{Healthy Recipes} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

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To make home-made burger patties was on my to-do-list for a really long time. Basically I wanted to have a healthy alternative for my "junk food" cravings when I tend to pick up a Mc Aloo burger from Mc Donalds near by, though its a known fact that those patties were frozen for atleast 3 months before they are microwaved and served up - as fresh to the hungry customers!

I truly believe, a burger can be healthy and tasty and a meal by itself. Its beauty lies in the fact that how fresh are the "ingredients", not just loaded with easy carbs from boiled potatoes and extra calories from melted cheese. Intentionally I avoided both those ingredients in today's recipe. Yes, there is no potato and no cheese or diary. How would have these tasted, you ask? Let me tell you that the proof is my mother who in general avoids all kinds junk food (unlike me) devoured on the burger I made for her, fresh out of the pan. :-). That for me, is an ultimate testament that these were tasty will be made again..and again..

Usage of rice bran oil is not new in our household. Since we moved to India from US, I have started to incorporate more of rice bran oil (+ olive oil) and stopped cooking with any other refined oils. I tasted it for the first when a good friend of mine made some bhajjias at home, using rice bran oil. There was not even a hint of after taste and I couldn't even spot any difference. Its high smoking point 490°F (255°C) makes it well suited for any kind of frying, roasting etc. An added advantage is also that compared to other vegetable oils, foods fried in rice bran oil tend to absorb up to 20% less fat during the cooking process. I like that!. :-)

..spill the beans...

Now, without any further ado, lets jump into today's recipe - Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. Shall we? Below are few action shots and then comes the recipe.. Enjoy!

.....beans mashed, veggies cut.. 

..this is a cool trick to make perfect, round patties.Oil lightly insides of a cap, press the bean mixture and unmold. 

...shallow fry them on low heat until both sides are crisped up...

Sending this as an entry to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend.

{Recipe} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Makes 8 to 9 medium sized patties

Ingredients:

2 cups of boiled/canned red beans (rajma beans) - Any kind of legumes work for this recipe. If using canned, thoroughly wash and rinse the beans.
1 medium green bell pepper
1/2 onion
1 tomato
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green onions
2 small carrots
1 bunch of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
1/2 cup of instant oats
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 (or more) tsp chilli powder (or 1-2 tsp sriracha/hot sauce)
salt - to taste
few tbsp of rice bran oil - for shallow frying

Preparation:

1. To cook any dry beans, soak them overnight in filtered water. Then pressure cook them on HIGH heat for 10-12 minutes (or) until cooked. Let the pressure be released and drain the water. they must be fork tender.

2. In a bowl, mash the beans.

3. Cut the veggies - bell pepper, tomatoes, onion and green onions (both white and green parts) into very fine pieces. If you have a food processor, dice them all in 1 or 2 turns. Peel and shred carrots. Chop cilantro leaves.

4. Add these cut veggies to the beans and oats. Mix well and season with chilli powder (or hot sauce), cumin powder and salt. Refrigerate for atleast 30 mins for the flavors to blend. A cool trick to make perfect, round patties is to - lightly oil the insides of a bottle cap, press the bean mixture and shake a little to unmold. Since we are not adding any binding agent such as eggs or flax seed water, freeze the bean patties for atleast an hour or until ready to use. these can be easily frozen in plastic containers for many months, if you wish to make a big batch.

5. Once ready, heat few teaspoons of oil in a pan and cook each patty on low heat for 5-6 mins on each side. Carefully flip them on each side once or twice for even cooking. Drain them paper towels.

6. How to assemble the burger: Spread some eggless mayo on the bottom of a burger bun, then place the bean patty, some mayo again, spinach or lettuce leaves, onion, tomato and top with other half of bun! Tadaa!.. the ultimate red bean and oats burger is ready to be be devoured.

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...a burger is never complete without some (sweet potato) fries on the side..Isn't it?

Here is a simple recipe for Golden Sweet Potato Fries to go along with the burgers -

Ingredients:

6-7 sweet potatoes
rice brain oil - for frying
salt and red chilli flakes to sprinkle on top

{Optional sprinklers} - garlic powder, onion powder, dried/fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, thyme, sage etc.

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into thin strips. Place them in water. If you want to use them after a few hours (like I had to), cover and refrigerate the entire contents along with water.

2. Heat oil in a kadai. Once its hot, reduce the flame to LOWand add the sweet potato strips. Fry them in small batches for 5-6 minutes. Once they are light golden in color, drain onto paper towels to remove excess oil and immediately sprinkle some salt & red chilli flakes on the top. Serve.

