Veggie burgers

Delicious, high fibre bean burgers – the trick to these is baking the beans first to dry them out – result is veggie burgers that don’t fall apart! Each burger is around 160kcal so eat 2-3 with just a big salad if you’re trying to lose weight.

(serves 4-6, makes 12 burgers)

2x 400g tinned beans (black / red kidney / pinto / cannellini or a mix of beans), well drained

OR 480g drained weight or home-cooked beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper

1 small onion

3 garlic cloves

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon paprika

200g oat bran (or breadcrumbs if you’re stuck)

120g Feta cheese

1 large egg

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp ketchup, bbq or hoisin sauce

• Preheat oven to 160°C. Spread beans evenly onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out. Keep the parchment on the tray for later and increase oven temperature (or change to grill) to 190°C after beans are done.
• While beans are in the oven, peel and roughly chop onion, wash and roughly chop pepper, peel garlic. Place in food processor and finely chop.
• Heat ½tbsp oil over medium heat, add chopped pepper, onion & garlic mixture and cook about 5-6 minutes until soft.
• Place egg in the food processor bowl with the cumin, chilli powder, paprika, oat bran, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup (or other sauce). Pulse a few times, then add the Feta and beans. Pulse the mixture again, leaving some little chunks of beans and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Dampen hands slightly and form into 12 burgers, handling as little as possible. Brush the paper lining your baking tray with a little oil (or use spray oil) and place the burgers
• Bake in the oven (now at 190°C) for 20 minutes (turning after 10 min) or grill for 7-8 mins each side.
• These can be frozen after cooking.