VEGETABLE QUINOA BURGERS

Veggie Quinoa Burger . Sprouted Kitchen

I don't typically click over to articles that people post on Facebook, Twitter etc. but every now and then a title catches my eye. It was a piece in New York Magazine recently called The Day I Started Lying to Ruth - written by a cancer doctor husband who lost his wife to cancer. We know a few close people struggling with the disease themselves and when I read things like this, I'm both sad and shocked that there are countless people fighting this fight. It may not be mine personally, but it is always someone's mother or child or parent and it's gut wrenching. The article was thoughtfully written, he draws you into his story. There is a line in the beginning that made me think, and not even about cancer or illness like the article leads. "It was a warm night for early June, the beginning of the winter in Argentina. People crowded the sidewalks, returning from work, stopping for dinner. All the everyday stuff that fills our lives, neither adding particular meaning or taking it away." And I thought about what most of my days are composed of - it isn't really a routine, but something similar to one. Not everyday can be filled with moments like dream travel, getting married, job promotions, the birth of a child, or achieving some huge goal and the like... but is everything between not adding or taking away meaning? I know he was speaking in general terms, but it just made me think of the in-between and how I actually truly value that time when I give it due credit. Hugh and I stayed up late hanging some things in the baby room last night  (I am a recent fan of these wall appliques, I'll post a picture on IG when the room is slightly more finished). I'd consider it an "in-between" evening, nothing particularly special happening, but I will remember us trying so hard to make a special room for the wee ones arrival. Hugh was using a level to place the stickers and my non-crafty self was making a mobile out of a lucky dream catcher I was gifted. The in-between of the big stuff is still good stuff, you just have to pay closer attention, make note of it. In reading the article, his story was marked by all sorts of "normal" moments, the details that make the whole piece interesting really. I don't want to forget that next time I feel in a rut. The in-between has it's own subtle remark.

I have a little extra time this week and wanted to put together some freezer meals for when the babe is here and I don't have time nor want to cook. I ripped out this recipe for a quinoa burger out of the local paper and figured it'd be worth a shot. I'm aware veggie burger recipes are not hard to come by, which is why I think they interest me, like a chocolate chip cookie, always being changed just a little bit to be different or better. I threw this one on a bun with avocado and cheese and a generous slather of mustard. Ask me in a few weeks and it will likely be back on a big mound of salad with an egg on top while I am trying to get back into my pre-baby clothes. Either way, a general veggie burger recipe is always nice to have on hand.

Veggie Quinoa Burger . Sprouted Kitchen

VEGETABLE QUINOA BURGERS // Makes 6

Adapted from The Los Angeles Times from Cafe Pasqual, New Mexico

These are not veggie burgers to be grilled - they are delicate and moist and could not handle a flip on grates. I make a note at the end of the recipe, but they are best pan seared or baked. They would be adorable small and on mini sliders. 

Nutritional yeast can be found at health food stores or online. It is a vegan alternative to a somewhat cheesy flavor. It offers depth of flavor here, but you could certainly make these without it. These are a very basically seasoned burger which I like - add flavor in sauces, spread, slaw, cheese etc. as you wish. 

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 1/3 cups broth or water
• 1 small zucchini
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large shallot or 1/2 a yellow onion, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 2 tsp. soy sauce, tamari or Braggs aminos
• 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 cup coarse ground oats or breadcrumbs
• 3 Tbsp. flaxmeal
• 2/3 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
• sea salt and pepper

avocado, cheese, mustard, greens and buns of choice for serving

Veggie Quinoa Burger . Sprouted Kitchen

Rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer. Bring the quinoa and broth or water to a boil in a pot. Turn it to a gentle simmer and cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked, about 13 minutes. Stir, leave the lid ajar and set aside to cool. 

While the quinoa cooks, grate the zucchini. Spread it on a kitchen towel and ring out the extra moisture. 

In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot or onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, generous pinches of salt and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes until cooked down and much of the liquid has been cooked out. Stir in the oregano, cayenne and soy sauce and turn the heat off to cool. 

Transfer the quinoa to a bowl, add the nutritional yeast, oats or breadcrumbs and flaxmeal. Once the vegetables are cool, add them to the bowl as well and stir everything to mix. Mash in the cooked sweet potato and another pinch of salt and pepper and stir everything to mix. If it looks super dry, add another drizzle of oil or more mashed yam, but if it is *too* wet, they won't stay together. I know we are making veggie burgers, but you want it to be the same sort of thickness or texture or ground beef or turkey, not wet. 

Heat a layer of oil in a large skillet (I find non-stick works best for delicate things like this). Make patties about 1 1/2'' thick, and cook until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side. Alternatively, you may form your patties, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle a little oil on top and bake them at 375' for 20 minutes. Put your cheese on one side after you flip the patty. Prepare your buns with mashed avocado, spread, greens or whatever you wish and serve warm. 

* I overdid it on the yam and mine were very soft throughout. I find that when I do this with veggie burgers, baking helps dry them out better so they stay together better between a bun. If you're eating it plain and you want a crispy crust, pan works great, for something in a sandwich, I prefer to bake them for a sturdier result. You're preference on texture. 

Veggie Quinoa Burger . Sprouted Kitchen

QUINOA CAULIFLOWER PATTIES

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

We were going to be leaving for Yosemite tomorrow. It's sort of hard to believe that I have lived a bit less than a half-day's drive from the park my entire life and I've never been. We woke to the news of the National Park closures today, so we'll have to think of a plan B. Hugh has some work up there this weekend, so we'll know what to do once that gets figured. There is a pop-up tent on the roof of the car and a fridge full of food for the road so we'll certainly be going somewhere. I don't know if I ever craved wilderness until the last few years. I've always had ocean, and that fills me with inexplicable gratitude, but giant mountains and trees and waterfalls - a lady needs majesty like that every now and again. Both of us are a tad rusty on our rusticness, but the desire to be out in the wide open space and the trees is there, so we'll figure something out.

