Quinoa Black Bean Burgers

As much as I love cooking, I sometimes fall down a rabbit hole and arrive in The Land of No Ideas.  I don't really like it there.  It's cold, uncomfortable, and I spend waaayy too much time trying to come up with new dinner ideas.  As much as I enjoy experimenting, I fall into cooking patterns just as much as anyone else.  And you can only make (and eat) a frittata so many times before you never want to see another egg in your life.  So when I stumbled across a bag of tri-colored quinoa, I couldn't resist buying it.  I don't use quinoa very often, so it seemed like it would be fun to work with a different grain.  One of the suggestions on the back of the bag was to make veggie burgers, which just intriguing enough.

If you've ever tried to make (or eat) a veggie burger, then you know that there are TONS of different ones out there.  Vegetable, soy, rice, millet, egg, grain, bean, mushroom... The list goes on and on.  Having eaten veggie burgers my whole life, I can guarantee that they have improved in flavor over the last couple of decades.  When I was a kid, they were pretty awful, but now?  Now, most of them are quite delicious (although there is always room for improvement).

And as easy as it is to just buy a package of frozen burgers and cook them, there is a certain appeal in making your own because there is so much more versatility.  You can add (or eliminate) any ingredient you want.  So I encourage to to go ahead and try these out.  They are simple to make and they are begging to be adapted.  You could use different vegetables, add spices, or throw some curry powder in the mix.  Whatever you decide to throw in, I'm sure it will taste fabulous.  The only thing is, you'll have to invite me to dinner.
 

Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
Serves 6-8

Note: while veggie burgers seem inherently simple, there is something incredibly difficult about making them.  They often crumble and fall apart, making the cooking rather perilous.  Upon experimenting, I have found that many cook better if you add a little water to the pan, cover, and allow them to steam for a couple of minutes before browning/frying them.  It allows the burgers cook through and become more stable before the browning.

Olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 kale leaves, sliced thin
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 can black beans, drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute peppers and onions 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic, corn, and sliced kale and continue to cook until soft, 2-3 minutes more.  Remove from heat and combine in a food processor with the black beans, and puree until fine.  In a large bowl, mix black bean mixture, quinoa, beaten egg, cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.

To cook patties, form and let chill in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.  [Also, see note above] In the meantime, heat skilled with oil and fry patties until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.  Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings.