Black Eyed Pea Burgers
This recipe and food for thought are from my Weekly Meal Plan. You can now try it FREE FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH! Click here to subscribe.
Food For Thought: Make mine BPA free please!
I am sure most of you have heard about Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical found in many hard-plastic reusable water bottles and canned food. Research on this chemical is conflicting, but some has linked it to breast cancer, prostate cancer and early puberty in girls. If you would like to read more about BPA, click here: http://www.cspinet.org/new/200804021.html
I remember when I first read about BPA my very first thought was: “ Not my cans of beans!”. I use a lot of beans in my cooking and for time sake will generally use canned beans during the week. I have had this question come up a lot so I though I would answer for those of you who don’t already know: EDEN canned beans are BPA free. I’ve always loved this brand of beans because they have NO sodium. Also, Eden cooks the beans with kombu adding valuable minerals and helping to make beans more digestible. They are a little more expensive than the other brands, but SO worth it!
Speaking of beans, they are the base of this DELISH burger. Sorry I don’t have pics…my hubby ate them all!
Black Eyed Pea Burgers
Serves 6 (Makes 12 burgers)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
These low fat, high fiber burgers are SO tasty! Enjoy them on a spouted whole grain bun with green salad. They are also wonderful with a side of cooked leafy greens.
FREEZE RIGHT THERE! You can easily freeze these burgers: wrap in wax paper, plastic or foil and freeze individually. Then you can grab one for an easy lunch.
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped
1 15-oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed (rinsing makes them taste less beany) OR 2 cups cooked black eyed peas
1 chipotle pepper canned in adobo
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tamari
2 Tablespoons flaxseed, ground mixed with 2 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup cornmeal mixed with a sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
Blend sunflower seeds in a food processor until ground. Remove half of them and set aside. Add garlic and scallions and pulse until ground. Add rinsed peas, chipotle, thyme, tomato paste, worcestershire, and tamari and blend well, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Remove mixture to a bowl. Stir in flaxseed mixture and reserved sunflower seeds. Chill mixture for 30 minutes (or longer).
Preheat oven to 400F. Take out mixture and form into small balls and roll in cornmeal mixture, flatten into burger shapes and place on baking sheet lightly greased with olive oil. Brush burgers with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookie sheet, turn burgers over, brush again with olive oil, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes until firm and brown. Burgers will firm up more as they cool. Enjoy!
This recipe and food for thought are from my Weekly Meal Plan. You can now try it FREE FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH! Click here to subscribe.
Until next time, Eat Well, Be Well and LOVE Every Bite!
~Jennifer
Chef Jenny Brewer MS, CNS