Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Yesterday at the grocery store, my husband bought a pound of ground beef. I asked him if he wanted burgers for dinner tonight and he said, "You don't eat hamburgers so why would you make them for dinner?"

Hamburgers for him, black bean quinoa burgers for me.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a seed that can be cooked up and eaten like rice. It is a complete protein, something rarely found in the plant world. It is a good source of fiber and other nutrients, too, so it makes a filling side (or staple) to any meal.

You will need:

• 1 cup prepared black beans
• 1 cup prepared quinoa
• 5-6 saltine crackers

1 teaspoon each:

• garlic powder
• season salt
• black pepper
• cumin
• chili powder

What to do:

1. Put the beans, quinoa, and crackers in a blender or food processor. Blend until well mixed and fairly smooth, you don't want big cracker chunks in your burgers.
2. Add seasonings and pulse until mixed.
3. Form the mixture into four patties and either cook them on the stovetop or grill for about 2 minutes each side, or bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until firm. 

Want real meat? Substitute the black beans/quinoa for ground beef, chicken or turkey; everyone's happy. You could also combine the meat and the bean mixture to stretch the recipe out for a larger crowd and add some extra fiber and nutrients to the table. 

I made four patties each of these to freeze so we have something quick to fix up on lazy days. My lazy self will thank my proactive self later.