I made these patties with some items I had in the fridge. They are simple and intentionally simple-flavored as to be an addition anywhere you wish. I wanted these as a car snack, so I have a tupperware full with one little dish of this cilantro pesto and another of hummus for dipping. I like them on a pile of dark leafy greens or Hugh stuffed a couple in a pita for a handheld situation. I'll be trying one under a poached egg with hot sauce and avocado. You get the idea.

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

QUINOA CAULIFLOWER PATTIES // Makes 12

Barely adapted from Vegetarian Everyday

I try to make a dressing or two on days I'm cooking so I just have them on hand when I need a quick meal. I don't really have a recipe for the one pictured here, but it was a quick whiz in the food processor of garlic, tahini, lemon, chives, cilantro, olive oil and a teeny splash of white wine vinegar. If you're the measurement sort, it'd be something like the dressing here but double the tahini.

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 4 eggs
• 6 scallions, white and green parts
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• sea salt and pepper
• 1 1/3 cup sheeps milk feta
• zest of one large or two small lemons
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
• ghee, for cooking

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

Rinse the quinoa. Put the quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring it up to a boil, add a pinch of salt and pepper, turn it down to a simmer and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, turn off the heat, set the lid ajar to rest.

In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it resembles cous cous. About 10-15 times.

In a large bowl, whisk the 4 eggs together well. Add the cauli cous cous to the eggs. Back to the processor (it's fine if it still has cauli crumbles, leave them), add the scallions and oats and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Add this to the egg bowl along with the cooked quinoa. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, the crumbled feta, lemon zest, chopped parsley and stir to mix well. Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Warm a nub of ghee in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Form the quinoa mixture into patties about 4'' wide and 1'' thick. Cook them for about 4 minutes on each side until just crisped, covering them after the flip to completely warm though. The patties will keep covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

pquinoa cauliflower patties . sprouted kitchen

SMOKY BEET BURGERS

We are leaving for our trip in just over a week! I am so pumped. The anticipation is half the fun for me. In the spirit of leaving, I have been trying to use up the food we have so nothing goes to waste. This is a fun game for me, and leads to mostly vegetarian meals for Hugh. I'm priming his tum for all the croissants that are about to be consumed. I have so many suggestions for Paris, but if you have any favorite food/drink/walks/etc. in Antwerp or Amsterdam, I always appreciate tips from people who have been there.

I came across this recipe in an early copy of The New Persian Kitchen than comes out in a few weeks. I am a quick sell on homemade veggie burgers and find they are usually made with pantry staples and a few fresh items. Welcome to my fridge-elimination game, smoky beet burger! I've tried a generous number of veggie burgers now and learn something every time. First off, make more than you need. The leftovers make for an easy lunch, go great with some greens and an egg on top, or smashed and put in a wrap for a portable travel snack. When the recipe doesn't have breadcrumbs, be prepared to pay attention and handle the burgers deliberately. Eggs will bind, but they'll make you work for it. The texture and wetness of your mix should be similar to meat you would use for a regular burger. Even if you don't eat it, you know what it looks like, so at least you have a point of reference. If it looks too wet, flaxmeal, panko or a bit of coconut flour will help dry it. Personally, I like my mixture to have distinguishable chunks of the ingredients - no baby mash - so go easy on the processing. You want it pulsed just enough to stick together but lightly enough to appreciate the texture of say, the walnuts or bits of lentils here. It's unlike me to get persnickety on things like this, but I've made them enough times to have a list of mistakes, so I'm offering my two cents. A sweet and smoky vegetable-based burger is a good idea all notes aside. Congrats on a beautiful book, Louisa!

SMOKY BEET BURGERS // Makes 8

Recipe barely adapted from The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia

I wanted to provide the recipe as written in the book, but I will make a few notes here as well as in the directions. I made a quick feta spread, which is naturally salty, so I halved the salt called for in the recipe. Add a pinch more with no spread. As it goes with a gluten and dairy free veggie burger, these are VERY delicate. Keep them small and handle them delicately. I ended up adding an extra egg because I got pretty heavy handed with both the beets and the lentils and needed more binding power. If you're a good measurer, you should be fine with the one.

• 3 T. grapeseed/extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, very roughly chopped
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup grated beets
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked green lentils
• 1 egg
• 2 cups cooked short grain brown (or white) rice

• // feta spread //
• 1 cup/ 8 oz. feta cheese
• 1/4 cup whole milk greek yogurt
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• few grinds fresh ground pepper

buns, sliced cucumber, microgreens, tomato for burger building

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until just golden. Add the walnuts, raisins, beets, garlic and paprika and cook another 10 minutes, stirring often. Let the mix cool slightly. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times until chunky.

Put the mixture in a large bowl and stir in the salt, pepper and half the lentils. Replace the food processor (dirty is fine) and pulse the other half of the lentils, egg and rice together a few times to make a coarse puree. Note: Louisa has you add all the lentils whole to the mixture, I felt like some of them in the rice puree helps it all hold. Add the rice mixture to the onion mixture and mix well.

Make the feta spread by mixing all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Use lightly oiled hands to form 8-10 small patties just under 1'' thick.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron over medium-high heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Place the burgers in the skillet (doing so in batches if necessary) and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. GENTLY flip the burgers, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes until the burgers have a firm, brown crust.

Serve warm with your favorite condiments.