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Did you know frozen veggies are just as nutritious as fresh? We’ll show you how to use your frozen peas for more than icing down sore knees—like making a simple veggie burger that’s big on flavor and short on time.

Before we begin, let’s clear the air: Frozen vegetables are real vegetables. Besides being just as nutrient-rich as fresh vegetables, according to recent research, they’re also way more affordable, require less prep, and can hang out in the back of the freezer without turning all sorts of moldy. Now that’s something we can get behind. 

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen spinach, drained and squeezed
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup frozen corn
• ¼ cup diced onion, frozen or fresh
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Optional

• 2 teaspoons your favorite herbs or seasonings (suggestion: thyme, parsley, or sage)
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs, plus extra if needed to bind the burger together
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole-wheat hamburger buns

Directions

1. Defrost spinach, strain out excess moisture, and squeeze dry with paper towels.
2. Mash drained and rinsed beans with a fork to make a thick paste.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and form mixture into 4–6 patties.
4. Lightly coat a skillet with oil. Cook patties on medium heat for 3–4 minutes each side, until browned.
5. Serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Those wonderful white beans are fiber filled and protein packed. The spinach contains high amounts of Vitamins K and A, and the onions add Vitamin C to your diet.

Recipe review

Scott V.
Third-year student at St. Louis University School of Law, Missouri 

Finding a low-sodium, high-nutrient meal that still makes me excited for dinner is not easy, but this recipe meets the criteria. I especially appreciate the level of flavor because of how healthy it is.

Cost?

The total cost was about $20, which is fairly expensive, but you might have many of the ingredients on hand already if you cook regularly.

Taste?

I added some different seasonings (sage and parsley) to play with the flavor profile. Next time, I want to try a more Southwest style, with red pepper flakes, cumin, cayenne pepper, etc.

Prepared and photographed by Joanna Carmona

Adapted from:
https://naturallyella.com/chickpea-and-spinach-veggie-burgers/
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012989-white-bean-burgers

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