Happy belated Canada Day! I know I’m a little late but lucky me gets to spend the first week of July every year up at our family cottage. These days tend to be filled with lazy morning cappuccinos in the “Muskoka” room and epic Monopoly and Scrabble tournaments in the afternoons. So of course I don’t turn my computer on very often.
Since the Canada Day weekend was a little chilly and overcast up here we didn’t spend as much time as we would have liked down at the lake. But as true Canadians we still hung on to our traditions of big hearty breakfasts, buttertarts from the local bakery, evening bonfires and, of course, the quintessential summer meal – big juicy burgers.
Last Sunday I capped off my highest weekly mileage in over 2 years with a 17 mile hilly run that left me both euphoric and famished. We all know I love to eat and by the time I was finished I was ready to sink my teeth into some real food. And in my world, sink-your-teeth-in good food does not have to be greasy or guilt-inducing. The Black Bean Quinoa burger recipe I’m about to share with you is so hearty and yummy no one will be left asking “where’s the beef?”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against meat. As a plant-based omnivore the majority of my food intake is vegetarian but I do also eat red meat, poultry and fish almost every day. Last summer I was looking for more vegetarian based meals, so I experimented with a variety of veggie burger recipes. I wanted something that was satisfying but wouldn’t leave me sagging as my body worked to digest it. And I found it.
Not only does this Black Bean Quinoa burger meet all those criteria, it is a perfect post long run meal. Both the beans and the quinoa are excellent vegetarian proteins which means they help repair damaged muscle tissues. Yet they are also loaded with carbs which are important to replenish my glycogen stores.
Sometimes I serve this burger topped with sprouts, avocado and tomato slices on an Ezekiel sprouted grain burger bun with a side of home-baked sweet potato fries. But last weekend I just wanted a big leafy green salad so I enjoyed my bun-less burger with a huge spinach salad garnished with local Ontario strawberries and slivered almonds. Full of antioxidants and fibre and deeeelish!
Hearty and guilt free pleasure – hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
Black Bean Quinoa Burger
- 1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped spinach
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15 oz can Eden organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
1. Heat coconut oil in a deep saute pan. Slowly cook the onion, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic until softened. Add the spinach, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
2. Add 3/4 cup of the black beans and the water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for a few minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup of quinoa and stir together.
3. Mash the mixture until smooth – you can use a food processor, a hand blender or even a potato masher.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the remaining beans and quinoa. Stir it all together until it is thoroughly mixed.
5. Shape into 4 patties. You can refrigerate, covered, until you’re ready to cook or go ahead and grill them right away. These burgers can also be pan-fried in a little coconut oil but nothing beats the grill on a hot July afternoon.