Baked Black Bean Burgers
Baked Black Bean Burgers
Recipe for Delicious Baked Black Bean Burgers
Are you tired of bean burgers that fall apart and make a mess? This gluten-free vegan baked black bean burger recipe is the solution to your problem! It has a delightful chewy texture, holds its shape, and doesn’t fall apart when you take a bite. And it gets even better – these burgers are incredibly healthy and virtually fat-free. They are packed with delectable salsa flavor with a bit of a spicy kick, making them perfect for kids and adults alike. Unlike other bland black bean burgers, these burgers are loaded with flavor, which makes them hard to resist before baking.
Not only are these burgers nut-free, gluten-free, and oil-free, but they also make great crumbled taco “meat.” When the burgers are crumbled and served in tortilla wraps with Mexican Tahini Sauce, they become a mouthwatering treat.
The Secret Ingredients
Cornmeal and mashed potatoes are the secret ingredients that make these burgers so amazing. Unlike most bean burger recipes that use standard flour, breadcrumbs, or oats for binding, these burgers use cornmeal and potatoes to create a firm, meaty texture. The potatoes cook and form a thin crust on the outside, while the cornmeal helps to bind the burgers, keep the inside moist, and give them a nice chew.
Toppings and Freezing
These burgers are versatile and can be topped with your favorite toppings. We recommend lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and Mexican tahini, but salsa on top is equally as mind-blowing.
These burgers are versatile and can be topped with your favorite toppings. I recommend lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and Mexican tahini, but salsa on top is equally as mind-blowing.
You can also freeze these baked black bean burgers. Cook them as instructed, let them cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze. When you’re ready to eat, reheat them in the oven at 300°F for 10-15 minutes.
Remember, these are bean burgers and are not meant to resemble meat! Trust me, they are so delicious that you won’t even miss the meat. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Vegan Mac & Cheese
Aging Out of Mac and Cheese? Think Again.
Enter the Vegan Mac and Cheese as the newest ideation in this culinary evolution. As we grow older, our taste buds evolve and our palates become more sophisticated, as do our dietary needs. Fortunately that doesn’t mean we have to abandon our love for mac and cheese. While chefs often elevate the classic childhood dish with truffle oil or vegan bacon, the fact that this comforting pasta can be enjoyed in both high and low forms speaks to its universal appeal.
Vegan Mac and Cheese: How to Make It
Traditional mac and cheese dishes rely heavily on dairy, but there are many vegan versions that use plant-based ingredients. Store-bought vegan butter and cheese shreds are simple substitutes, but making your own vegan cheese sauce can be easy and delicious. Cashews, potatoes, squash, carrots, plant milk, vegetable stock, and/or nutritional yeast can be blended together to create a creamy and velvety cheese sauce. Whether you prefer stovetop or casserole-style, elbow or rotini-shaped, there’s a recipe out there for you.
Macaroni Options: Beyond Wheat Pasta
Macaroni noodles come in all shapes and sizes and can be made from a variety of substances. In addition to common wheat pasta, there are gluten-free options, as well as pasta made from lentils, tofu, kelp, brown rice, black beans, spaghetti squash, spiralized vegetables, chickpeas, and hearts of palm. All of these varieties can be used to create the Fountain Hills Healthy Heartbeats Vegan Mac and Cheese.
Convenience and Creativity
While homemade mac and cheese is great, boxed mac and cheese can be the ultimate convenience food. With only a few ingredients and basic culinary skills, you can enjoy this humble comfort food in no time. To add some nutrition, throw in broccoli florets while the pasta is cooking or frozen veggies with the cheese sauce. For a fancier twist, top with vegan bacon, truffle oil, and your favorite garnish.
Vegan Mac & Cheese
Vegan Mac and Cheese is a delicious and healthy alternative to the traditional macaroni dish. It’s easy to make and packed with flavor and nutrients! Create this creamy vegan mac & cheese by using cashews, nutritional yeast, and plant-based milk.
- Food Processor
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cup
- 2 Cups Elbow Macaroni
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews
- ½ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Cup Almond Milk
- 2 TBSP Lemon Juice
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- Cook macaroni according to the package instructions.
