Monday, July 7, 2014 · 126 Comments

Spicy Black Bean Burger with Grilled Veggies and Sriracha Mayo

When it comes to eating healthy, I feel strongly about incorporating spicy food. A little bit of heat helps curb my appetite and leaves me feeling more satisfied. One of my favorite low-calorie toppings is fresh, spicy salsa. It adds a lovely zing to eggs or a bean burrito and helps me forget about things like sour cream!

Good food choices are a must when running a food blog. I am surrounded by yummy eating temptations daily. Needless to say, it’s really easy to get carried away with that umpteenth bowl of delicious cookie dough. I have to be careful and make conscious decisions about what goes into my body.

I firmly believe in balance when it comes to food. There is no reason we shouldn’t be able to enjoy some of our favorite foods within reason. Making good food choices with most meals and daily exercise means I am able to indulge in something wonderful several times per week. And I’m not just talking about dessert. Temptation comes in many forms, bread and butter, grilled steaks, guacamole, cocktails and wine. I like to incorporate all of it in moderation and balancing all of it with other healthy choices.

I would not be able to eat all of my favorite things if it weren’t for the availability of products such as the MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger. They make it easy to eat smart. Sure, I could cook from scratch and eat, as I call it, very close to the earth. However, that’s not always an option. Running three businesses means I need the ability to incorporate convenient, healthy food options into my life. Good tasting products like this one help fill in the gap for life in the fast lane.

My taste buds are always asking for something new and I have to keep them guessing beyond the usual chicken and fish. This Spicy Black Bean Burger does the trick for me. Full of flavor, it lets me indulge (a little) with this Sriracha Mayo.

Now, I only said a little, which is why I used a heart healthy, lower-in-calorie mayo. Quite honestly, I have never been a fan of low-calorie mayo, it just doesn’t have the body and taste of full fat mayonnaise. However, when you mix low-cal mayo with Sriracha and a couple other ingredients, you don’t miss the high calorie version one bit. The end product is kind of amazing on a burger.

I made my burger and veggies on a portable indoor grill I keep in the kitchen. No thawing of the burger is necessary, which makes it all come to together very quickly.

While I tend to be a creature of habit, I can’t wait to try out all the other MorningStar Farms protein-packed foods. I think I am most excited about their Buffalo Chik Patties, Roasted Garlic & Quinoa Burger, and their Baja Black Bean Pizza. It seems they are always creating new, satisfying flavors.

Once your tomatoes are sliced, mayo is made and veggies and burger are grilled, it’s time to construct your masterpiece. Don’t forget to toast your bun, I threw mine right on the grill. The crunchy bread gives you a nice textural change. It’s one of those simple steps that really makes a difference in the final enjoyment of the meal.

Thin sliced zucchini, yellow bell peppers and thick sliced tomatoes were my choice for the burger. Green leafy lettuce, purple onions, sliced pineapple and yellow squash would also be great too. In fact, the more color and flavors the better.

Print Recipe

Spicy Black Bean Burger with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Recipe from: Created by Cathy Pollak for NoblePig.com | Serves: One Burger (can easily be doubled, tripled etc.)

Ingredients

1/4 cup heart healthy, low-calorie mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Sriracha
2 teaspoons chili garlic saucce
Juice of half a lime
2 slices thinly cut zucchini

2 slices yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 slice tomato, thick cut
1 MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger
1 whole wheat hamburger bun, sliced and toasted

Directions

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Sriracha, chili garlic sauce and lime juice. Set aside until ready to use. (You will have leftover sauce to use for another burger.)
Preheat your grill or grill pan on med-high. Brush both sides of zucchini and bell pepper with vegetable oil. Place veggies and burger (frozen) on grill. Cook, turning occasionally until veggies are desired softness and burger has reached 165 degrees F (check with a meat thermometer).
Construct burger with toasted bun, veggies, veggie patty and one Tablespoon of Sriracha mayo. Serve immediately.

Spicy Black Bean Burger with Sriracha Mayo from Noble Pig 5

MorningStar Farms has lots of fun and innovative recipes using their products on their website. Check here for inspiration.

How would you like to incorporate MoringStar Farms products into your life? Tell us in the comments section.

Be sure to visit the MorningStar Farms brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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