Can you guess how many turkey-bean burgers we ate when we were growing up? Zero! We’re big beef burger fans and we could eat a burger every few nights if we let ourselves. So every now and then, we lighten things up with turkey and black beans in this Mexican-inspired twist on a traditional burger. It’s about as healthy a burger as you could ask for, and it’s a real crowd-pleaser, too—even little Jack likes it! And since we usually serve this burger without the bun, we like to make our corn bread to go with it.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　1 1/4 pounds ground turkey

　　One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed

　　1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

　　2 teaspoons The Lady’s House Seasoning (page 7)

　　1 tablespoon chili powder

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　1 cup prepared salsa, preferably fresh from your supermarket’s refrigerator case

　　1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

　　1 avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and finely diced

　　Sour cream, for serving

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, beans, tortilla chips, house seasoning, chili powder, and cumin. Use your hands to form the mixture into 8 equal-size patties.

　　

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, cook the patties for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the middle. Transfer the patties to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

　　

Step 3

In a small bowl, mix together the salsa, corn, and avocado. Spoon the salsa mixture over the burgers and top with sour cream to serve.

　　[The Deen Bros. Take It Easy](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/0345513266) by Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2009 Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jamie and Bobby Deen grew up in Georgia—first in Albany and then in Savannah—and, like many Southerners, they have always considered cooking and food a big part of their lives. When their mother, Paula Deen, started a sandwich delivery business in 1989, the boys took charge of deliveries. As the business grew into The Lady restaurant, they continued to help. Then, in 1996, the trio opened The Lady & Sons Restaurant to resounding success. They haven't looked back since. They regularly appear on ABC's Good Morning America and had their own Food Network show, Road Tasted.Melissa Clark has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, and Real Simple and has collaborated on twenty-one books.