- Blend cashews, nutritional yeast, milk, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor until smooth.
- Mix the sauce with the cooked macaroni and serve.
Tips for a perfect Mac & Cheese:
If you like it cold, place it in the refrigerator for one hour.
Serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
Add roasted vegetables or vegan bacon for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Roasted Shishito Peppers
Skillet Roasted Shishito Peppers
The skillet roasted shishito peppers are a popular appetizer. Shishito peppers are mostly known for being a mild chili pepper, but every now and then a random pod will be spicier than the rest. The heat of a Shishito Pepper doesn’t rank high on the Scoville Scale. It isn’t unbearable, but that very randomness has added to the growing popularity to this fun little pepper.
Shishito peppers are popular in Japan, though their popularity has been steadily increasing in the United States. The name, “Shishito”, is Japanese for “Lion Head pepper”. My recipes are beginning to pack more heat because of this popular trend!
Shishito peppers are often confused with the popular Pimento de Padrón pepper, which is very similar in shape and size. Try this Skillet Roasted Shishito Pepper recipe…it promises to impress!
Skillet Roasted Shishito Peppers
Skillet Roasted Shishito Peppers
- Mixing Spoon
- Skillet
- 2 Cups Shishito Peppers (Padron)
- 2½ Tbsp Vegetable Broth (may substitute water)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
- ½ White Onion
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (extra virgin)
- 2 Tsp Lemon Zest (or more to taste)
- 2 Tsp Table Salt
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Chop onion and garlic
- Add vegetable broth to a large skillet and heat on high until skillet is hot
- Add peppers, chopped garlic & onions, and garlic powder to the skillet in a single layer and let cook, undisturbed until peppers begin to blister (about 2 minutes).
- Turn peppers with tongs or by vigorously shaking the skillet by the handle.
- Allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Drizzle olive oil over peppers (optional)
- Sprinkle peppers with sea salt and lemon zest to taste and serve.
Skillet Roasted Shishito Peppers are low in calories and high in dietary fiber, which helps you feel full and stay satisfied! Shishito Peppers are a good source of Vitamins A, C, and E which are good for your skin, immune system, and eyesight. Shishito Peppers are also rich in antioxidants that help fight off free radicals that damage your cells.
* 8 peppers provide 15 calories, 170% of your recommended daily Vitamin C, and 80% of your daily Vitamin A, as well as loads of vitamins K and B6.
Recent Recipes
Express Party Bean Dip
Express Party Bean Dip
Learn how to make Express Party Bean Dip with just 6 ingredients and 15 minutes! This dip is smooth, creamy, and perfect for parties and is healthy, low-fat, and oil-free!
Check out the recipe below where I will show you how to make a delicious Express Party Bean Dip! With all the unhealthy dips on the market, I decided to create a healthy version. I absolutely love bean dips, but there is something about black or pinto beans that just screams bean flavor to me.
We all gravitate toward dips and appetizers at gatherings, and we want them to be easy and quick. Party dips and appetizers don’t have to be greasy, fried junk food! My Bean Dip is so much healthier and totally oil-free! It’s a great way to get in your Daily Dozen too! You can eat it cold, or heat it up like a true refried bean dish.My Express Party Bean Dip is not only delicious but also very easy to make.
Here are some tips and tricks to make this recipe even better:
- You can use canned or cooked black or pinto beans for this recipe. If you are using canned beans, make sure to rinse them thoroughly to get rid of any excess salt.
- To add some extra flavor to the dip, add some garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. These spices will give the dip a nice kick.
- If you like your dip to be a little chunky, you can mash the beans with a fork or potato masher instead of using a blender or food processor.
- This dip can be served cold or hot. If you are serving it hot, heat it up in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until it’s heated through.
- You can serve this dip with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies like carrots, celery, and bell peppers.
Now you can enjoy a delicious and healthy snack that is perfect for any party or gathering!
Check Out The Express Party Bean Dip …
Express Party Bean Dip
This post will show you how to make My Personal Favorite…Express Party Bean Dip! With all the unhealthy dips on the market, I decided to create a healthy version that I’m sure you will love.
