The Happy Labor Day Black Bean Burger & Mashed Potato Plate

Happy Labor Day!

Yay! It's a holiday!
A great way to celebrate this nice September Monday of kicking off your heels with no school and no work is by having a casual meal that is good inside or out. Today's dinner is inspired by intimate grill out parties that often featured nothing for me to eat and these friends never knew what to "cook" besides an opened can of baked beans or mixed vegetables.
Seriously, I'm not joking.
When all those grilled portabellas are gone in minutes flat, what's a little vegan to eat?
A black bean burger and mashed potatoes. Yum.
But due to raining and lack of sunshine no grilling to be had.

Simple Chunky Mashed Potatoes

8 little potatoes sliced in half
6 cups water

After bringing water to a boil add potatoes and more water if potatoes are not fully underneath.

Cut up and boil red skinned potatoes for about 50 minutes or until they are soft and tender.

Mash into a bowl with a spoon or a masher, adding a bit of salt and pepper along the way.

Black Bean Burgers Ingredients

1 can, rinsed and drained reduced sodium black beans
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Drain black beans.

Using this as my oat component because it was on clearance for $1.14. Cooking on a thrifty budget here, haha!

Stir ingredients together and blend for a few.

Fry the patties in balsamic vinegar. Turn in 5-7 minutes.

Dinner is served with Roma tomatoes and Pop Eye's best friend- spinach! And yes, there's piping hot cauliflower "cheese" sauce on top of the chunky mashed potatoes.

Close up of the big black bean burger.

The burger was good, but a little too grainy. Next time, adding more black beans, Roma tomato, and yellow corn in the mix, maybe some diced carrots to bring out a juicier flavor to the patty. And hot sauce! Yes, definitely need hot sauce on my bad boy.
Mashed potatoes- a whole other story entirely.
I shamefully admit to having seconds of the chunky red skinned madness coated in that delicious, rich sauce that would bring any vegetarian closer to the vegan side of life. Leaving the potatoes unpeeled was certainly a wise decision! Now this is one of the few skins that I find mighty tasty.... ;)
A very good holiday meal if I must say so.
Hoping everyone has a lovely time spent with family and friends!