Black-eyed peas burger

Necessity is the mother of invention. Without any black beans, pinto beans or lentils around, the only legume left in the pantry was the humble black-eyed pea. I’d never heard of a black-eyed pea veggie burger before but this experiment turned out quite well.  The natural creaminess contrasted well with a generous dose of pepper and cayenne. And because the beans were already cooked, it was done in a matter of minutes. Serve it croquette style or on a burger. Cranberry relish is a great accompaniment.

Nutritionally, black-eyed peas bring fiber, vitamin a, calcium and magnesium to the table.  According to Dr. Daniel Heller “While we often hear about the importance of calcium for bones, magnesium is the other key mineral for healthy bones. And because so many people take calcium pills without magnesium, there may actually be a greater need for magnesium than for calcium in people who are most vulnerable to osteoporosis.” Source.

On a side note, when googling black-eyed peas for nutrition info I was greeted with a billion images of Will.I.Am, Fergie and company. I got a feeling….that wasn’t what I was looking for.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 2-4
Yields: 4-6 burgers depending on size
2 cup blackeye peas
1 carrot, shredded
½ onion, diced
½ bell pepper, diced
1 T Cornflour
1 T Tahini
½ t cayenne
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Method: Preheat oven to 350. Throw all ingredients into a bowl. Mash everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. If the mixture feels very moist add a touch more corn flour. Form mixture into patties. Depending on desired size, this will yield 4-6 burgers. Make sure they’re packed together decently otherwise they can fall apart. Place on a rack in the oven. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip once.

Alright, you can have two burgers, Will.