Crave Wednesday: White Bean and Sage Pita Burgers

 Of all the herbs out there, sage is terribly undervalued.  It doesn't have the versatility of parsley, or the boldness of basil.  It doesn't get tossed on everything like rosemary. 

But it's such an attractive little herb.  Velvety soft to the touch, with a very "green" taste to it. When it is used, it instantly raises the bar on the dish.  Think about the sage stuffing you've had on Thanksgiving, or one of my favorite additions to a margarita. 

In this veggie burger the sage makes a regular weeknight meal seem "fancy." Because let's face it, beans are a little on the boring side.  A lot of vegetarian dishes make use of nuts, and this burger is no different.  The nuts add a great crunch to the dish (helped out by the oatmeal which binds everything together - much like bread in meatloaf.)  I'm also a big fan of adding feta, which is a brilliant idea for carnivorous burgers as well!

White Bean and Sage Pita Burgers (From Cooking Light)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage

2 tsps Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 Tbsp grated fresh onion

2 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese

3 pitas cut in half

6 green leaf lettuce leaves

6 slices tomato

1.  Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tsp oil to pan, and swirl to coat.
2. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Place mixture in food processor.
3. Add oats, almonds, cornstarch, sage, Dijon, salt, pepper, beans, and egg.  Process until smooth.
4. Wipe pan with a paper towel.  Return pan to medium heat.  Add 2 tsp oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Spoon bean mixture into a 1/2 cup measuring cup, 1 portion at a time.  Using a rubber spatula, carefully remove bean mixture into pan.  Using a spatula, shape mixture into a 3/4 inch thick round patty.  Repeat procedure 5 times to form 6 patties.  Cook 8 minutes or until golden, turning after 4 minutes.
5. Combine sour cream, 2 Tbsp grated onion, and cheese in a small bowl.
6. Spread about 2 Tbsp sour cream mixture in each pitta half.
7. Arrange 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and 1 bean patty in each pita half.