On Valentine’s Day, my man doesn’t follow the traditions of this traditional romantic holiday. He follows his heart, choosing to ignore cultural celebrations and commercial peer pressure. This year, Valentine’s Day had almost passed and I thought he’d forgotten. Near evening, he walked into the dining room with a packet of gourmet food; and handed me a packet of black bean burgers with a smile on his face. My sweet man gets me. The flavour combo described on the packet piqued my interest, alas the taste was disappointing. I considered making home cooked black bean burgers and I spent time grating, mixing and frying in the kitchen. We enjoyed the black bean burgers on buns with salad.

Health benefits:

·       One cup of cooked beans provides about 12 grams of fibre, nearly half the recommended daily dose. Beans are digested slowly, which keep you satisfied longer. They are low in sugar, thus preventing insulin in the bloodstream from spiking and causing hunger.

·       Beetroot is a good source of iron, folate, magnesium and other antioxidants. Recent health claims suggest beetroot can help lower blood pressure, boost exercise performance and prevent dementia.

BLACK BEAN BURGERS

Makes 10 patties

PB, V, GF

1 onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup (170 g) black beans

1 small beetroot, finely grated

6 cups cooked lentils or 5 x 240 g tins of lentils

½ cup mushrooms, chpd

¾ cup (60 g) organic rolled oats

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose GF flour

2 tbsp (30 g) coconut aminos

pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp (20 g) flaxseed meal

grapeseed oil for frying

Heat a fry pan on medium heat, sauté the onion with grapeseed oil for a minute. Add the tomato paste and garlic and sauté for about 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the onion mixture, half the black beans, beetroot and half the lentils to a food processor, and pulse for 10-12 seconds until lumpy. Spoon the mixture into a bowl, adding the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly until the mixture sticks together in a textured consistency. Form patties into 2 cm x 7 cm thick rounds in your hand and add to a lined baking tray.

Preheat a fry pan with grapeseed oil. Fry the patties on medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy on the outside.

Serve patties on a bun with salad toppings like lettuce, tomato slices, caramelised onions, avocado, sprouts, mayo or hummus.