Back a few years ago, my husband and I went on a low cal diet to lose weight for a caribbean vacation. It was at that point that I first discovered Boca Burgers – about 100 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving. They taste good, they’re filling, and there’s a ton of things you can do with them. Needless to say, they became a staple in our lunch and dinner rotations. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love a good *real* burger – heard of Milo’s by chance? If you aren’t in Alabama probably not, but it’s the epitome of burger heaven. Google it.
I still buy them every now and then, but I decided to try to make my own veggie burgers to see how close I could get to a smoky beef flavor without the beef. And because I like to play in the kitchen.
Quinoa-Mushroom Burgers
1 lb mushrooms
1 cup beef broth
1 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tbsp hot water
1 cup quinoa, cooked
3/4 cup hummus (chickpea dip)
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp coarse ground pepper
Heard of flax seed?
It’s apparently huge in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which may lower cholesterol and help in fighting certain cancers. I started buying it several years ago after I was diagnosed with IBS. I didn’t take the prescribed IBS med very long (it did absolutely nothing), but I have continued to use this now and then. The flax used in this recipe is GROUND flax, and when mixed with hot water can be used as a substitute for an egg in most recipes…..good little tidbit, right 😉 I’ve had to do this several times when I discover I’m out of eggs, and you can’t tell the difference.
Anyway, onto the recipe.
Wash and dry the mushrooms.
Bring the cup of beef broth to a boil, then add mushrooms and turn the heat down to medium.
Boil for about 10 minutes, remove from heat and drain. Combine the flax meal with 2 tbsp of hot water with a spoon.
Set aside.
In a food processor, add the hummus, mushrooms, flax meal mixture, and rest of the ingredients. Pulse a few times, then scrape the sides with a spatula.
Put mixture in the fridge for at least an hour.
Remove the burger mix from fridge, and form into patties. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Place 3 patties at a time (do not crowd them), cooking about 8 minutes, then flip and cook another 8 minutes. They will be nice and brown on the bottom. The key is cooking them SLOW. These are not beef burgers; you can’t rush them. They are sensitive and need your time and attention. Needy little things, aren’t they?
Remove from heat and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Then serve them up like you want them-
This one had Muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo mixed with tabasco and pepper. You can do whatever you want. Obviously I chose the heat road.
It’s your burger.
~Enjoy~
Dixie Chik
10 Comments
Jakethy
May 14, 2011 at 8:50 PMWow, I really dig your site. Lots of great features, and plenty of nifty ways to navigate and uncover the goodies you’ve got here. Good photos, too. Being vegan, my tiny plastic co-writers and I are always on the lookout for great veggie burger ideas. We’re big quinoa fans, too, but had never thought to use it in burger. Now we know what we’re doin’ the next time we fire up the grill.
Sunny @ http://pantrychef.wordpress.com
March 4, 2011 at 12:26 PMHMMMM… Milo’s sweet tea is legit! You flung a craving on me for sure!
Ang
January 26, 2011 at 11:58 PMNow this I gotta try. I’m always looking for new burger ideas since I don’t eat beef. Love it!
Sandra
January 24, 2011 at 7:03 PMOh wow..mouthwatering burger! Love your photos!
Kate @ Diethood.com
January 24, 2011 at 4:32 PMHealthy and yummy – My kind of food! Great recipe!
HappyWhenNotHungry
January 24, 2011 at 1:47 PMI’ve never had a quinoa burger, but yours look healthy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Jessica
January 24, 2011 at 12:51 PMI am always on a search for more quinoa recipes and I love this one! Burgers that are healthy and protein-based? I’m in!!
Celia
January 24, 2011 at 12:44 PMI love quinoa – and homemade veggie burgers are so much better than the frozen Boca Burgers. Might sub in veggie stock and make this for some vegetarian friends…
Lauren
January 24, 2011 at 12:33 PMAnother awesome quinoa recipe!? You rock. haha P.S. We nominated you for the Stylish Blogger Award! Check out our page to see it. Keep up the great foodie blogging, we love it 🙂
Dixie Chik
January 24, 2011 at 12:49 PMThank you!! I love From The Little Yellow Kitchen too…y’all do a great job!