Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers

My family loves burger night. Have you ever had the Morning Star Farms Roasted Garlic and Quinoa burger patties? Those are my favorite pre-made burgers. I try to avoid soy where I can because my body doesn’t seem to like it much. I’m so glad to have found a simple recipe to make my own soy free burger. I really enjoy trying new recipes and this was one, that I tweaked to make my own. So yummy!

You can do all sorts of toppings on your burgers, as you can see I went with guacamole. It’s funny, I’m not big on avocado, I know it’s good for me so I try to eat it regularly. The more I eat it, the less I dislike it. I think the guacamole pairs nicely because it’s got such a creamy flavor to go with the little bit of kick of the jalapeño and lime. As a vegan, it’s super important to get those healthy fats in there because they help keep you satiated, if you’ve ever had a salad for a meal you know what I’m talking about. Seems like a salad doesn’t stick around for long if it’s just straight up veggies. The healthy fats of nuts or avocado helps it hang out a while longer because it takes your stomache acid longer to break down your food, protein works the same way. Hence me trying harder to like the green wonder food!

Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers with a Zesty Jalapeño Sauce

Zesty Jalapeño Sauce:

• ½ cup vegannaise, or try using a vegan sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juiced
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno (or more if you don’t mind spicy)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Burger Patties:

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 green onions (white and green parts), finely chopped
• ⅓ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 Flaxegg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons mild or medium salsa
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup finely ground cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• Toasted whole wheat buns or tortilla

Zesty Jalapeño Sauce: In a small bowl combine vegannaise, lime juice, zest, jalapeno, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Refrigerate if not serving soon. Makes ½ cup.

Burgers: Measure ½ cup black beans and set aside. Place remaining black beans in processor and process until pureed. Add the green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, quinoa, flaxegg, garlic, salsa, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste; process until well-combined. Remove to a medium bowl and stir in the reserved black beans. Taste and adjust seasonings. Form into 4 patties.

In a shallow bowl, mix together the cumin and cornmeal. Dredge the patties in the mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and saute the burgers, two at a time, until golden and slightly crispy. Repeat with remaining burgers using the last tablespoon of oil.

Tip: If you don’t like the bitter taste of quinoa, try rinsing it before cooking to help get rid of the earthy flavor.