This was the very first time experimenting by making a vegetarian version of the burger. Quinoa is a staple in my household, so I used quinoa as the base of my vegetarian burgers.

Packed with protein and full of flavor, these vegetarian burgers are the perfect meatless option and make a healthy meal.

Ingredients:

• ½ Cup Quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 Cup Water
• 3/4 Cup Black Beans
• 1 whole egg, 1 egg white
• ¼ Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• ½ tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Servings: 4

Directions:

In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to boil and cook your quinoa for 20-25 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, drain and rinse your black beans, and allow them to dry.

Once the quinoa is fully cooked, set it aside to cool for 10 minutes. After cooling, add the quinoa to a mixing bowl and add the beans, egg, spices and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.  You can now begin to form burgers out of the mixture. This recipe yields four burgers.

Cook the burgers on the stove using a large nonstick pan. First, coat the pan with EVOO and then add the burgers. Cook on one side for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, then flip the burgers and place a lid over the pan. Using a lid will create a convection, allowing your burgers to cook through evenly. Let the burgers cook on the other side for another 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes of cooking on the other side, flip the burgers again, and let them finish cooking another 5 minutes on low heat while covered.

Plate and serve with any sides of choice, over a salad, or on a bun!