- Vitamix Food Processor
- Large Bowl
- Mixing Spoon
- Tsp Water
- ½ Cup White Onion (Organic)
- ½ Cup Bell Peppers (Yellow, Green, and Red)
- 15 OZ Canned Beans (Black or Pinto)
- Cup Salsa (May substitute with your favorite brand)
- ½ Cup Corn (May substitute with your favorite brand. Organic is preferred.)
- Chop onion and bell peppers
- Combine water, onion, bell peppers and salsa in your blender or food processor
- After draining & rinsing, add beans and corn to food processor
- Pulse food processor briefly until desired consistency
- This dip can be made with just the beans and salsa in a pinch using a potato masher.
Shepherd’s Pie With Lentils
Shepherd’s Pie With Lentils
Shepherd’s Pie flavor without the meat! See how easy this tasty dish can be re-created into a protein-rich plant-based dinner. Mashed Potatoes & lentils are the main ingredients! I’d like to think there’s nothing better than a casserole topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Picture your serving spoon breaking through that crunchy-smooth layer of mashed potato into the lentil-based vegetable mixture inside your casserole. Incredible, right? The flavors blend into a dreamy mixture sure to please the most Irish among us for a meatless meal that’s satisfying, rich, tasty, and oh-so-good!
- 12 Quart Stockpot
- Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Sauce Pan
- 9 x 13 Baking Dish
- 3-5 lbs Red Potatoes (Peeled & Halved)
- ½ cup Almond Milk (May substitute with similar plant based-Based Milk)
- 3 tbsp Earth Balance Spread
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Broth (To Saute’ Garlic & Onions)
- 1 medium Yellow Onion (Diced)
- 1½ tsp Garlic (Minced)
- 1½ cups Lentil (Uncooked, Rinsed Well)
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1½ tsp Dried Thyme
- 10 oz Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- 1 spray Avocado Cooking Spray
- Make your favorite mashed potatoes. Place potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until very soft (15-20 minutes) then drain.
- Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Mash with ½ cup plant-based milk, and 3 tablespoons of plant-based butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with Avocado oil spray.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of veggie broth in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onions and garlic. Saute՛ for 5 minutes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, lentils, and thyme. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 35-40 minutes until lentils are tender. During the last 10 minutes of simmering, add the frozen veggies to the lentil mixture and stir.
- Transfer the lentil mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with mashed potatoes.
- Season with pepper to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned.
- Cool the casserole for 5-10 minutes before serving.
*When adding vegetables you can substitute the frozen vegetables with fresh favorite veggies, or I’ve been known to use ½ bag frozen and a cup of fresh mixed chopped red pepper, peas, and carrots from the garden.
* Mashed potatoes can be substituted with mashed cauliflower or mashed sweet potatoes.
Apple Rings With Date Paste
Apple Date Rings
Apple Date Rings
These Sliced Apple Date Rings with a choice of mouth watering toppings will bring back memories of your youth! They have been a huge hit, and a Win-Win for my family and friends! Use your imagination with the toppings, but try to remember the goal here is to eat healthier, with fewer calories and less sugar.
And the best part…No baking required!
Enjoy!
- Blender
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- apple corer
- quart sized bowl
- small pan to heat chocolate morsels
- citrus juicer
- 1 medium Lemon (juiced )
- 3 medium Red Apples
- 1 cup Medjool Dates (Pitted)
- 1 inch Vanilla Bean
- 1/2 cup Water (Cold water is best)
- 1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
Optional Toppings
- 1 cup Raspberries
- 1/4 cup Raisins
- 1/2 cup Dairy Free Chocolate Morsels
- 1/4 cup Dried Mulberries
- 2 tbsp Raw Honey
- Add 1/2 cup Water into quart sized bowl
- Slice lemon in half and squeeze 1/2 lemon into water bowl
- Blend the dates, vanilla bean, ½ cup of water, and remaining lemon juice together until a thick, smooth “caramel” forms.
- Turn each Apple sideways and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
- Remove the core with Apple Corer
- Place apples into Lemon water bowl to prevent browning
- Spread Medjool Caramel onto top of each Apple Ring
- Add desired toppings
- If using melted chocolate, drizzle sparingly to keep caloric count low!
