TURKEY & BLACK BEAN BURGERS with MEXICAN BROWN RICE

Spring is about to arrive in Bellingham, and with the first sunny day the BBQs come out!  There are some great ways to make healthy dishes on the grill that I plan to share with you in the coming months.   We often have friends over for BBQs and hamburgers are a classic go to, but there is really nothing about ground beef that I like, nor does it have any redeeming qualities in regards to your health or the environment.  I admit I may have only eaten a beef hamburger once in my life.   But people love the idea of burgers.  And so, I have spent years trying to find the perfect veggie or beef alternative.  This one was an instant hit, with a mixture of turkey and black beans.

I think the key to a good turkey or veggie burger is the texture.  Often they can be too mushy, so in this recipe I purposely keep the black beans mostly whole.  I also briefly saute the vegetable ingredients with spices before adding them to the burger patty to boost the flavor.   I had serrano chilis at home, which made for an extra spicy burger (they have more heat than jalapenos), but for a milder version omit the hot pepper or seed your jalapeno well.  

Even with rain in the forecast for the next week, you can still make these on stovetop inside!

You can choose to serve these with traditional buns, but for a whole grain twist I swapped the bun for mexican brown rice, made in my pressure cooker.

TURKEY & BLACK BEAN BURGERS:

YEILD: 10 patties  TIME:  25 minutes 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 white onion, chopped

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 Tablespoon cumin

  • 1 t garlic powder

  • 1 can black beans, drained

  • 2/3 cup of plain bread crumbs

  • 2 lb ground turkey

  • 1 -2 Tablespoons of chopped sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

  1. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to pan over medium high heat. Saute onions, red bell peppers, and Serrano pepper for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and stir over heat for additional 2 minutes.

  2. Place saute mixture in large mixing bowl. Add black beans, bread crumbs, and ground turkey and stir well to combine. Add small bits of cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste

  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil. Scoop bean-meat mixture with a 1/3 measuring cup and form patties with hands. Arrange on baking sheet and let patties set/cool in fridge for 10-15 minutes before cooking.

  4. Grill over medium-high heat 4 minutes a side. Or over medium-high heat in pan, 4-5 minutes per side.

  5. Serve over Mexican Rice (recipe below), or with bun of your choice. Top with avocado and greens.

NUTRITION FACTS: (per burger)

Calories 253 / Carbs 12.5g / Fat 11.7g / Sat Fat 2.4g / Protein 28.5g / Sodium 253mg / Fiber 2.8g / Sugar 1.9g

MEXICAN BROWN RICE:

In my recipe here, I use brown rice rather than white rice, a common substitution I suggest my patients make.  Brown rice has more fiber, minerals, and vitamins than white rice and does not cause as high a spike in blood sugar levels.  In a study from Harvard School of Public Health, those who ate five or more servings of white rice per week had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.   In the same study, substituting brown rice for white rice lowered peoples risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  Substituting other whole grains like barley or farro would be even better!  Ill give you a good recipe for those grains in a future post!

YIELD: 6 cups rice  TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 white onion, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 serrano or jalapeno, seeded and chopped

  • 2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups brown rice

  • 1/2 cup tomato paste

  • 2 cups water

METHODS: 

  1. Add 2 Tablespoons oil to saucepan over medium-high heat and saute onions, garlic, serrano, salt and rice for 3-4 minutes. Add to pressure cooker

  2. Add tomato paste and 2 cups water to cooker as well

  3. Place pressure cooker on "brown rice" setting, usually about 25 minutes.

  4. This recipe could be made on regular stove top, but cooking time for the brown rice would be: 45 minutes simmer + 15 minutes rest.

Note: I often make this rice, and once pressure cooker turns off,  I will stir in pinto beans for a classic beans & rice dish. 

NUTRITION FACTS: (per cup of rice)

Calories 253 / Carbs 54.6g / Fat 1.8g / Sat Fat 0.4g / Protein 6g / Sodium 892mg / Fiber 3.4g / Sugar 3.1g

Main CourseSara BowlingHealthy Grilling, Whole grainComment