Judi shares a new comfort food recipe — Black Bean Quinoa Burgers!

I know, I know. When you think of comfort to do usually think of soups, meets, and hearty foods that really stick to your ribs.

During the recent snowstorm I did spend some time in the kitchen whipping up some of those. But then I got tired of stuffing mine and my families faces with fattening foods so I decided to come up with something filling and satisfying it’s still healthy and yummy.

Try these homemade black bean and quinoa burgers. I made about a dozen and they devoured them in 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Coconut or olive oil for cooking
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional, for those who like the “heat”)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup packed spinach, chopped
• 1½ cups cooked black beans, drained, or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup oat flour (ground-up rolled oats)or almond flour

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• To cook quinoa, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Rinse quinoa in a small mesh strainer.
• Once oil is hot, add quinoa to the saucepan and stir.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted.
• Add 1 cup water; turn the heat to high.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Once hot, add chopped onion; let it cook for a few minutes, stirring often.
• Add bell pepper, jalapeño (if using,)and garlic; cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Add the spinach and stir immediately, letting it wilt slightly. Turn the heat off.
• In a large bowl, add black beans; mash with a fork, leaving some texture.
• Add cooked quinoa, sautéed vegetables, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, and mix until combined, then add oat or almond flour
• Form 10-12 patties depending on desired size. Place on baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for 25-30 more minutes, until browned and crispy.
• Serve on a whole-wheat hamburger bun with guacamole, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, salsa and/or other desired toppings, or on top of a salad.
• Store in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 week. You can also freeze and reheat these.

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