Black Beans Cakes with Eggs

So, our first "ethical" food shopping trip went well!  On Saturday morning we packed up the kiddos and headed to Whole Foods where we loaded up on organic fruits and veggies, cage-free eggs and grass-fed meat.  Rather unexpectedly, we didn't pay that more than usual.  A bit more, but nothing catastrophic as we had feared. We have some great recipes planned and we are happy to know that those meals are going to be a little healthier this week.  (For us and the planet).  Ok, tree hugging over.  :)

Well, sort of... as promised I've got a great new vegetarian recipe to share today.  I'll admit that black bean cakes and eggs don't necessarily sound super delicious and full of flavor... but these are!  The cakes are super simple to make. The garlic, cumin and cilantro give them a lot of flavor (no bland beans here) and the panko coating give them some crunch.  We topped them with some creamy avocado and ate them with a runny-yolked egg and some salad with a fresh vinaigrette.  Delicious.  Made in about 15 minutes.  And only 322 calories per serving (without the avocado....but I think the avocado is worth a few extra calories).

I'm really happy this first new recipe was a hit.  Easy, inexpensive and definitely something we won't mind eating again sometime soon.  The only one who wasn't a fan was Aaron, my picky little guy.  His brother liked the cakes and eggs which wasn't surprising since he likes most everything.

image from here

Black Bean Cakes with Eggs, adapted from Cooking Light
cakes:
2 tablespoon of canola oil, divided
1 egg
1 (15oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup panko, divided
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons cilantro
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
eggs:
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 eggs

Put the beans, 1 tablespoon of canola oil and the egg in your food processor and pulse about 20 times until the beans are fairly well chopped and making a sort of paste.  Transfer that to a bowl and stir in 5 tablespoons of the panko and the rest of the ingredients for the cakes.  Shape the bean mixture into four patties.  I made up my cakes during naptime so they were ready to go when it was time to cook dinner. Around here, minimal prep around toddler twins is always best! I just kept the patties covered in the refrigerator.

If you have the luxury to prepare your meal all at once, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat.  Put the rest of the panko on a small plate and dredge each cake.  Put the cakes into the pan and cook them 3 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown.

For the eggs, heat the oil in another pan (or just use the one from the cakes, wiped clean) over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and then cover them and allow them to cook about 3-5 minutes.  Eggs cook quickly so keep an eye on them.  I like mine runny so it only took me about 3 minutes but cook them to your preference.  No need to flip them, just remove from the pan when the whites are cooked and the yolks looks done enough for you.

Plate and serve your cakes and eggs with a little fresh salad greens and (if you are willing to take on a few more calories, half of an avocado.  Enjoy!

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