Black Bean Burgers

A friend of mine recently saw this recipe in a magazine and shared it with me. I was so glad she did. What a fun way to switch up dinner. They were easy and came together quickly. Since the "patty" had raw eggs in it, I couldnt test the taste until they were finished. Next time I will add more spices, this dinner is definitely a repeat!

Black Bean Burgers


2 Tbs oil
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 15 oz can of black beans (I used my own precooked beans, 2 cups plus a few Tbs. of water)
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbs. cumin
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
salt and pepper
*next time I will add hamburger seasoning or taco seasoning also

Preheat oven to 375

Warm oil in skillet and add celery and onion stir a few minutes and then add garlic. Pour beans into a bowl and mash to a thick paste (I did this in my food processor) Add celery mixture to beans and stir in egg, cumin and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties and bake on a baking sheet until firm and set, about 10 min. on each side.

While they are baking cut up all the garnishes.

Remove from the oven and serve on whole wheat buns and top like a regular hamburger. We used the works, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo, etc.

Spelt Tortillas

A few days ago, a friend of mine dropped off some tortillas she made along with the recipe. Good thing she included the recipe, because they were worthy of repeating! Delicious, and simple to make. (not to mention CHEAP!!)

Homemade spelt tortillas

1 1/2 cups spelt flour, fresh ground is best.
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs. oil
3/4 cup hot water

mix all ingredients, cover and let sit in a warm place for 20 min. divide into 8 balls and let sit covered for another 20 minutes. Roll each out into a thin circle and cook on skillet. If they are too thin they will cook up fast and will need to be watched closely so they dont get crispy.

TIPS:
* the dough is a little sticky so when you are rolling it out be sure to flour your counter and rolling pin really well.
* I liked them rolled out a little thicker, they were easier to cook and work with.
* Once you are done cooking them, place them in a container with wet paper towels in between them. They will stay soft and pliable this way.

German Pancakes and syrup

There are lots of German Pancake recipes out there. And people call them lots of different things. Hootenanny Pancakes, German Pancakes, Oven Pancakes...

I got this recipe quite a few years ago from a friends mom. We had taken a road trip from Arizona to Utah, and got in late at night. The next morning these puffy pancakes were served for breakfast. I had never even seen or heard of them, but loved them! I asked for the recipe and whenever I look at it, I still remember that long road trip and the kind gesture of my friends mother.

German Pancakes
(these are my pancakes with the syrup simmering in the background. There is also a pan of barley that i had just cooked up for Maggie)

Beat together:
6 Tbs butter, melted
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
whip them together really well, the more air you can get in them when whipping them the more fluffy they will be. Bake 425 for 25 - minutes.

while they are cooking, make the syrup:

1 cup sugar (I use honey but the authentic recipe calls for sugar)
2 Tbs. corn starch
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
2 cups apple cider (we had some fresh pressed cider and it was DELICIOUS!)

Incorporate all ingredients in a pan and simmer until its clear. This syrup is good on pancakes or waffles or any hot breakfast breads.