Black Bean Burgers

During the growing period between nasty bloody flesh and the glory that is the plant kingdom, you should eat heartily. Real heartily. Seriously, chow down on yams and kale till you're blue in the face. Got whole grains? Eat 'em up. For the first week of your transition, I give you permission to go crazy with healthy food, enjoying every last bite and feeling amazing after every meal.

To that end, and as promised, I present my super easy black bean burgers (you even get to use canned beans)! Make a big batch of these to throw in a pan with a bit of oil, toss on the grill, or put in the freezer for later. With some chips and a glass of cold beer, I'm on cloud nine.

In a large bowl, combine:
1 15 oz. can black beans (preferably organic)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

With a potato masher or a big fork, smoosh up the beans till they're smooth. Then add:
1 cup chopped onion (about half a big onion)
1/2 cup corn
1 cup bread crumbs
1 handful cilantro (if you want)
1 egg yolk*

Mix well to combine, then shape your patties for cooking. They don't take long on the grill or in the pan, so keep an eye out! You want them to be golden brown, not burned little discs. When they're done, put them on a nice big toasted whole-wheat bun with whatever burger stuff you like (but don't forget the greens). I enjoy the classic combo: lots of mustard, ketchup, tomatoes, waaaaay too much onion, and a giant pile of spinach. Oh yeah.

*AHHH! An egg yolk in a vegan recipe! Is she crazy? Look, going totally vegan with this is a cinch (just replace the egg with 1-2 tbs canola oil or a big dollop of silken tofu...you simply need to get the patties to stick together), but I wanted it to be accessible for those of you who are trying to kick meat out for good. No need to make too many changes at once, right? You'll LOVE this recipe either way!