thick slices per block. Place the slices in the marinade, put the lid on the container and turn it over to coat the tofu. Refrigerate the marinating tofu for at least 24 hours or up to three days, turning occasionally to coat.
2. Prepare the grill for smoking (see Tips & Notes for instructions).
3. When the grill is ready and the cool side of the grate is oiled, place the tofu on the grate. Close the lid, opening it once every 10 minutes to quickly turn the tofu. Smoke tofu for 40 minutes.
4. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, and condiments of choice.

Tips & Notes

1. Create hot and cool zones

For best smoking results, create hot and cool zones on the grill. The hot zone is where the smoke is created and the food may be seared. The cool zone is where the food is placed to allow the food to cook more slowly and absorb the smoky flavor. If your grill is too small to create both a hot and a cool zone, check your food for doneness earlier as it will cook faster over the high heat

2. Prepare your grill for smoking

Heat the grill

Gas grills: Remove the grate, then turn the gas on high. If your grill has more than one burner, use a single burner on one side. Once the grill is hot, place the smoker box filled with soaked woodchips, or a foil pouch filled with the same, on the hot side of the grill. Replace the grate.

Charcoal grills: remove the grate, pile the charcoal to one side and light it. Heat until it is hot and covered with white ash. Place the smoker box filled with soaked woodchips, or a foil pouch filled with the same, directly on the coals and replace the grate.

Get the woodchips smoking

Allow the woodchips to start smoking. Once you smell the smoke and see wisps of it, you are ready to smoke your food.

3. Smoke your food

Pour a couple tablespoons oil into a cup. Dip a clean paper towel into the oil, hold it with tongs and quickly oil the cool side of the grate (if there are no hot and cool zones on your grill, oil wherever you plan to place the food). Place the food on the oiled grate and quickly cover the grill to allow the food to cook and absorb the smoky flavor.

4. Keep the flames in check

Have a spray bottle of water ready to douse out any flare-ups.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. 

Garnet Yam Burgers

Sweet potatoes, chickpeas, millet and spices team up for a fabulous burger.

Garnet yam burger

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup peeled and diced garnet yams or sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained and smashed
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire
• Salt
• 1 cup bread crumbs, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium soup pot. Add the yams and simmer for about 8 minutes, just until the yams are getting tender. Add the onion, garlic, chickpeas and millet, cover the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The millet should be tender and the liquid should be entirely absorbed when done.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the cumin, chili powder, Worcestershire, a pinch of salt and half of the bread crumbs. Stir well and form into 6 even burgers.
3. Put the beaten egg in a small dish and the remaining bread crumbs in another small dish or plate. Gently dip each burger in the egg, and then coat well in bread crumbs. Place the burgers on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
4. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the yam burgers to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned well on one side. Gently flip the burgers and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

Serve on a toasted whole-wheat bun with Sriracha mayonnaise, sliced pickled jalapeños and crispy lettuce, or sweet pickles, ketchup and mustard if you prefer. Or make this a main course option for vegetarian holiday guests!

Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. Photo provided by Wholehearted Eats.