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Sunny Black Bean Burgers

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ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Tired of frozen meat-free burgers? These Sunny Black Bean Burgers bring a ray of sunshine to your table, with protein-rich ingredients like black beans, sunflower seeds and walnuts. A cross between a hearty burger and flavorful paté, these patties prep for the oven in less than 10 minutes, making them an ideal option for a casual weekday meal.

Makes 6 Servings

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INGREDIENTS:

½ cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
½ cup chopped walnut halves
1 cup lightly packed, fresh whole-grain bread crumbs (see note)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
5 tablespoons marinara sauce, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons minced fresh onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
Quick Marinara-Mayo Sauce (see recipe, below)

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Line a medium-sized baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.

Put the sunflower seeds into a blender and process into coarse crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl. Put the walnuts into a blender and process into coarse crumbs and add them to the ground sunflower seeds. Add the bread crumbs to the sunflower seed/walnut mixture and stir using a large spoon to thoroughly combine. Pour in the olive oil and stir to combine, adding a bit more olive oil (up to 1 more teaspoon), if the mixture seems dry.

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Put the black beans, marinara sauce, onion, garlic powder and Italian seasoning into a medium-sized bowl and lightly mash, using a potato masher or large fork.

Stir in the nut/bread crumb mixture and mix together until well combined, adding a bit more of the marinara sauce if the mixture seems dry. The mixture should hold together when gathered in the palm of your hand.

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To form a burger, scoop up a scant 1/2 cup of the mixture and drop it onto the lined pan. Gently form it into the shape of a burger. Continue in this manner until you have formed 6 burgers. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to allow the burgers to firm up.

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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until slightly golden, flipping the burgers half way through cooking. Put the pan on a wire rack and let cool (to firm up) for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. (These burgers will be slightly soft, so handle them carefully!) Serve with QUICK MARINARA-MAYO SAUCE (optional, see recipe below) and all of your favorite burger fixin's!

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Chef’s Note: Freshly made bread crumbs must be used in this recipe, as dry bread crumbs will not hold the burgers together. To make fresh bread crumbs, tear 2 to 3 slices of fresh, whole-grain bread into chunks. Put the bread chunks in a blender process (on low) into coarse crumbs.

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QUICK MARINARA-MAYO SAUCE:

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 heaping tablespoons prepared marinara sauce (or catsup)

Put the mayonnaise and marinara into a small bowl and briskly whisk to combine.
Taste, and add more marinara or mayonnaise, if desired.