I accidentally dyed my hair black this weekend.
You see, for years I tried to fight my natural color. I was blond. I was red. I was chola purple and I was auburn. Then, about two years ago, I realized Mother Nature might be on to something. My natural color works just fine and I would much rather spend my money on kitchen gadgetry and get rich quick schemes than trips to the salon.
My hair has other things in mind, though. After ten plus years of chemical torture, it has rejected its own color. It insists on going brassy and red. My locks are like obstinate, rebellious teenagers. So, I use box upon box of Garnier Fructis and beat these strands in to submission. They won’t win. They don’t know who they are up against.
Believe me; the irony of this is not lost. Even to achieve something natural, it still takes work for me. It is a small fight I engage in because I know I look and feel better in my natural state. Yet, there are still mistakes. I grab the wrong box, I lose track of time…and suddenly, these tresses are raven.
My relationship with food is the same. I know what is right and healthier for me, how I should be eating and what I should be doing, yet it isn’t always so simple. This is a battle, a constant fight I wage every single day, as we all know. I have great weeks, full of salads and fruit and whole grains. There are also the enticing calls of cookies at 2 am and salted caramel hot cocoas as I saunter down the streets. It is a war that sends me to the gym twice on some days and to another bottle of wine on others.
The holidays are the worst for this…and I know every single one of you can relate. The food is so abundant and enticing; it is an impossible siren call to resist at times. So the next month the recipes are going to be all over the map. I have parties to attend, treats to make, and coworkers to appeases through baked goods. That being said, I am going to focus on being super healthy when I can and never skipping a trip to the gym.
To counteract yesterday’s biscotti (which I actually only had one piece of…ah, the joys of gift giving…the calories leave your house!), I offer up these homemade black bean burgers. This is another case of the photo not doing the food justice. These were easy to make and amazingly healthy. Most importantly, they tasted good! These are much cheaper than any frozen veggie burger, and have way less sodium to boot. I was in a rush–I was famished, truth be told–so I was a bit lazy with mashing the beans. Next time, I will be more thorough. Also, I suggest putting the onions in a strainer and pressing out some of the liquid so these hold together. I baked these and they turned out fantastic.
Here is to doing our best, trying our hardest, but still having a good time. And ya know what? That black hair? It ain’t so bad. I can work with it.
Black Bean Burgers
Slightyly Adapted and Streamlined from All Recipes
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (try to let them dry as much as possible)
1/2 green bell pepper, very finely diced and placed in a strainer to drain
1/2 onion, very finely diced (I used a hand chopper)
3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. Stir beans, bell pepper, onion, and garlic together.
4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, chili sauce, salt and pepper.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m sure it looks fantastic. Can’t wait to see it in person!
I’ll never make these burgers (I cannot make anything with more than four ingredients), but I will have no problem eating them should they be offered up on our next dinner date. Is there a healthy booze that can accompany them?
Beck’s Light has 67 calories a bottle! You can drink a whole six pack for the same amount of calories as two Harps. Not that I have done this…no, not me.
[Reply]
Is there a healthy booze that can accompany them?
There is, the new great-tasting but zero-calorie beer that’s about to hit the market … yeah, I know, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if it really were true?
Peter
But we can dream! A girl needs her dreams.
[Reply]
I understand the holidays are full of tumultuous delights, but don’t put down that bottle of wine just yet. The French have a fairly high-fat diet but their heart disease risk is relatively low, some suggest due to the red wine intake. Studies have shown that red wine, particularly Cabernet and heavy reds, have high levels of resveratrol. This triggers the metabolism to do wild and wonderful things. Besides, if you drink enough and get pissed at your hair, who knows, you may just have a Brittany moment. (yes I am that bored today).
I will never shave my head. I am a woman with some wild hairs, but I am not that nutty.
[Reply]
At your age you can afford to fall off the food wagon repeatedly. Some day you may have to be more careful! I think I’m becoming a vegan. The black beans look better than a chocolate biscotti to me!
And I always get back on, so it is ok. At least this is what I tell myself.
[Reply]
mmm. yum. the picture looks good to me!
the holidays, and the WINTER are the worst for maintaining a healthy diet and a consistent workout regimen, at least for me. freezing mornings leave me wanting to stay hidden under the covers rather than busting my booty on the eliptical, and frigid nights leave me craving baked mac and cheese and more wine, please.
I know; it is really hard. My birthday is in January and I always have a big party, so knowing I have to wear a tiny dress always helps keep me in line a bit.
[Reply]
I have to disagree with the dude who said French chicks are skinny because they drink red wine. They’re skinny because they don’t eat very much. Like, sure, they eat foie gras but only one or two bites of it.
Also, whenever I try and put myself on the Wine Diet no one congratulates me for my metabolic health, they just send me to rehab.
