Enjoy the final few weeks of 'summer eating' with our delicious Ayurvedic Bean Burger
The party isn't over yet...
That's right, it's burger time baby! Now, you may already be getting the "Autumn is coming" feeling due to the drop in temperatures this end of August (and who isn't excited for Autumnal food?) BUT Summer isn't over yet! We still have a few more warm weeks left and that means the party (or the barby) isn't over either!
Although, in Ayurveda, we don't advocate indulging in sizzling meat BBQ's (as they're a nightmare for Agni and Pitta, cause AMA and processed meats are carcinogenic) we still get down with summer specials that look and taste great, support Agni and satisfy the need for munch in a bun!
So, light up the grill, grab your shades, put your feet up and crunch into this bad boy before the nights draw in!
But why beans? "Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot " or maybe...
"Beans, beans, good for your heart, the more you eat the more you f**t "- we've all heard that one right? Though these rhymes only have been amusing us for a few generations, the health benefits they sing about (and the impact of poorly prepped beans) have been known (and used as food-medicine) for thousands of years.
In Ayurveda, beans are a boon for heart, health and beauty. When soaked and prepared fresh, beans have amazing Kapha- and Pitta-pacifying properties. Being light, dry, cooling and astringent they soak up excess moisture in the body, help to reduce cholesterol, scrape fatty cells and toxins from the body's channels, reduce inflammatory skin conditions and create a feeling of lightness - all perfect for summer.
Beans are also a fantastic source of protein, are affordable and versatile and come in a range of flavours, colours, sizes and textures! All of this makes creating your own bean burgers (or burritos, or the many other things you can do with beans) not only fun but also takes the stress of your waistline and wallet. Now that is magic!
Prevent the parp...
In terms of the 'musical fruit' issue (which our lovely little rhyme touches on) the 'wind increasing'/gas causing nature of beans stems from their innate light, rough and dry (Vata-increasing) qualities, all of which give beans their 'fat scraping', light, stool-bulking qualities BUT can cause discomfort for some people. This is often because the beans not prepared properly, are taken too often, taken when Vata dosha is high or taken in very cold months, which we suggest avoiding. For all other times though, its possible to prevent the parp with a little Ayurvedic preparation so you can get the very best out of your bean!
Here's the secret:
Beans should soaked overnight to remove harmful phytochemicals such as lecithin, phytic acid, and phytohaemagglutinin which cause bloating
Beans should always be cooked and eaten with fats to reduce dryness/roughness and encourage smooth digestion and good bowel formation
Beans should always enjoyed with spices such as garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, black pepper, fennel or hing to enhance digestion and prevent gas (hence their inclusion in this recipe)
Going for fresh!
When it comes to making your very own badass bean burgers we highly recommend (if you can), to take a little extra time and soak and cook dried fresh beans rather than beans from a can. They are more nutrient dense, higher in prana and better for Agni so your happy gut and boosted energy levels will 100% make up for the effort.
If there's no time, definitely use Agni-boosting spices in your burger mix to offset the gassy-ness of canned beans. Your self-isolation crew/home working fam aren't going to appreciate you *parping* around the kitchen when they pop downstairs for a cuppa!
Faith's beautiful, bountiful black bean burgers (makes 4-6)
Ingredients
150g dried black beans (or a 400g can)
150g quinoa
1/4 medium size summer squash
1/2 organic courgette
1 organic brown onion
4 tbsp chick pea (gram) flour
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp ghee or rice bran oil
Organic mild cheddar or vegan cheese
1 organic avocado
1/2 lime
Handful of coriander leaf
Bean burgers - Cooking Instructions
Soak the black beans overnight in cold water (if you are using fresh)
Drain the black beans and boil in 700ml water for 60-90 minutes (or 40 minutes in an instant pot) or drain the can of water to leave only beans
Cube the sweet potato (2cm) and boil with the quinoa until soft then remove from the heat
Grate the onion and courgette and fry on a medium-high heat until slightly brown
Add 1 grated garlic clove and the coriander powder and cumin powder to the courgette/onion mix and stir for 1 minute until the spices are activated, after which remove from the heat
Wash the avocado in cold tap water then cut in 2 to extract the flesh
In a bowl, mash the avocado with half the lime juice and chopped coriander leaf and set aside
Drain the sweet potato and quinoa mix and mash into a paste
Next, add the potato mix to a bowl with courgette, onion and spice mix
Once the black beans are soft rinse and drain the water
After this, add the chickpea flour to the bowl of ingredients and mix thoroughly then add the drained black beans and stir again - you now have your burger mix!
Quarter the mixture and shape into burger patties (the mix should make 4-6 burgers)
Put the oil or ghee into a frying pan. After 30 seconds on a medium to high heat, add the burgers
Cook each burger for 4-5 minutes before turning, press the burgers a little so they flatten and sizzle
Cook on each side twice and on the last turn, add grated cheese to the burger to melt whilst in the pan
Once golden brown on each side, serve in a bun or with salad of your choice and enjoy!
Don't forget to swap bountiful burgers for beautiful bowls of soup come Autumn...
"The moment we fully embrace one season and its bounty with open arms, we become aware of the next standing right behind it waiting to greet you - such is the nature of nature" - Faith
As the temperate slowly begins to drop as we move towards Autumn, our environment will grown harsher, drier and more windy. This causes Vata to increase; particularly if it follows a harsh, dry, hot summer, so it is crucial to leave behind the salads and burgers once the sun goes down on summer and make a move to a Vata-pacifying diet. As each climate is different and only you know how your environment feels, we recommend keeping an eye on the weather and change your food gradually and accordingly. By the time we reach a fully-fledged Autumn however, our food needs to become predominantly warm/hot, oily, moist, heavy and sweet. Failure to chnage the nature of your food can lead to aggregated Vata causing us gas, bloating, constipation, anxiety and a sense of feeling scattered. Not fun and certainly, not worth it for a salad right?
Are you pumped to learn more?
EATING Ayurveda: 🎃Need inspiration on what to cook in Autumn? Check out our Autumn Recipes here
Not sure where to start with organic? Check out the amazing incredible RIVERFORD FARM - the stole my heart many years ago for being a beautiful, authentic, ethical, democratically-run business with the best interest of the planet and farming at heart.
Living Ayurveda: 🎃Do you want to know how to stay health and well this Autumn? Check out our Autumn Lifestyle tips here
LEARNING Ayurveda: ✅ Do you want to learn more about Ayurveda? Want to know about your mind body type and imbalances, your Agni (digestive fire) type, the best daily and seasonal routines for you, how to detox and your mind type? Join our next Introduction to Ayurveda for Self-Healing Course.
GROWING with Ayurveda: 🤝 Do you want whole unique meal-plan created just for you with foods specific to you, your Agni and your dosha? or Do you could really do with some 1-2-1 support on diet or a health related issue? - Contact Faith at contact@ayurlife.co.uk
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