Oh the places we go...with food
and black bean burgers, vegan Worcestershire, and pub sauce
There was a time as a younger couple when cooking did not come naturally to me. I always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen, I guess it was more about my creativity level than the act of cooking. I liked baking more than the main meals because my partner, my now husband, had allergies, a lot of food allergies. That’s what made dessert fun, besides nuts, he could eat anything I made. We were both working full time as many of you are and after working all day the thought of making something that one of us could not eat did not seem imaginable or kind. Making two different meals was not timely or in our schedule. We were both omnivores and when I was making a meal I chose to work within the confines of food we both could eat. He did the same when grilling or creating the Italian Sunday supper. I did not realize at the time how much limiting my food variety may have been affecting my body.
We were married and had children. Once it was medically determined that they did not have the same allergy profile as Michael, I knew my culinary world would open having two other mouths to join us at the dinner table. My overwhelming joy was that I could finally make a chicken and enjoy it with my kids. Ah, the little things. Meals were still simple but bringing in poultry I felt like I could spread my wings. Fish and shellfish were not added to the menu because that required an epi-pen, meaning life-threatening, if they had an allergic reaction to the seafood. I was happy to stay in the poultry lane and order fish when I was out at a restaurant.
On or around my 40th birthday I was diagnosed with GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, a common enough diagnosis for people who eat the standard American diet. I was given a script by my doctor to help with the heartburn symptoms if I wanted to continue eating the way I was eating, which I did not know to be contributing negatively to my health. I do not like medicine if I don’t have to take it and I knew at that moment I would no longer follow my current eating path; time to follow my design and research what I should be eating to relieve myself of this feeling through food. I started with eliminating beef and pork and all fried food because that worked for me. I invested in a few vegetarian cookbooks for ideas and variety even though I was still eating poultry. My family kept eating the same as we had always eaten. Eventually I removed chicken, too, and for a while I was plant-based. I have since added seafood, eggs and some dairy back into my diet because the way I eat allows for me to have that without flare ups any longer. Both of my children flirted with plant-based eating and currently they both eat a diverse amount of plant and animal proteins and they are happy with their way of eating. This was my food life before the season of the beans. It has been a natural progression that I ended up here.
My biggest realization was that I was not honoring my palate, my eating needs. I sometimes would get cranky about the limited menu but no one but myself was stopping me. My husband will eat anything, I mean anything he is not allergic to. I was creating meals for others; making my world smaller by not eating what they couldn’t or didn’t want to eat, it was something I chose to do. Does this resonate with anyone else? I feel like it may.
Present day, I love so many vegetables but back then, I did not like mushrooms. I know, how do you not like mushrooms? Everyone said that to me, too. Ha, ha. Once I pivoted to plant-based (and this is not a commercial for eating only plants) it did open my world to understanding new foods that would give me the umami taste, hello mushrooms. Make those Lion’s Mane gyros from last week. It also opened my world to diversity, as eating the same veggies daily was a snore. Last week, I created a similar frittata from this post but instead of potatoes or mushrooms, I added roasted sunchokes; just like potatoes but with a slightly sweeter profile with the benefits of having a prebiotic.
Yearning for a crunch, instead of processed snacks I learned to roast pepitas and roast quinoa to top on everything. Do I wish I had this epiphany from the beginning of my epicurean endeavors, of course; but do I feel badly about it or blame my younger self for not realizing, no way. I did not inquire about what I did not know. Once I decided to eat what serves my body best I have been happier both body and soul. It may have been nudged by medical diagnoses and maturity; whatever the reason, I appreciate it.
Why it works for me now? There are many reasons but two that are glaring is we no longer have small children in our house and I am not working 50-60 hours a week. Together that means we have time. Time to meal plan, shop, prep and cook on weekends and throughout the week. I enjoy thinking about eating a diverse amount of plants, getting my fiber, nutrients and protein mostly from beans and adding in my eggs (daily) and seafood when the mood strikes, a few times a week.
I fully enjoy following my design which is to research, research, research to understand and become competent in the subject. Then, I bring people together to share the knowledge and provide connections on how you can do it, that fit into your life, no two people are the same. Teaching, mentoring and coaching have been part of my career and it easily transitions to helping you eat more beans, alongside or integrated into your meals while also taking care of your wellbeing, your peace, and your joy. Have fun bringing in the beans.
