Spicy Bean Burgers

These veggie burgers are a great combination of veg, breadcrumbs and mixed beans. Fantastic served on a bun with a little low fat mayo and ketchup, they also go great served with some thai sweet chili sauce on a bed of Brown Rice as a main meal. 

Alternatively, they also work with Wholemeal Wraps, Wholemeal Pitta Breads or Flour Tortillas as a filling lunch.

The following recipe makes 8 burgers.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon/5g of low fat butter spread

• ½ onion. Finely chopped

• ½ yellow pepper. Washed and finely chopped

• 1 medium/2 small cloves of garlic. Finely chopped

• 75g mixed peas and sweetcorn. Fresh or frozen. Soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes before use.

• 2 x slices of Weight watchers whole meal bread, blitzed with a hand blender 

• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

• ½ teaspoon of chili powder

• ½ teaspoon of chili flakes

• 400g tin of mixed beans. Drained and rinsed in cold 

• a little salt and a good twist of black pepper

• 1 medium egg. Lightly beaten

Method

1. Heat a pan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it's bubbling, add the onion and pepper and stir fry for 5 minutes or so until softened.
2. Add the garlic and continue to fry for a further minute or so.
3. Add the drained mixed peas and sweetcorn and continue to fry for a further minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile combine the breadcrumbs, stock cube, chili powder, chili flakes and beans in a bowl and mix to combine, mashing the beans with a fork.
5. Next add the stir fried veg and stir to combine, seasoning well with salt and black pepper.
6. Add the lightly beaten egg and mix in. If the mixture is too wet, you can add a few more breadcrumbs. If it's too dry, you can add a splash of low fat milk).
7. To shape the burgers. Divide the mixture into eight pieces. (Divide in half, then quarters, then halve these to make eighths). Roll each section into a golf ball sized ball and then flatten out. Keep the burgers on a clean plate or sheet of tin foil until you're ready to grill them.
8. Heat the grill to a medium to high heat and add the burgers. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes until they are browned and warmed through, turning frequently. (A slanted grill like a 'George Forman' would also work well).
9. Transfer the burgers to warm plates and serve.