Not a Burger

This christmas I got a spiral slicer, which I never knew I needed until I made oven fries with it. With the help of my sous chef (mom), we spiraled sliced a ton of regular and sweet potatoes. I like the sweet, she likes the normal boring potato.  Russet potatoes have a higher water content than sweet potatoes, so they spiraled better, but the sweet potatoes still tasted great.

Just spiral em up, toss with EVOO and sea salt, and baked at 400F for as long as it takes to make the potatoes crispy and yummy... like an hour or so.

The best part of the spiral slicer is that you end up with this mushroom looking piece in the end that's like the bonus oven fry.

I have big plans for that spiral slicer on this week's menu.

To go with these oven fries/chips?

Black Bean and Brown Rice Burgers

Makes 12 Patties

2 WW P+ each!!! <----- that's a crazy good deal

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tsp each
• cumin
• seasoning mix (I used TJ 21 Seasoning Salute)
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Mash black beans with a potato masher until you have a 50/50 ratio of beans to mush

• Add rice and seasonings and mix well
• This is where you should taste for Salt and Pepper needs
• Add 2 eggs, mix well
• Heat a frying pan over medium high heat
• Use a 1/4 c. scoop to make patties - any bigger and they may break when you flip

•  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, then flip

•  Have a cocktail for all your hard work

I served my burgers with shredded 75% reduced fat sharp cheddar, avocado and roma tomato.

 Also, I whipped up a light "Secret Sauce". Here's the secret:

• 1/4 c. greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp dill relish
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• S & P to taste

Secret's out.

I plated these with bread, but promptly ditched the bread after one bite. These were better eaten open faced with a fork! Why add extra carbs to this carbolicious meal...

Regardless of the carbo-thon, this meal was vegetarian, a great source of fiber, whole grain, and protein from the black beans and cheese! Also, if you opt for sweet potatoes, there is beta-carotene, vitamin c, and all the other goodness that comes from sweet potatoes.

Can we talk about how well cumin compliments sweet potatoes? The cumin in the burgers + the sweet potatoes on the side = so good!  

Also, you could bake these burgers in the oven. Just form patties with the 1/4 c. scoop and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or so. 

Happy Sunday!

PS Thanks for the spiral slicer, Swedes!