Sorry for the delay – I got up in tax talk!! Tis the season.
I’ve had a great day – turned in two big assignments, went for a great run, had a delicious lunch. I worked from 10 straight thru to 1pm on my Palm oil project. I don’t really have any info to report because it’s a partner project and my part was to write a report (and powerpoint) on a primary research article about oil separation in peanut butter. I did do a little research, also, on the environmental impact of palm production, but this article (which I used) sums it up better than I could: Cruel Oil. Basically the palm oil industry needs to take a lesson from Lipton on sustainability!
At 1 I was getting hungry for lunch, but I decided to do a quick run to get it overwith (and so I could shower!) I did our 4.3 mile loop. Here are the stats:
Time: 39:19 (9:06 miles)
In Zone: 31:47 (all those downhills!)
Avg HR: 157
Max HR: 174 (up a big hill!)
Kcal: 319 (almost exactly 75 calories per mile – my usual)
After a quick shower, I set out to make this:
And I made you guys a Bean Burger Tutorial!
I have become obsessed with burgers these days. I crave them all the time!
Plus a strawberry walnut arugula salad tossed in lemon olive oil and fig balsamic vinegar
And for dessert, I tried one of the Great Harvest Power Bars that walked through the door. It was good! Peanut buttery, dry and kind of like an Honest Foods Country Square.
I’ve got more to do, but much less to do than I had yesterday!!
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
If you crave those, then these will seem like crack.
Best Black Bean Burgers – hands downs
s’all I’m sayin’
Thanks for the tutorial. I have been wanting to try to make bean burgers.
I crave burgers too….especially bison burgers.
That looks like a beautiful, fantabulous salad, Kath! Yum-O!!! I love baby spinach leaves the most in my salads–oh, and Napa cabbage! Those two are my top faves, I think.
*smiles*
Michele
The burger looks amazing. When cooking with beans or using them in a salad is it okay to use salt-free canned bean?In terms of time, dry beans are not always a possibility.
That recipe is awesome! Can’t wait to try them.
The bean burger looks great!
mmm that burger looks delicious!
Oooh delicious.
Gotta love tax season. Actually I REALLY love tax season…my birthday is April 15, tax day!!!
That burger looks so good! The last time I tried making bean burgers they turned out not so fabulous. I will try your recipe!
Hope the rest of your day goes well!
I need to try those bean burgers! Thanks for the tutorial, Kath!
That salad looks almost too pretty to eat
I was craving a black bean burger myself today. I agree that “forking the beans” is key. Why does that sound dirty?
I baked sweet potato fries today and thought of you
Just thought you should know!
I love to make bean burgers, I make them with all sorts of beans. My favorites are butter bean burgers!
Burger looks so nice! I love your additives in your burgers. so creative. so zesty!
Great burgers!! Thanks so much for taking all the time to make the tutorial!
OMG! PERFECT idea for strawberries!!! I seriously have a container sitting in my fridge, and I was wondering what I could make with them… now I know
!
Gorgeous lunch Kath! I’ve been craving burgers too- I think it’s the warmer weather!
mm..thanks for the tutorial! I will be sure to make them soon!
seems that there’s lots of controversy these days with girlguide cookies here (b/c they’ve got palm oil in them) and people don’t want to buy them because they are destroying rainforests.
Yum yum yum! It all looks great!
I make your burgers all the time for quick afterschool lunches, thanks for the recipe!
that sounds like a really interesting paper!
I dont know what looks better- the burger or that salad!
oh dear- barney butter has palm oil in it, doesn’t it? D:
You just inspired me to make a strawberry-filled salad! Yum
that burger and salad looks so good – i always crave burgers when the weather is nicer
Thanks for the tutorial, I’ll have to try your version of bean burgers!
Beautiful meal as always. Thanks for sharing!
I too have had burgers on my mind! I’ll have to have one soon!
Mmmm that cheese looks soooo good!!
Hi Kath. I’d be interested in hearing more what your personal opinion is on palm oil, if you’d want to share. I only ask because I’ve been doing some research on it and I’m still iffy, if a bit scared. Essentially, I am not a fan of added oils. I’m really bummed because I got a Barney Butter sample (HOLY YUM!!!!) and while I loved it, I don’t think I will be buying it because of the palm oil. Thanks for the link, though!
That salad is like summer in a bowl! Strawberry, walnut + spinach = yum.
Those burgers look so good!! I’ve been looking for ways to get more beans in my diet……. do you have a gluten free version??
