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Posted on Jul 2, 2012

Adzuki Buckwheat Burgers

Since we drove all the way down to NC, we decided to stay for the week to visit with family and have a vacation. A completely unexpected vacation but entirely welcome. So, we’re now enjoying the sunshine and coastal breeze  in Oak Island/Southport. Fourth of July is huge here and I’m so glad we get to be here for it. The holiday is basically like a homecoming of sorts and you never know who you’re going to run into – it’s always fun to get a little blast from the past 🙂

We kicked off the week with our long training run bright and early this morning. Nine sweaty miles on the island. Thank you, Podrunner, for motivating my legs to keep moving. There were so many runners out, which was awesome. In general, I’ve noticed a great comraderie when I’m out running – other runners will always acknowledge you and give you a great big smile, and sometimes even some encouraging words when you look like you’re struggling (not that I ever look like that… cough).

And then there’s my husband, randomly singing/shouting Prince lyrics and literally running circles around me. Sigh.

(pardon the iphone quality – it gets the job done)

In anticipation of that big holiday on Wednesday, I thought I’d share a good, juicy bean burger recipe – perfect for a crowd but just as suitable for freezing for later. I’ve had a giant bag of buckwheat groats sitting in the back of my cabinet for I don’t know how long. On a whim, I added them into my bean burger mix. And I haven’t looked back. Now the bag is halfway empty and these burgers have somehow ended up in our weekly meal plan … every week. I can’t help it though – it’s so easy to whip up a batch of these for dinner and have the rest in the freezer, ready to go for meals later on. Plus, I love my buckwheat and all its complete-protein-goodness.

So, without further ado, I give you:

Adzuki Buckwheat Burgers

Materials

makes ~ 6-8 patties

  • 2.5 cups adzuki beans (cooked)
  • 0.5 cup buckwheat groats, uncooked (or 2 cups cooked)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • a swig of olive oil

Oh, and you’re definitely gonna want some juicy, fresh pineapple. Trust me, it makes an excellent burger topping, especially combined with chipotle sauce

And if you’re in a cooking groove, there is nothing like a homemade bun. I know I’ve mentioned this before but my favorite recipe for buns comes from VeganDad – it’s straightforward and makes fantastic buns. The only substitution I make is almond milk instead of soy.

Methods

1. Toast your groats. Hehe. Am I the only who think that sounds funny? Anywho, add a dash of oil to a pan and toast the buckwheat groats over medium-medium high heat for just a few minutes until they turn slightly golden. Then add in 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer for ~12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff a bit.

2. Toss the garlic and onion in a food processor and process into fine little bits. No food processor? No worries – just get busy with your knife and dice the onion into fine pieces and mince the garlic. Warning: the mixture in the food processor will be potent. If you are one of the lucky few who have those silly-looking-but-I-totally-covet onion goggles, break em out now.

3. In a big bowl, mix together groats, beans, spices and cornmeal.

Take about half of that mixture and add to the food processor and process just until you get some mushy action going (how’s that for a technical culinary description?)

4. Combine the processed half with the rest of the mixture in the bowl and then form patties. I made 6 bigger patties but you could certainly make 8 smaller ones if you wanted.

5. Time to add some heat! Generally, I cook bean burgers on a cast-iron skillet (good way to get some iron in my diet). On a lightly oiled skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side. I also throw on some pineapple slices.

To speed things up and seal in some moisture, I cover the skillet until the last few minutes of cooking time.

6. These burgers are excellent for freezing, and parchment paper works out pretty well for preventing the patties from sticking to each other.

7. Plate up!

Chipotle sauce + pineapple + fresh kale = awesome combination that I highly recommend.

Results & Conclusions

The texture of the buckwheat groats and the heartiness of the adzuki beans combine to form a substantial, juicy burger.

And you really can do no wrong with chipotle sauce and pineapple. I’m pretty sure if I was stranded on a desert island, I could eat pretty much anything as long as I had some chipotle sauce to smear on it 🙂

These burgers are prime candidates for getting creative – I can totally see adding some peppers or mangos or fresh corn. The sky’s the limit!

Bean burgers are always excellent kitchen-sink meals, providing an easy way to use up some of that fresh produce in the fridge as well as pantry staples. Whether you make these for a festive cook-out or a regular weeknight meal, enjoy!

8 Comments

  1. Hi!

    I just discovered your blog, and it’s amazing. Thanks for posting so many great vegan recipes and inspiring people to thrive on vegan diet.

  2. Mmm, I think bean burgers are amongst the most satisfying foods in the world! Yum!

  3. Love your picture at the lighthouse!

  4. Sounds great and will make them today. Is the chipotle sauce something one buys at the store, or did you make your own? I usually buy them in a jar, is this what you recommend to use?
    Thanks so much for the recipe and your reply.
    Carmyn

  5. Is the 2.5 cups of beans measured dry before cooking or measured after cooking?

    • The beans are measured after cooking. I usually make a pretty big batch and freeze, taking out what I need when I need it.

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