BBQ BLACK BEAN AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SLIDERS

Yield: 6 sliders | Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the sliders:

1 can of rinsed and drained black beans (about 1 ¼ if cooked from scratch)

1 cup cooked brown rice 

1 cup baby portobello mushrooms (or your favorite kind)

1 tablespoon peanut butter

½ tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)

½ teaspoon sriracha sauce

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (plus a bit more for forming the patties)

4 tablespoons warm water

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Some roasted garlic cloves (optional)

For the topping: 

½ -1 onion thinly sliced (plus your reserved portobello mushrooms from above)

For assembling:

6 slider buns

Some spicy brown mustard, your favorite barbecue sauce and any other of your favorite burger toppings.

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 355ºF (180ºC).
2. Whisk together the water and the 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds and let rest until it forms a gel.
3. Slice your mushrooms and sauté them in a skillet with a drizzle of a high heat oil, until golden brown and set aside.
4. In a food processor (or with a potato masher), pulse the black beans, brown rice and half of your cooked portobellos until mashed together but not completely puréed.
5. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, including the flax gel you made before. Mix well to get everything incorporated until a sticky mixture has formed.
6. Shape your burger patties into 6 mini burgers, adding some ground flaxseeds to help you if the mixture is too wet.
7. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 min. 
8. Flip them and cook them on the other side for another 5 to 10 minutes or until firm and golden. At this point you may serve them directly, or make them ahead of time and warm them up on a skillet right before serving.
9. For making your onion topping, add some high heat oil to a pan and sauté your onions until golden and almost burnt so that they are crispy, add the reserved mushrooms (without any liquid that may have formed) and toss. 
10. For assembling your sliders, use your favorite slider buns, add some spicy brown mustard, then your veggie patty, your favorite barbecue sauce and top with your crispy onion and portobello mixture. Top with the remaining bun and serve alongside your crispy oven potato wedges.

CRISPY OVEN POTATO WEDGES

Yield: 2 servings as a side dish | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 large potatoes

1-2 tablespoons of a high heat oil like canola, safflower or sunflower

Salt and pepper to taste, and any other spices you might like 

Ketchup for serving

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC) with your broiler setting on (aka turning on the top of your oven). 
2. Move your oven rack higher up towards the top of the oven. Line a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Wash and dry your potatoes and cut them into wedges. 
4. Toss them with the oil and seasonings.
5. Place them on the baking sheet with enough space between them so that they crisp nicely.
6. Roast them in the oven until you see they have turned golden on the first side. Flip them and let them cook for a few minutes longer. The time will depend on the type of potato you’re using, the size of your wedges and your oven. Approximately 25 to 30 minutes, but it’s best to know when they’re done by the color of the fries and checking to see if they are tender on the inside by inserting the tip of your knife.
7. Serve with some ketchup and enjoy!