Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I attended my dear friend Kerry-Ann's birthday BBQ party last night
(great seeing/meeting everyone and all the cutie-patootie bambinos too!
Thanks to Blake & KA for being the hosteses with the mosteses), and
contributed these Black Bean & Quinoa ("keen-wa") burgers to the
mix. They were a hit and since several people wanted the recipe, I
thought where better to make it available to one and all but here! So
here you have it, break out the ol bar-b! See some serving suggestions
below the recipe.
Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
from Nettie Cronish, New Vegetarian Basics
Makes 6 burgers
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 can (14oz/398 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed*
1/2 cup grated red onion, squeezed dry (keep your eyes closed, and wash your hands before touching your eyes!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
half a jalapheno pepper, seeded and chopped (or use red pepper flakes)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
*I
recommend Eden brand for all canned beans - they use cans that do not
contain BPA's in the lining like cheaper brands, there are no
preservatives/additives, and they use sea-vegetables in the water in
many products which adds a pile of wonderful minerals making them extra
nutrtitious. They do cost more, but if you can manage it, it's worth it.
Directions
Prepare
the Quinoa - bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil; add quinoa and allow it
to return to boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes or
until the water has been absorbed.
Meantime prepare the other ingredients so they're ready to go.
Add
all ingredients into food processor and puree until smooth. You may
need to do this in batches if your food processor isn't large. If you
do that, just mush it all together with your hands to ensure even
distribution of the ingredients.
Form into six 1/2-inch patties (each takes about 1/2 cup). Press patties into crumbs on both sides.
To
cook, you can do in a nonstick skillet, using a bit of olive oil or
coconut oil in the pan (med-high heat, about 8 minutes turning once, or
until browned), or grill it on the BBQ like we did last night, it turns
out great! You can make a batch of these and put some in the freezer to
pull out later if you like, in which case you can reheat on the stove
but I find they sometimes fall apart upon reheating so I prefer to bake
in the oven to reheat.
Serving suggestions:
You
can have these on thin burger buns if you like, or just eat them with a
fork and no bun. They are great with tomato slices, salsa, and
especially yummy with a bit of hoisin sauce! Honey mustard is also
really great.
Have
a side spinach salad, and maybe a small serving of sweet potato baked
"fries" (Alexis brand are delicious and come out nice and crispy) for a
full meal deal.
Nutrition:
258 calories, 9g protein, 9g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 5g fibre
Excellent source of iron, folacin, fibre.
Quinoa
is an ancient gluten-free grain that is high in protein. In fact it is
a COMPLETE protein supplying all essential amino acids (very unusual
for plant source protein!). In particular it is high in lysine (an
Amino Acid) which is essential for tissue growth and repair. It is also
high in several important mineral (manganese, magnesium, iron, copper,
and phosporus). People with migraine headaches, diabetes, and
artherosclerosis can benefit from making quinoa a staple in their diet.
Black
Beans, like all beans, are very high in fibre (keeps ya pooping!),
excellent for lowering cholesterol levels and keeping blood sugar
steady and even. They are loaded with antioxidants, and very high in
tryptophan, an amino acid that acts as a precursor to serotonin (the
feel good neurotransmitter that plays a part in regulating mood, sexual
desire, appetite, sleep, memory and learning) and promotes relaxation.
All that and virtually fat free!
What
more could you ask for from your food? You're regular, full of energy,
feeling good, relaxed. They're environmentally and animal friendly...
And don't forget delicious! That's good stuff!