Vegetarian Quinoa Lentil Patties

One of my boys used to date a vegetarian. When deciding what to feed them for dinner one night, I realized my vegetarian cooking repertoire has become somewhat limited. I feed meat eaters now, and my vegetarian cooking has kind of gone by the wayside these past few years. (We were vegetarian for probably 12 years, not a new way of cooking for me at all, but I do admit, I am kind of rusty!) So, with frozen lentils and quinoa in my freezer, I set out to make something that she would enjoy while we were having some leftover rotisserie chicken. I think they turned out pretty tasty!

The curry in these patties is mild, but if you are not a curry fan, feel free to substitute any herbs of choice for the curry powder.

Vegetarian Quinoa Lentil Patties 

2 tbsp coconut oil

½ cup finely diced onion

½ cup grated carrot

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp madras curry powder (or curry powder of choice)

1 cup of cooked lentils (mine were French lentils)

1 ½ cup cooked quinoa

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

½ cup grated Parmesan

cheese

Heat the coconut oil over medium high heat in a cast iron or other (NOT non-stick) heavy bottomed frying pan. Sauté the onion, carrot and garlic until the vegetables are just starting to soften and brown, approx 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the lentils and the curry powder, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature before proceeding!

Preheat Oven to 375F

Add the contents of the cooled frying pan to a bowl with the quinoa, eggs, salt and cheese. Mix well.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper, and shape the mixture into 8 patties, approx 1/3 cup each. Press them together as best you can, it helps hold them together.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and carefully flip the patties over to the other side. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the patties start to brown slightly, and hold together well.

Serve as is, or in a burger bun, wrap or lettuce leaf with toppings of choice. 

Mushroom Quinoa Burgers with Cilantro Tahini Sauce

This is a tasty alternative to a traditional burger, when you are wanting a lighter meal, or are entertaining vegetarian guests. I upped the nutritional punch of these by using some Arame, a sea vegetable that is rich in many minerals, including iodine, which is lacking in all of our diets. It has many other health benefits as well, and you can read more about it here.  Sea vegetables are really quite tasty, and we have been adding them to anything and everything lately. They can be found in many grocery stores and health food stores. Give them a try, I think you will love them like we do!

We served our burgers on a lettuce leaf “bun”, topped with the Tahini Cilantro Sauce that follows this recipe. My eldest teenager (who isn't fond of quinoa or mushrooms...) ate 5 of them…I think that means they were good!

Mushroom Quinoa Burgers with Cilantro Tahini Sauce

1 med onion, diced (approx 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 ½ cups diced mushrooms (used 6 crimini)

½ cup diced yellow peppers

½ cup Arame, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to soften,

1 tsp Miso Paste

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 cups precooked and cooled quinoa

¾ tsp Herbamare

1 egg

4 Tbsp ground Chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350F

Sauté the mushrooms, peppers and onions in the coconut oil for approx 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and just start to brown.

Drain your Arame, chop it up and add it to the pan. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Scrape into mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the Miso paste and sesame oil to loosen up the Miso.

Add to the veggie mixture and stir well to incorporate. Add your pre-cooked quinoa, the Herbamare, the egg and the ground Chia powder. Mix well and let stand for 10 minutes for Chia to absorb and bind the patties.

Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

Scoop out ¼ cup of mixture onto the parchment and shape into a patty, rounding and compressing slightly as you go. Repeat with remaining mixture, with this size it should make approx 10 patties.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, flip gently and cook for 10 minutes more.

Serve hot on a lettuce leaf bun, with avocado slices sprouts and the tahini sauce. (recipe below)

Tahini Cilantro Sauce

4 tbsp tahini

6 tbsp kefir or thin yogurt (not Greek!)

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Herbamare to taste

Mix all ingredients well in a small mixing bowl. Use as a sauce for burgers or as a salad dressing too!

Grass Fed Beef Burgers Without the Bun :)

When you take most grains out of your diet, you may often wonder if you will ever be able to eat some of your favourite foods again. Enter the humble lettuce leaf…we have used them as wraps, sandwich bread, Sloppy Joe vessels, and burger buns.  After the initial weirdness wears off, you won’t miss the bread at all. Romaine and green leaf lettuce seem to work the best, you need a lettuce with a bit of  body to it. Just be prepared for some mess, they are not the neatest things to eat!!

A lot of home made burgers have bread crumbs in them, I find them to be way juicer without. Give it a try! I don't think you'll miss them anymore than you miss the buns!

Grass Fed Beef Burgers

1 lb lean grass fed ground beef

1 pastured egg

1 tsp grainy organic mustard

1 clove organic garlic, minced

2 tsp dried organic oregano

¾ tsp Herbamare or other unrefined sea salt

Mix all ingredients together, I find it easiest to use my hands to get everything well incorporated. Divide into 4 even pieces and shape into evenly thick patties. Cook over medium heat on a preheated bbq grill or over medium high heat in a nice hot cast iron pan with a bit of coconut oil. Cook on the first side for 6 minutes, and then flip and cook for another 3.

Serve hot between lettuce leaves, topped with your choice of toppings. We topped it with a nice slice of raw cheddar,  some sautéed organic mushrooms and onions and a dollop of the organic grainy mustard.