Here’s a burger you can feel good about.

And by good, I mean healthy. Because we all know the kind of burgers that I feel best about aren’t going to be the vegetarian variety.

Still, I really enjoyed making {and eating} these – it was a nice way to switch up the weeknight routine. I don’t typically cook things like burgers during the week, because in my house, we’re all aboard the healthy train until the weekend comes around. So this super-fast and easy recipe allowed me to sort of trick myself – or actually, trick Daniel. He was a little overly excited by the idea, and when he took a bite, I have to say – he was a little disappointed. He thought it was good, but it did look like a burger, and I guess he couldn’t get past the fact that there was no meat in it.

I absolutely loved them, and I think they’re a great as a healthy snack eaten without the bun – I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers for that exact purpose. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber {not to mention high on the anti-inflammatory scale}, so you really can’t go wrong – and you could even play with the recipe a bit more, adding whatever spices or herbs you like.

Black Bean Burgers

Adapted from For the Love and Cooking Light

• 2 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup shredded light Monterey Jack cheese {I used a reduced-fat Mexican blend, though I usually prefer to shred my own}
• 1/4-1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-2 medium jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
• 2 large egg whites {I used a hit of the egg whites out of the carton}

For serving:

• 4-5 whole wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
• Lettuce, onion, tomato, and avocado for topping
• Cilantro aioli {optional: light mayo, finely chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and hit of lemon juice}