Veggie Burgers

Y'all those frozen veggie burgers are for the birds. I just don't like them. I have truly fallen in love with Alana Chernila's cookbook The Homemade Pantry! She has so many amazing recipes that are way better than their store-bought brothers. You can make her veggie burger recipe and eat them right away or freeze them for later use. Today, I made them to take to a friend that is having a baby next week. They were a go-to for me post-baby. I made a batch (about 16-20 depending on size) and had an easy, healthy lunch option when I was adjusting to life with a newborn in the house. I hope you love it as much as I do. It's a lot of work, but so worth it.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra (or cooking spray) for the baking sheet
1 medium onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
10 large mushrooms, stems removed and caps diced
1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 to 1 Tbsp chili powder, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
3 15.5 oz cans black beans, drained
2 cups cooked brown rice (from 1 cup dry)
2 cups Breadcrumbs, store-bought or homemade (I didn't have any today, so I toasted 8 slices of bread and pulsed in my blender/food processor)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (I use Brewer's Yeast)

Tips: I cook the rice first so it's done by the time my veggies are chopped and other ingredients are ready to go. I premeasure the spices and put in a little bowl so they're ready to go for their step. I do the same with the mustard, vinegar, etc. Also, while waiting for the mixture to cool, do your dishes. This makes a lot of dishes. :)

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft and shiny, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, red pepper, and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until soft and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add the corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
2. Preheat the oven to 425. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the beans, 1 cup of the rice, and half of the cooked veggie mixture. Mash with a potato masher until the ingredients are well blended. Use your hands to combine this mixture wiht the breadcrumbs, eggs, mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, yeast, and remaining 2 cups beans, remaining 1 cup rice, and remaining cooked veggies. Let the mixture cool entirely.
3. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil. Using your hands, form the mixture into well-packed patties. Lay the patties on the oiled baking sheet, and flatten with a spatula. Bake for 15 minutes, flip the patties, flatten with the spatula once again, and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately, or if storing for later, allow to cool, then freeze on a baking sheet for at least 3 hours before transferring to freezer bags.

Storage
Freezer-safe container or bag, 4 months (microwave for 1 minute and then grill or fry the frozen patties on low heat in a covered, oiled frying pan for 10 minutes on each side)
Fridge-(after defrosting or before freezing) covered container for 4 days