Recommended recipe
Black bean burger
This recipe comes from a gift I received from my girlfriend: an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook. It was also featured on the Hallmark website so I don’t think I am sharing something that is not already out there. It says it makes 6 burgers. Please note, the ingredients as written for me made 4 “Martin hamburger rolls” size burgers, plus 1 a little smaller. If you want/need 6 burgers, divide the mixture into 6 before you form the burger patties. The size will be fine, just a little thinner than I made them. Continue reading below if you want the pub sauce to put on top. It's out of this world.
Black bean burger ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, or 3 cups of your cooked black beans; both with 6 tablespoons bean liquid reserved
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 scallions, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (1/2 cup)
¼ cup vegetable oil
6 burger buns
Optional toppings: lettuce, pickled onions, smashed avocado, sautéed mushrooms
Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels, spread beans over towels, and let sit for 15 minutes. (You want to control the amount of liquid/water since you rinsed the beans)
Whisk reserved bean liquid and flour in large bowl until well combined and smooth. Stir in scallions; cilantro; garlic; cumin; hot sauce, if using; coriander; salt; and pepper until well combined. Process tortilla chips in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add black beans and pulse until beans are coarsely ground, about 5 pulses. Transfer bean mixture to bowl with flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and pack firmly into 3 ½ inch-wide patties.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Gently lay 3 patties in skillet and cook until crisp and well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Gently flip patties, add 1 tablespoon oil, and cook until crisp and well browned on second side, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer burgers to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining patties. Transfer to buns and serve.
Notes: The first time I made these, I pickled onions and I sautéed mushrooms to have Swiss cheese, mushrooms, pickled onions and the pub sauce. The Swiss cheese was bland. We could barely taste it. Since I use regularly use gruyere, Jarlsberg or Comte now I guess the Swiss missed the mark. I do not recommend. Although, the sautéed mushrooms were grand with the sauce. I forgot to take pictures of round 1. The second time I decided to go with lighter ingredients: fresh greens, smashed avocado, pickled onions, a thin, thin slice of toasted focaccia and of course the pub sauce.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce
The anchovies in regular Worcestershire sauce make it incompatible for me to use in my family cooking. I have purchased vegan Worcestershire sauce and I most likely will again. However, I saw this recipe and knowing that I had all of the ingredients in my pantry decided to make it and let you know how it is. Per usual, I made a couple of changes due to my taste and the sauce came out delightfully delicious.
The original recipe is here.
Try it as it doesn't disappoint. This is a riff off of Martha Stewart's sauce.
1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup soy (I used ¼ cup of coconut aminos and ¼ cup of tamari)
¼ cup of light brown sugar (I used ⅛ cup of the brown sugar and a tablespoon of maple syrup because I like the taste of maple syrup and didn’t need the full ¼ cup of sugar)
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp black pepper ~ 20 or so turns on a pepper mill
I used this vegan Worcestershire sauce in the pub burger sauce below to go on the black bean burger from today. It brought the already delicious burger to the next level. I am on a bean burger kick and have been eating some gems.
Pub sauce
I did not use vegan mayo but if you do it will be equally delish. It keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days. I know this because I just made a burger yesterday and I made the sauce originally last week. Still delicious.
3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (I had Hellmans in my fridge and I used it…childhood vibes)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used 1 T tamari and 1 T coconut aminos)
1 tablespoon packed organic brown sugar
1 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (recipe above)
1 tablespoon minced chives (I did not use because I did not have any)
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon pepper (~ 30 turns on a peppermill if you are using one)
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate. Makes enough to put on the burgers above. Double it if you want it for fries or to add more onto each burger.
Contact
If you have any questions on integrating beans consistently for gut health now and into the near future, please email me at Denisemancieri1@gmail.com. Feel free to comment below if there are topics you would like to see.
Please share this newsletter with others if you find it may assist them in adding beans to their diet. Or click the heart, below left, so I know you were here. Thank you!
Note: I am not a doctor. I am a teacher and an educator with an earned doctorate in educational leadership. I enjoy research and I can distill large amounts of information into easily understood and digestible pieces allowing people to understand what is happening to their body and possible steps to reverse it with food as medicine. I have healed my own GI issues through choices with food. I followed Karen Hurd’s bean protocol diet, I meditated and still do and I healed. I feel compelled to be in service and educate others as the more people eating beans, alongside a healthy diet and sharing their stories the more people will live a healthier existence. Joy, peace and freedom abound. Please see your doctor and discuss nutritional options before you change any course of action with your health.
Remember to leave your comments below!