Bean Burgers

By Joelene

Quick Tip: Rinsing Canned Beans

Ready to use in recipes, canned beans save you time. However, with their added salt, they can tip the scale on sodium in recipes. Rinsing and draining beans in a colander under cold running water helps eliminate the salty packing liquid. Be sure to drain the beans well.

Ingredients

• 2 15 1/2ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dry fine bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup bottled salsa
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed baked tortilla chips
• 3 2 ounces pitas (4-inch), halved
• 12 lettuce leaves
• 12 slices tomato
• Bottled salsa

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or heat gas grill to medium-high (or heat oven broiler). Lightly coat grill rack or broiler-pan rack with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Reserve 1 cup of the pinto beans. Whirl remaining beans in a food processor or mash with fork in large bowl until smooth.

3. In large bowl, combine the reserved 1 cup beans, the pureed beans, bread crumbs, the 1/2 cup salsa, egg, chili powder and cumin. Stir in crushed chips. Shape into six patties. Coat both sides of each patty with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Grill or broil about 4 inches from heat, turning once, about 10 minutes or until instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 160 degrees F. Serve in pita pocket halves with lettuce and tomato slices. Serve with additional salsa.
Tip