Quinoa-Black Bean Burgers

Summer is here and so is burger season! It’s time to start making those summer salads and quick and easy go-to meals. These veggie burgers are a cinch to put together on those hot summer days. Are you worried you won’t be getting enough protein if you don’t eat a burger made from meat? Set those worries to one side! These veggie patties are packed full of protein and fibre to give you that burger-sized feeling of satisfaction.

Black beans and quinoa provide these burgers with a complete protein, meaning they have all the essential amino acids you need to get from your diet. What are amino acids and how do they relate to protein? Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 22 naturally occurring amino acids in proteins. Amino acids can be broken down into two types: essential and nonessential. Essential amino acids are called ‘essential’ because we have to get them from our food, as the body does not produce them on its own. Nonessential amino acids are those that can be produced by the body.

So, next time you find yourself worrying about whether or not your vegetarian meal is going to provide enough protein, simply add some quinoa and beans to your dish and you’ll get a protein punch that makes a meat-based burger look puny! Toss aside the beef and chow down on these Quinoa-Black Bean Burgers this summer!

Quinoa-Black Bean Burgers

Yields: 6 burger patties

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1 (398 ml) can black beans

1 cup organic corn

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon dried basil

½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.     Add all ingredients into a bowl and mash together.

3.     Use a ¼ cup measure to make burger patties, and place on cookie sheet. Use your hands to form the mixture into round patties.

4.     Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

References:

Black Beans. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2017. <http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=87>.

Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for dietary wellness. New York: Penguin Group, 2003. Print.

Haas, Elson M., and Buck Levin. Staying healthy with nutrition: the complete guide to diet and nutritional medicine. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2006. Print.