Have you heard of Meatless Mondays yet?  If not, I am glad you’re reading this post!  The Meatless Monday idea dates all the way back to World War I, when the U.S. Food Administration told Americans that “Food Will Win the War” and proclaimed Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Wednesdays.  But the idea has been taken up again recently by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Columbia University School of Public Health, in association with twenty-seven other public health schools and food writers everywhere.  Why? Because if all Americans switched from eating animals to eating beans and grains for just one day per week, that would stop as much global warming as if everyone in the U.S. shifted to ultra-efficient Toyota hybrids (which is the weekly equivalent of using 12 billion fewer gallons of gasoline).  The other reason is for your health, of course, since reducing animal protein is associated with all kinds of health improvements from lowering cholestrol to preventing diabetes.

So when Lorna Yee, (Seattle Magazine food writer and author of “The Newlywed Kitchen” as well as this blog), put out the call last weekend for food bloggers to volunteer to come up with an entire week of meatless dishes for every day this week, I couldn’t say Yes! fast enough.  I was vegetarian for about 15 years and continue to eat a mostly vegetarian diet.  But I have also been known to enjoy steak frites, (in France, bien sur), with gusto.

It has been great fun to plan this week’s menus (top secret!) and also to connect with other food writers on Twitter and Facebook and to hear what everyone is cooking up for this special week.  For some folks, this assignment will be a difficult one because they have never gone an entire week without meat.  For me, it is tres simple, so I am going vegan this week to make it more of a challenge.

So, without further ado, I give you my Meatless Monday recipe: Black Bean Burgers with Walnuts.  These are super simple patties that use ingredients you likely have on hand already.  I quick-pickled some red onions but the tanginess of the salsa is probably the only hit of acid this dish needs.  You will notice from my picture that I didn’t bother with a bun (because I just don’t like them).

And by the way, let me know what you think of my first attempt at food photography!

Simple!

Black Bean and Walnut Burgers
From Vegetarian Times May 2006
Serves 8

2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained well
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1/4 to 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 tbs canned corn
1/3 cup cornmeal
Avocado or guacamole for garnish
Chunky salsa, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Puree 2 1/2 cups beans with spices until smooth.  Add rice, walnuts and remaining beans and pulse 2-3 times to mix.  Mixture should be stiff but not dry.  Add 2-3 tbs water to moisten, if necessary.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide mixture into 8 burgers.  Dredge burgers in cornmeal.  Chill 30 mins.

Coat pan with cooking spray.  Cook burgers over medium heat 4 mins.  Flip, and cook 4 mins more, or until heated through.  Garnish with avocado and salsa and cilantro and serve.

Note: If you want to use the leftover corn from the can, you can make an easy side salad with the corn, some chopped red bell pepper and diced jicama.  Toss with lime juice and cilantro for a refreshing side (and no waste!).