BBQ Success

I have had the idea of doing a BBQ burger for a while now. However, when I first googled recipes for inspiration, I was disheartened to see nothing but recipes that included adding BBQ sauce to a bean mixture. While I'm sure that doesn't taste bad, it's just not what I wanted. I wanted something that required doing a little extra and adding more love to the burgers. Thankfully, I think I finally crafted a recipe that is a success.


(Note: I have way too much time on my hands)

BBQ pinto bean burgers
Ingredients
- 1 15oz can pinto beans (I use no salt added so I have control over the salt)
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and roughly chopped
- 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup oats + 1/2 cup
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp flax, 3 tbsp water)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp dry rub seasoning (recipe to follow)
- Sea salt, to taste

Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Pulse oats in a food processor until fine. Set aside.
- Add vegetables to the processor and pulse until fine. Add pinto beans and 1/2 cup oats and pulse until combined.
- Dump mixture into a large bowl and add dry rub and salt. Mix with your hands and feel it out - if it seems too wet, add more oat flour. Keep adding until it's firm but not dry. I like to use my hands because not only does it add love to your food, but you can really feel the texture and get it to your liking.
- Using 1/3 cup measure, shape patties and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. They're done when they're firm, crisp and lightly golden.

Makes 5 hefty burgers

Dry rub seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp cracked pepper
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne

Feel free to add salt as well. Once again, I'd prefer to add salt directly to my food instead of relying on other things to season it for me. What can I say, I'm a control freak.

Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a sealed container and shake, shake, shake! Store like you would other spices.


The spice mixture in the burgers is SPOT ON. I could taste it on my tongue even after I was finished. The burgers weren't really spicy but had a great smokey, BBQ flavor. It took all the power inside me not to gobble up the other burger I cooked. I believe these are my best burgers yet!


On the side I had some baked sweet potato chips. I'd love to share the recipe, but I'm still working on them and they're not perfect yet, so for now I'll tease you instead.


I'm a cruel woman.