Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed or 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1/4 cup medium salsa
• 1/4 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg replacer (I use Ener-G egg replacer)
• Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
• 1-2 large mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced finely
• 3/4 cup onions, diced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a heavy bottom pan, sauté the diced onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and spices and continue to sauté until fragrant being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove this mixture with a slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl. This will leave a spicy, red olive oil in the pan. You will use this later to make the topping.
3. In the food processor, pulse the walnuts until they reach a coarse chop?don't over pulse. Add the black beans, salsa, corn, bread crumbs and sautéed onions and egg replacer. Turn the food processor on and run it till the mixture is paste. Taste it and add salt and pepper till it tastes right to you. Process to incorporate. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
4. Spray or brush a cookie sheet with olive oil. Form mixture into six patties and place on cookie sheet. Spray or brush tops of patties with olive oil.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip them once and bake for 5 minutes more.
6. Now for the topping. In the same pan and oil you used before, sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic just until the onions are translucent.
7. Once the burgers are done, serve on warmed burger buns or in pita bread or by themselves. Spoon some of the topping onto the top of the burgers. Enjoy with sweet potato or zucchini fries. Makes 6 patties