Finally, I hear you on the hair thing. I’ve been dying it for so long (pink, blonde, blue, red, black, blonde again) I don’t even remember what the real colour is. Amazingly, it doesn’t feel like pubes. Unless, of course, you have really silky pubes.
Agreed, it has nothing to do with wine or I would be impossibly thin. Also, I am also quite lucky my hair is not a bird’s nest.
[Reply]
Yay! More healthy recipes – my favorite!
I’ll be fighting the good fight with you…
Glad you are on my side.
[Reply]
I miss you.
I hate you. COME BACK.
[Reply]
This looks delish! I’m definitely going to try.
And btw, French (and most European for that matter) women are thinner because they walk everywhere and don’t really eat fast food. I lived in France for a year, I dropped 10lbs very quickly without even trying.
P.S. I made your cornbread stuff and added carrots, celery, and chicken apple sausage and it was a huge success.
Oh, so glad it worked out well for you. Chicken apple sausage is a great idea.
[Reply]
i had sooo much yummmy good food over the holidays (including your corn casserole recipe..yummy!) that yesterdays salad for lunch was good!! and i dont even like salad!
as for your tresses…no worries kiddo… who among us hasnt been there???! i bet the black is cute on you.
xoxo
It happens, right? It will fade soon. Thanks.
[Reply]
These look strong. Does the cooking help tone down the raw onion and green pepper flavor? Are you just heating them through or actually trying to get some cooking reactions going on inside?
The cooking definitely helps tone it down. It is still fairly strong though.
[Reply]
Redhead: It’s the new brunette!
Just say no to red on me…it isn’t the best look.
[Reply]
Well, maybe. But between the two is auburn, which makes my knees weak.
I am glad to hear you aren’t one of those guys who only loves blonds…not that some women don’t look lovely as blonds.
[Reply]
I hear you on the hair thing. I’ve been dying it for so long (pink, blonde, blue, red, black, blonde again) I don’t even remember what the real colour is. Amazingly, it doesn’t feel like pubes. Unless, of course, you have really silky pubes.
You have no idea how exceedingly difficult it is for me not to comment on this.
Peter
Peter, thank you for restraining yourself. I was praying you would. It is appreciated.
[Reply]
Oh.my.gawd that looks amazing.
And I have all of those ingredients at home – which means I’ll be making that for dinner tonight
THANK YOU!
Hooray. Make sure you dry those beans.
[Reply]
Aine Caitriona- Agreed. I do not have much experience with French chicks, now the Spanish on the other hand… Anyways, I promise that if you try the wine diet, I will too. Matter in fact I will join you in rehab! Lemmy can bail us out… Salud!
Can I bail you out with a smile and 4 lipglosses? That is all I got.
[Reply]
those guys who only loves blonds
Ma no! Make no mistake, I have a great appreciation for flaxen beauty (and a track record to prove it), but as there are so many kinds of beautiful out there I’d be more of a fool than I am to make that sort of limit. Plus, some people shouldn’t even attempt it. Jennifer Morrison (from House) has gone blonde, maybe in an attempt to be more Kidman-like, and while she’s still very pretty, it just isn’t right for her.
silky
…would be one of the reasons natural blondes are very popular, blonde hair being very fine (narrow). Leaving the rest to Peter-like restraint and Lemmony imagination.
Oh, speaking of House, may I just say 2 words in support of dark hair: Olivia Wilde. A workable definition of “stunningly hot”.
Olivia Wilde is really hot. She will always be Alex from “The OC” to me.
[Reply]
justjp: I hear rehab’s the new Ivy as in cool places to be.
Lemmonex: Let me guess, you spent the rest on booze.
I gave it to charity.
[Reply]
Peregrine John: FTR, my hair is naturally blonde (all of if). Just not white. Which is what I’m rocking these days.
Restraint, my friend, restraint!
White! That is very bold.
[Reply]
I even spelled “it” wrong. If that doesn’t prove blondeness, nothing will.
I definitely noticed that…at least you accept it.
[Reply]
There HAS to be a photo of you with blond hair.
I actually found one last week when I was cleaning…it was traumatic.
[Reply]
I came home from a trip one time and the wife had black hair. Awesome good times.
Wait, did you like or not like?
[Reply]
Speaking of, I’ve long dyed my pubes jet-black.
I love learning things about you Phil!
[Reply]
I’ve always known you to have great hair. Thankfully you haven’t gone back to blonde, or us jews would have no chance with you.
Never back to blond, promise.
[Reply]
Oh yeah.
You are maddening, SD.
[Reply]
What?! I’m saying I liked it. A lot. Is that clearer?
I said “do you like or not like it” and you said yes! Now it is clear.
