This recipe is easy to make, tastes great, and is rich in nutrition. Bean burgers offer an appetizing alternative to traditional burgers, providing a virtually fat-free, high quality source of protein. Filling as well as nourishing, black beans are an excellent source of fiber. They’ve been shown to naturally lower cholesterol and help keep blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly, making them a smart choice for those with diabetes. So ditch the meat and bite into a bean burger!

Ingredients:

1 can (16 oz.) black beans (or you can soak your own)
1/4 cup ketchup
1 ½ tsp.cornstarch, mixed with equal part water
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. shallots, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
A pinch each of salt and black pepper
Tomatillo Sauce:
1/2 of an avocado
1 can (12 oz.) tomatillos, drained
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Combine beans, ketchup, and cornstarch mixture; mash slightly with a fork and set aside.
2. In a food processor, grind remaining ingredients until they resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Mix the black bean mixture with the dry ingredients.
4. Now for the fun part: dig your hands in and mash everything up.
5. Form mixture into 3 or 4 patties, depending how big you like them.
6. Coat skillet with cooking oil; cook patties on high heat for 3-6 minutes, depending how “well done” you like them; flip with spatula and repeat on other side.
7. Once they’re dark brown, set aside on paper towel to cool.
8. While they cool, make the Tomatillo Sauce by blending ingredients until you have a paste.
9. Add a spoonful to toasted kaiser roll; top burgers with lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
   

For this and more great vegan recipes, visit www.EatDrinkBetter.com!

 

Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burgers come in a variety of flavors and are low in fat and free of cholesterol, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. With no fillers, just a fresh vegetable taste, they fit in well with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Whether you select the California, Bombay, TexMex or Italian Veggie Burger, they’re a delicious and sensible food choice you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. Try them with or without bread, cooked on the grill or in the oven or frying pan. They’re all certified vegan.

For nutritional and product information, visit www.DrPraegers.com!

Stephanie Smith, 22, was a children’s dance instructor until two years ago when she developed a severe food-borne illness caused by E.coli. Her kidneys shut down, then the affliction ravaged her nervous system and left her paralyzed. Officials traced the E. coli to hamburger she had eaten. Unfortunately tens of thousands of people are sickened by the pathogen annually. In the last three years, ground beef was to blame for 16 outbreaks. This summer, contaminated beef was recalled from nearly 3,000 grocers in 41 states.

Ground beef is typically an amalgam of various grades of meat and trimmings from parts of cows from different slaughterhouses, so it’s particularly vulnerable to E. coli contamination; however, there are no federal requirements for grinders to test ingredients for the pathogen. Instead, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) allows grinders to devise their own safety plans, and unwritten agreements between companies often stand in the way of ingredient testing. Many slaughterhouses will sell only to grinders who agree not to test for E. coli, for fear the discovery will result in their ingredients being recalled.

According to slaughterhouse workers and federal inspectors, the potential for contamination is present every step of the way. In 2007, USDA officials conducted spot checks at 224 meat plants finding serious problems at 55 that failed to follow their own safety plans. A USDA survey of more than 2,000 plants showed that half did not test for E. coli.

To read the full article, visit www.NYTimes.com!

In an effort to introduce children to healthier, more sustainable foods, Baltimore school system cafeterias throughout the city now offer vegetarian meals every Monday to 80,000 students! Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future recently recognized the Baltimore City Public Schools as the first school system in the United States to observe Meatless Mondays.

The first Meatless Mondays campaign in the United States came during World War I, when 10 million American families pledged support of the war effort by observing meatless days.

Eating a plant-based diet is a more healthy, sustainable, and ethical way of eating. The American Dietetic Association’s most recent position paper on vegetarian diets notes, “Vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence can aid in the establishment of lifelong healthful eating patterns and can offer some important nutritional advantages.”

Studies show vegetarian children have lower intakes of cholesterol and saturated fat and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables and fiber than non-vegetarians; vegan children consume even more fiber and no cholesterol. Vegetarian kids also tend to be leaner than non-vegetarians, an important consideration since childhood obesity is a serious public health issue. Research further suggests that vegan food choices in childhood and adolescence can lower the risk of cancer in adulthood.

To read the full article, click here!

 

Thanks for reading this week's issue of Meatout Mondays! Share the veggie love with your friends and family... forward this e-mail or sign them up!

Meatout Mondays is published each week by:
FARM - Farm Animal Rights Movement
10101 Ashburton Lane Bethesda, MD 20817
info@meatoutmondays.org

To unsubscribe, click here. If you are not a member of this list and would like to be, click here.