I apologize for being so tardy with a new post! The last couple of weeks have gone by in a bit of a blur partially due to this new little addition to our family:

Joe and I adopted Captain (We named him Captain because he is a little shy, and we thought a strong name would help boost his confidence. Also because of Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the Star Ship Enterprise, but just forget I told you that.) a couple of weeks ago, and the most important lesson we’ve learned so far is that we are in no way ready to have kids yet. He is a 14lb. fluff ball and a bit of a handful, but we love having him around.

I’m also happy to report that Captain loves to watch me cook, and is eager to help clean up anything that falls off the counter. He had a field day last week when I was making these bean burgers and a few frozen peas went overboard. He didn’t rest until every last pea was accounted for and stored safely in his tummy. Way to go, Captain!

As Captain will attest, these bean burgers are quite tasty! I make them pretty often as an easy dinner, and now that I have a basic ratio down, it’s easy to switch up the flavor profile depending on my mood. I decided to give these a Moroccan twist, but I highly recommend you use whatever herbs and spices that most appeal to you. I’ve listed a couple ideas following the recipe. You can also switch up the type of beans you use depending on your mood or what you have in your pantry. I have quite a few partially used bags of mystery beans lurking on the shelf, so I’ll be whipping up more variations in the weeks to come.
xo, Holly (The Apiarist)

Moroccan Bean Burgers
You can serve these on a bun if you wish, but I prefer eating them on their own with a dollop of sauce and any other accoutrements. And maybe some tater tots.

1/4 cup fresh mint
1 small onion (or 1/2 a large onion)
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (a 15oz. can should do the trick), rinsed and drained
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup peas (optional)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place onion and mint in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped (you could also do this by hand). Transfer to a large bowl. Put chickpeas, eggs, salt, cumin, ginger and cinnamon in food processor and pulse until blended but still a little chunky. Transfer bean mixture to to bowl with the onion and herbs. Add zest, peas and breadcrumbs and stir until combined. If the mixture is too soupy add more breadcrumbs, if too dry add a couple splashes of water or more beaten egg. Form into patties. (I made 4 large patties, but next time I plan to make either 6 or 8 smaller patties for cuteness and flippability reasons).

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add patties and cook covered for 7-9 minutes. If the bottoms haven’t started browning increase the heat to medium. Flip patties and cook on the other side, covered, for 5-7 additional minutes. I didn’t have a lid large enough to cover my skillet, so I used a cookie sheet.

Serve with sour cream mixed with a pinch of salt, cumin and lemon juice, additional mint, and hot sauce if you’re feeling spicy.

Southwestern Style
Use black beans, cilantro, cumin and/or chile powder, corn (optional). Serve with any or all of the following: salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar, guacamole.

Italian Style
Use cannellini beans, fresh basil, dried thyme and/or oregano, minced sundried tomatoes (optional). Serve with warm tomato sauce or diced cherry tomatoes mixed with olive oil and basil.