[Reply]
sing it sister. holidays are the worst. these burgers look 2die4!
And vegetarian…which I know you like.
[Reply]
I once, for no apparent reason other than I was bored, dyed my hair a dark black/electric blue deal (can you guess how old I was then??) and after that I will NEVER understand why anyone would go through that process… ohhh the burning! (of course I was doing it myself and my unlicensed ass might have been totally lost. Oh well)
It should never, ever burn. You did something wrong there. Ouch.
[Reply]
“Oh yeah,” while being an affirmative answer, is not exactly the same as “yes.” It denotes a positive correlation, not a negative one. So “oh yeah” would be used in response to “hot?” but never in response to “not hot?” Conversely, it could be used to answer “ugly?” but never to answer “not ugly?”
Black hair against fair skin is so hot there’s even a German fairly tale about it.
Glad we have this all cleared up. Sorry for the confusion.
[Reply]
You’ve got kind of olivey skin, right? Just get some green contacts, and with black hair you’ll look like one of those Brazilian chicks with Polish ancestry.
If you already have a Brazilian booty, you might as well go for it all the way.
And you should put those pictures of your different hair colors / ages into the About Me page. It’ll make us feel like we’ve known you for longer than we really have. Some people want to keep their readers at a distance, but we both know you’re all about the audience circling around to give you a big group hug. (Don’t lie.)
I mean, after confessing your irrepressible attraction to Mystery in front of a group of player-haters, how bad could things get, right?
I am fair and olivey at the same time. I can’t explain it.
I have missed you and your insights in to the depths of my soul. People are critical of me and will continue to be. I like a certain distance, but I cannot tell a lie; I like sharing things. Any blogger who says they don’t like a bit of attention is lying. Sometimes the group hug is nice, but people like you keep me on my toes. Perhaps you need a hug? You always seem so ready to pick a fight…I am sure the stress relief would help.
[Reply]
You know, I’ve never dyed or highlighted my hair.
Odd, no?
Virgin hair! I envy you.
[Reply]
I am absolutely sure you look stunning – can’t wait to see it! I did that once – well, with “temporary” black dye. And the color I was left with after trying 45 times to wash it out was screaming apricot. Not pretty. It took professional help to fix.
Oh, dear. As a natural blond, I am sure it was a shocking look for you.
[Reply]
I am with Ag on this one. I think we should be treated to a Lem’s Head through the Ages (or moments). Mine is about 1/8 inch, so color is irrelevant. Remind me to tell you the story of when I became a (sorry SB) suicide blond.
My head through the ages will not be happening anytime soon. And a SB you say?
[Reply]
Awesome. Everything about this post is awesome.
And also, YES. Yes to all of it.
Kisses & Misses.
It is so good to know you know.
[Reply]
“because I know I look and feel better in my natural state”
You’ll get no argument from me so why all the clothes?
Sorry to disappoint. I really am a prude underneath it all.
[Reply]
I don’t understand what makes this a burger. I personally consider tofu burgers and the like some sort of Commie abomination, and was prepared to declare this the same, but the more I look at it, the less I see it. The only property of burgerness that I see is that you’ve put a dollop of it between bread, but that constitutes a sandwich, not a burger per se. Plus, you didn’t grill it, you baked it. There are none of the usual American-style burger trappings (catsup, mustard, mayo, cheese) that Commies use to disguise their tofu mudburgers (and, in this context, would likely be gross.) To add to the confusion, your bun looks like some sort of biscuit, possibly even an English muffin.
Looks right tasty, though.
You have actually stumbled in to a somewhat controversial topic. There is a lot of talk in the community as to what constitutes a burger. I am gonna go with some sort of substance that is mashed together to make a patty and then sandwiched between some sort of bread product. (And you are right; that is a whole grain english muffin.) I don’t think how you cook it matters as much; you have had a burger on a griddle, right? Not a perfect definition, but hey…that is the best I got.
[Reply]
i made these last night to high critical acclaim! thanks!
ps. its easier just to let go and go natural. i stopped straightening my curly hair years ago and i figure i’ve freed up a good 5 months to devote to lofty pursuits- like reading the Economist and binge drinking
Oh, great! I love hearing when people try things.
I know, I am TRYING to be natural, but then things go insane. Maybe I should just totally let go.
[Reply]
I thought your hair was already black?
Nope…definitely brown.
[Reply]
Commenting late to say:
You can fade hair dye by shampooing with Prell. You’ll want to follow up with some hard-core conditioner, though.
I have heard this, baby shampoo, clarifying shampoo…I tried to cover it up last night…only partially worked.
[Reply]
I like your blog layout. I wish I could have enough knowledge to modify my default template too. It look slike you spend sufficient time on your blog too to come up with great information like. It’s a Must read.
[Reply]