• ½ Cup Red Quinoa (optional sprouted)
  • ½ Cup Black Rice (optional sprouted)
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • ½ Large Onion, finely chopped
  • 3 Cups white button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3 Cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Handful parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh or Dried Marjoram, finely chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh or Dried Oregano, finely chopped
  • ½ Cup Pecans, soaked and then finely chopped
  • ½ Red Bell Pepper, chopped into small cubes
  • ½ Cup Quinoa Oats, can use rolled oats (not gluten free)
  • 3 Teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
  • 2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Cheddar Cheese or Cheese substitute (optional)
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

If you want to take the extra time to make your own burgers for your summer picnics this is a winner. For an extra treat, put vegan or cheddar cheese in the center, yummy!

This Quinoa Veggie burger is so yummy that it deserved to be shown on fine china.  The red quinoa and black rice with a hit of pecans make some of the best burgers we’ve had so far. I used a Stuff-A-Burger burger press; this makes a well in your burger so you can place cheese or vegan cheese substitute inside your burger. When cooking the burger, the cheese melts and you have a veggie burger dream come true. My husband had his burger filled with a pepper jack cheese and I used vegan cheddar.

The burger press can be used to make even-sized burgers with or without using the well. If you don’t use all of them immediately, place them between waxed paper and freeze up to 3 months.

Red quinoa can be purchased at most grocery stores or health food stores. It has become a very popular grain over the past 10 years. It is more nutrition than rice and can be used in place of rice for many dishes. White quinoa and brown rice can be used if you live someplace where red quinoa and black rice are not available.

Preheat oven to 350

Serves: 6 – 8

Cooking time: 1 hour for rice and 20 for burgers

Directions:

  1. Soak rice, quinoa and pecans either the night before if want to sprout, or 4 – 6 hours before cooking. This step is optional.
  2. In a rice cooker or medium pan, add water, quinoa and black rice and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and roast for about 5 minutes, then add mushrooms cook until soft and then add onion and garlic and continue cooking until onions are soft. Occasionally stir to evenly cook.
  4. Add bell peppers, parsley, marjoram and oregano and cook for about 5 more minutes.
  5. In a large bowl, add quinoa, rice and pecan, mushroom mixture.
  6. Add oats, egg replacer, soy sauce, salt and pepper and mix well.
  7. Use a large spoon to scoop into portions, the mixture will be crumbly. Pat into nice sized 1 inch high patties.
  8. Bake the burgers on a well-greased baking sheet for 20 minutes. For cheese on top, place sliced or graded cheese on top about 5 minutes before finished cooking. Serve on bun.