- Enjoy with Family & Friends!
This tasty treat brings back memories of the caramel apples of my younger years…without all of the sugar found in caramel. It’s a Win-Win for moms & kids alike!
Recent Recipes
Cheezy Cheez Casserole
Cheezy Cheez Casserole
Cheezy Cheez Casserole
Warm, bubbly casseroles are the epitome of “home,” especially when they’re stuffed with tons of cheese. This delicious dish uses raw cashews for the cheezy flavor.
- Large Sauce Pan
- 1 cup Cooked/Mashed Butternut Squash (You can buy frozen and cook in microwave)
- ½ cup Raw Cashews
- 1 ½ cup Non-Dairy Milk
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes (You may use more if need be for your desired taste)
- 2 Tbsp Arrowroot (Thickener)
- 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Sea Salt
- ½ Tbsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- 12 oz Whole Grain Macaroni (You can also use gluten free or penne pasta)
- 1 cup Peas (Optional; You can use chopped broccoli or asparagus)
- ¾ cup Whole Grain Bread Crumbs (You may use gluten free bread crumbs with 1 Tsp garlic power mixed in)
- Pour cooked squash, cashews, milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic powder lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a heavy-duty blender and blend til smooth, add arrowroot, and blend til smooth and creamy. Note: I usually pulse the cashews in Vitamix first and then all rest of the ingredients.
- Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until thickened. Constantly stir, the sauce will thicken quickly and you don’t want to burn. If you prefer thinner, just add water.
- Cook the pasta noodles according to the directions.
- Pour drained pasta into the baking dish; pour sauce and peas and combine.
- Sprinkle top with bread crumbs
- Bake uncovered for 20-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. I’ve even put the oven on broil for the last couple of minutes to really brown the top.
This is so good, I usually double the recipe for cheez sauce and use the extra during the week over steamed veggies, baked potato, or whatever else might be cooking!!!!
Add a Mexican spice blend to the sauce with some green chiles, chopped red peppers, and pinto beans for another twist on the recipe.
Recent Recipes
Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chinese Twist
Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chinese Twist
Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chinese Twist
The Cauliflower Rice does a nice job simulating real rice. The pea pods, green beans, slivered bell peppers, eggplant, water chestnuts, okra and cherry tomatoes all contribute to the Asian flavor.
- frying pan
- 4 Cups Cauliflower Rice ((frozen bags are great))
- 1½ Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Cups variety of raw chopped veggies of choice, my favorites… ((mushrooms,onions, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, sugar snap peas))
- ¼ Cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
- Place a small amount of vegetable broth (approx. 1⁄2 cup) on bottom of a large fry pan and bring to a boil.
- Add cauliflower rice and vegetables and cook on high for 2 minutes.
- Add remaining vegetable broth, reduce heat to simmer and cook until veggies are ‘al dente’ which means firm to the tooth. You don’t want the vegetables to become soggy.
- There should be vegetable broth still left in the pan. If veggies soaked up all the broth, add additional broth to the pan and warm.
- Drizzle a small amount of liquid aminos over the vegetables to desired taste and mix well. Taste and add more if needed.
- Note: Change up the vegetables to bring in whatever veggies are in season.
Recent Recipes
Rotini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Artichokes
Rotini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Artichokes
Rotini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Artichokes
Rotini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Artichokes is packed with Veggies and ready in 30 minutes!
- Pot
- Skillet
- 8 Oz Banza Gluten Free Chickpea Rotini
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Broth (Low Sodium)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 1/4 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (Chopped)
- 6 Oz Spinach (Fresh)
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
- 3 Tbsp Capers (Drained)
- 1/3 Cup Pine Nuts (Toasted (May Substitute Walnuts))
- Cook Rotini until al dente.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of veggie broth on medium heat.
- Add minced garlic, chopped artichokes, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and capers. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add fresh spinach and continue cooking and stirring until it wilts.
- Add the cooked Rotini and 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth. Cook on medium-low heat, and stir for 1 minute.
- Top with toasted Pine Nuts and drizzle with Olive oil.