Those burgers look amazing! Will have to try them for sure! Your salad looks so refreshing, too
Wow–those burgers look mighty tasty. thanks for the tutorial!
what a productive day!!!
Matt looks so cute in that pic!
Bean burgers!! Love the tutorial!
I love Matt’s innocent face in the last shot!! Burgers look tasty!!
Erik ,
Saved ‘em to my file!
elizabeth ,
Of course canned beans will work! Much easier too
Kudret ,
Thanks for informing me!! Hee hee.
Heather + D ,
Nutritionally, there is nothing wrong with palm oil (unless you’re consuming it by the cup..). It really is the sustainability that’s the problem. I don’t think my 5-10 jars of BB a year are going to have enough of an impact to give up considering the pros and cons, but I would choose another product if I had a choice of the same taste. And they are coming up with sustainable ways of growing it…it’s just taking a while.
Pam ,
If you can use a gluten free flour or cornmeal, anything that’s got a similar texture.
Kath
Kath- thanks for that! I didn’t know if being an RD in training meant you knew something that they’re hiding from us, ha! I think oils just scare me – some studies/researchers say can be heart healthy (example: Smart Balance Light is a palm oil blend) and then there are others that say “x oil is the worst, while y is the best” and you just don’t know. I suppose moderation is key, and as long as it isn’t hydrogenated.
Strawberries and walnuts make the perfect combo, in my opinion.
Thanks for the tutorial!
Very interesting research! What do you think about coconut oil? Heidi Swanson (101 Cookbooks) calls for it in many of her recipes. I know it had a bad rap a few years back – has there been any mention of it’s redeeming qualities in your courses?
I’m also wondering if you buy organic strawberries. I buy as much organic produce as I can afford – but organic strawberries are so expensive! I’m waiting for them to be in season up here in Boston – then perhaps they will be more reasonably priced. I love putting them in salads – yours looks delicious!
Lauren ,
We haven’t talked about coconut oil in my courses (you’d think in 2 years there would be more food talk, but I only have 2 food science classes and we’re still discussing the coagulation of proteins and bread structure – bor-ing! Nutrition curriculum is so much more than food (clinical, foodservice, metabolism, medical nutrition therapy, etc.) but what I read yesterday seem to think coconut oil is a great alternative.
And I don’t buy organic strawberries, but I want to. I know they are one of the top “to buy organic” ones, but honestly, I don’t even SEE them in my stores. It’s not like there’s the organics and the regular and I choose the regular – I don’t know where the organics are hiding. Probably in small containers somewhere.
K
I can’t wait to check out that tutorial. Whenever I make Black Bean Burgers, they never stick together! I always end up eating them with a fork, haha.
Your salad looks so fresh and delish!
Your bean burgers look great. Nice and chunky/hearty. My past few experiments have come out too smooth. I like a bit of “meat”!
That burger looked so good I had to make one for dinner. Only change I made was using oats (old fashioned) instead of whole wheat flour. It was awesome and I am having another one for lunch. And yes, ‘forking the beans’ sounds naughty!
Love your burger alternative!
As for palm oil and sustainability, I think we may be too quick in labeling it Cruel Oil. I’ve been reading and comparing the health benefits and environmental impacts of different oils recently for a presentation.
Soybeans yield only 446 litres of oil/hectare, Peanut – 1,059 litres of oil/hectare, and Palm oil produces 5,950 litres of oil/hectare!
By choosing corn oil (one of the lowest oil producing crop/hectare) for instance, we are encouraging more lands to be cleared for the crop. You find residents in South America living in fear as 10-foot Anacondas find their way to the city after their habitat’s been destroyed for corn, soy and cattle: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23580894/
and recently, the news of a newly discovered ‘Montauk Monster’ in Panama:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/panama/6201333/New-Montauk-Monster-spotted-in-Panama.html
Are we choosing to boycott palm oil because of the cute cuddly orang utans? What about creatures in the Amazon who go extinct even before we’ve discovered them? And Anacondas… are they too ugly and vicious to be cared for?
I think as consumers, it’s important that we know these facts and the other stories which aren’t as well publicized or campaigned against, and for whatever oil we choose at the end, we’ve got to make sure it’s from a sustainable source.
Heather & Kath – Maybe this site could help with regards to palm oil:
http://www.palmoilconsumer.com/Palm-Oil-Environment/A-Helping-Hand-For-The-Orang-utan.aspx