This post is a part of Healthy & Tasty Recipe Contest with Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil & BlogAdda.com

This is Recipe 17 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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until next recipe,

Oven-Fried Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro Gremolata

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"He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart."

~ J.A. Shedd

Thanksgiving and food traditions go hand-in-hand. There are many popular veggies that has to be on a thanksgiving dinner table & a sweet-potato is one of them. These lend a nice, bright color and natural sweetness to the entire spread.

Well, I might have the perfect recipe for you which is very easy to put together. Just peel, cut, toss and bake. Not just for thanksgiving, this recipe serves best for any occasion.

Oven-Fried Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro Gremolata

I admit, am simply in love with these fries and is one of the few recipes which I made two batches, back-to-back. These taste especially good when paired with the cilantro gremolata which gives the dish a vibrant, zesty note.


Note: Sweet potatoes are of two popular kinds - in terms of texture & color of their flesh. The ones I used in US are softer and have a orange hue and  what I got in my local grocery store are a bit drier, cream-coloured. this recipe works perfectly with any kind of potatoes. 

Adapted from Cooking Light 

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds.

1 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

For Cilantro Gremolata -

1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp lemon zest (or grated orange rind)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200 C or 400 F.

2. In a bowl, toss gently sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

3. Arrange the slices on a oil greased baking sheet in a single layer.

4. Bake for 30  minutes (or) until tender, turning the potato slices after 15 mins.

5. While the potato slices are baking, make the gremolata - Combine cilantro, lemon zest (or) orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl.

6. Sprinkle cilantro mixture on sweet potato slices & Serve.

 
Sending these potatoes to Healing Foods: Vegetarian Thanksgiving event, guest hosted by  Sreelu of Sreelu's Tasty Travels. Send in your entries as well and win a chance to own one of two amazing cookbooks as giveaways. Perfect for Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas:

Kale and Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potato
Blueberry Yogurt Kanten
Rosemary Cheese Biscuits
Kalyn's Top Ten Thanksgiving recipes

until next time,

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Vegetable Pot Pie for Vegeterian Awareness Month Event

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'Vegetable Pot Pie' is a meal in itself. It becomes a beauty when its savory aroma tempts a hungry family to the table with all its luscious taste and flavors. I make this all the time; hence, I can assure this as a well-tested-successful recipe.
I added Paneer in my potpie instead of mozzarella/cheddar cheese which is optional of course if you are concerned about excessive calories.


Preparation time: :20 minutes
Cook time: :20 minutes
Bake time: :45 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Eggplant - 1 small
2. Broccoli - 2 tbsp
3. Pastry Puff sheets - 1 sheet
4. Onions - 1
5. Red Capsicum - 1
6. Green Bell Pepper - 1
7. Sweet Potato - 1 ( or normal potato)
8. Carrots - 1
9. All purpose-flour - 2 tbsp
10. Milk - 1.5 cups
11. Paneer - 1/2 cup ( instead of Parmesan/Feta cheese)
12. Butter - 3 tbsp
13. Nuts - 2 tbsp
14. Egg - 1
15. Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
16. Salt & Pepper - to taste
17. Bay leaf - 1

How to make:

1. Heat some olive oil in a pan, add all the chopped vegetables one by one and cook properly. Season with salt and pepper.
2. I made a classic cream sauce (Rue sauce) for this pie. For that, melt some butter in a pan and add bay leaf. Now, add flour over medium high heat. Mix until the mixture looks like dough - "RUE". Slowly add milk stirring rapidly until the desired consistency. Finally add the nuts and cook for 2 mins and keep aside.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add to the vegetable mixture over medium-low heat.
4. Now, add the rue sauce and mashed paneer to the vegetable mixture and cook for few minutes.
5. Brush the round pie dish with melted butter or oil and then spread the vegetable mixture evenly in it.
6. Cover the pie dish with the long strips of pastry puff sheets ( roll it with a belan if needed) and press the edges to seal.
7. Coat the top of pastry sheet with egg mixture for nice texture.



8. Cut out shapes from pastry top to allow steam to escape or simply punch small holes in the pastry sheet.



9. Bake for 35-40 mins or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.



10. Cut into pizza like pieces and serves hot. I served with some baked sweet potato fries..:D



Spring, Summer or Winter - 'Vegetable PotPie' is a mouthwatering meal.. Enjoi..:D


October being a 'Vegetarian Awareness Month' - this is my entry to VAM event hosted by dear Coffee and Vanilla. For details of the event - Click here.

- Shriya

UPDATE: One can use Phyllo dough instead of pastry puff sheets, but remember to use a bunch of them (phyllo dough sheets) with a brush of butter between them..:)