Beans Beans the Magical Fruit...

Let me start off with "I LOVE GARDENBURGERS" lol. Maybe coz I was made in California with Philippine Parts but...I dig them and they are good with sprouts. Ironically, you can have both with your 'preps.' And if you haven't tried them don't knock them.

Almost everyone into preparedness has beans and hard wheat in their stores. Gardenburgers for the most part of made of beans and hard wheat that will sprout. It's up to you to learn to make your own bread - even if it's quickbread or instant bread bagged and oxygen packed I advise you to learn to make it. The recipe on bread is pretty straightforward just read carefully and go slowly and if you have doubts just watch a few videos on youtube.com.

I really like watching some preppers pages on youtube and was inspired by YankeePrepper to try to make some of my own gardenburgers. He calls his Martial law burgers but I call mine Bankster burgers. I must mention that this does call for a food processor - but if you do not have one then you can use a pastry cutter (see below) and 2 stainless steel bowls- you should have a pastry cutter anyways for making biscuits - but that's a whole different blog

You can feel free to use my recipes or search for a few and test them out (http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/gardenburger.html) . The whole point is to test them out now and find what ratios and combinations you like. My burgers have a bit of ground beef or fish in them to make the transition easier to basic food that is stored long term. People say you should store food that you like - and that is true to an EXTENT...moreover, you should learn to cook what you store into ways that you like - that is more realistic in this time of high prices. Unfortunately we cannot hang onto that comfortable arrogance to only eat what we like. If the Japanese disaster doesn't paint a picture for you - then I can't help you kids.














Bankster Burgers

"burger"

4c cooked beans (I use half black half kidney)
1 lb ground beef/chicken/turkey (gently cooked or re-hydrated)
2 pcs stale bread - or 1 c breadcrumbs
1 small onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 chopped (grated) carrots
1/2 c cilantro
1/2 c tomato sauce or salsa
herbs/seasonings to taste
1/4 tsp liquid smoke

in food processor pulse bread and veggies into beans and meat. Pulse LOOSE not fine - scrape sides and pulse gently - remove from processor. hand mix until it resembles ground beef

form into 8 patties
fry on med high on both sides - maybe 2 TBSP oil
serve normally as burgers

"FEMA FISH CAKE" haha

3 cups cooked garbanzos - or rehydrated
1/2 c sunflower seeds or pecans
2 cans tuna or 1 can salmon - drained
1 small onion
1 green onion
1 c bread crumbs or cracker meal
lemon pepper, basil, garlic powder and paprika make this one taste really good
wasabi powder optional.
but just season to your liking

follow same directions as bankster burger - but add fish last by hand.

form into 6 patties

frying these is tricky - i use a cast iron - heat it very hot then i spray Pam on the fish patties.
Same technique as making blackened fish. serve on bread with a little tartar and some romaine

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I suppose you could make these in the solar oven but I haven't tried the solar oven out yet. Just cook them long enough to heat them through the center and/or to toast the outside. You know when a "burger is done" just follow those rules and if you have doubt cut into the center and feel it, if it is hot inside it's ready. In a worse case scenario you could eat this as is. The other thing I use the bankster burgers for is:

• soft corn tortilla tacos topped with melty cheese and chopped cabbage,
• meatballs - form into meatballs and pan fry then serve on top of pasta and sauce
• meatloaf - mix in a cup of oatmeal and more herbs
• gyros - "roll them out into strips, cut and fry" then serve on flatbread with veggies
• fishsticks - roll logs in breadcrumbs or panko and pan fry
  

Just use your imagination a bit and you can figure out some substitutions. And while you are at it - work on some pork and beans recipes and some chili recipes...it won't kill you.

I will explain how to make a beancake in a later blog - but those call for azuki beans or mung beans which only some people stock.

Happy Cooking!

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ps: if you need guides to cooking beans just go to whatscookingamerica.net

here's equivalencies:

1/3 cup dry - 1 cup cooked
1/2 cup dry - 1 1/2 cup cooked
2/3 cup dry - 2 cups cooked
1 cup dry - 3 cups cooked
2 cups (1lb) dry - 6 cups cooked