Featured Co-Host – Mama’s Blissful Bites

Favorite day of the week upon us again my friends!! I am more than excited to introduce today Featured Co-Host. Through this awesome journey of blogging and of course Featured Friday’s I have met some amazing people along the way. Amber stood out to me a lot because she seems to have the same thoughts and aspirations as I do being a SAHM. Actually I could probably learn a thing or two from her because she seems to be that “Mom” I’m trying so hard to be. You know the one that cranks the music and has dance parties everyday with her kids, or builds tents to play in every room of the house, or even the importance of how important our Earth and environment is to us. Amber is the Momma, Wife, Blogger, Friend, Writer behind Mama’s Blissful Bites!! Her site is still in the works of being revamped, yet another thing we share in common!! One of her new features she has is “Ask Mama” What an awesome idea this girl has come up with. It’s a great place where you can ask your questions. Plus I give her credit because she doesn’t Video blogs late at night when her kiddo’s are sleeping and she still looks fantastic (trust me you DO NOT want to see me late at night after a long day with my ONE kiddo!)

Amber is much like me with wanting to share her life learnt lessons. She has a section she is working on called “Tidbits”. Here she would like to share what she has learnt in the 3 years she’s become a SAHM. Yes I totally agree that her that you do learn more in those days than any other time in life! We share the same passion to want to make any other SAHM or working mom “feel” normal 🙂

You will often find Amber in the kitchen at 11pm cooking or baking up something yummy, ohhhh like her Pasta with Spinach in a Tarragon Chickpea Sauce. I am so making this!! Like next week! She like me (again) feels comfort in the kitchen, a place to relax and unwind. Besides cooking Amber enjoys reading (even if it is cookbooks) and teaching her children the best way to see the world is through organic and earth-friendly ways. Let’s welcome Amber and see what I’ve cooked up from her kitchen!

I decided on Amber’s Black Bean Burger because I’ve been dying to try my very own Black Bean Burger for months now, I know my husband wouldn’t be a fan so I chose to make this on a day where it was just me in the kitchen (while boo was napping) I had just visited the local farm stand and had some fresh lettuce, tomato and avocado so deciding to make it “Bunless” (same some calories) was what I had decided to do!

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 spring onions: chopped (green and white parts)
• 1 small yellow onion (diced)
• 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 Tbs. coriander (I ended up omitting this because I’ve never had it before, it was in my spice rack but they weren’t ground!!)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• Cheddar Cheese (optional)
• Hamburger buns

Recipe as follows:.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Now here is yet another thing that this momma and I have in common. She cooks in an organization fashion like myself. Well at least in this recipe she does because she mentions that it’s easier to make these beauties if you prepare everything so when you add it all together, it’s all ready! Sooooooooo I took her advice!

I only made half the recipe (which I regret) I wish  made some for Maddie to try or more for myself! So I split everything in half. I also did this because my food processor is tiny 🙂 I need a new one bad! Here we are ready to blend!

Form patties and arrange on a baking sheet. I actually used my skillet, because I’m addicted to it.  Bake for 10 minutes.

If adding cheese add 8-10 minutes into cooking time and cook until melted. Please note, I used Fat Free Cheddar, this is the look you get, don’t worry I won’t be buying Fat Free again, it’s wasted calories with no taste! While that was baking I got my toppings ready. Just because I wasn’t having it on a bun doesn’t mean I don’t get toppings!!!

Yummy……..I was liking this lunch already and I hadn’t even bitten into it yet!

Here is my nice and healthy, VERY filling lunch.

I loved how you could see the filling of the burger, a few whole beans here, a few scallions there, love it!!

Now make sure you go over and visit Amber at Mama’s Blissful Bites, and when you do be sure you tell her this momma sent you! Thank you for Co-Hosting with me Amber!! Your the best! 🙂