I just have to rehash this post and let you know that I made these burgers last Tuesday night at the Campground and they were a HUGE hit. One of our friends is not into meat so we whipped up a batch of these…. all I can say is WOW. You truly need to try these burgers on your own time. Thanks again to Cat at WellSavannah.com for adding yet another barbecue recipe to my “favorites” list.

Hey Yall! My name is Catherine, most call me Cat, from WellSavannah.com. I am a nutritional coach and I write a wellness and nutrition blog for West Rehab and Sports Medicine, with eight clinics located in the lovely Savannah, Georgia and surrounding area.

I am so honored to be a guest blogger on ZestyCook.com! Zest is the most talented blog designer that I know and I was happy to share one of my all-time favorite recipes while he is away. This week marks the beginning of Lent, which means that many of us choose to abstain from meat and dairy until Easter.

This recipe is perfect for that because it is totally vegan, meaning zero animal products. One thing this recipe does include is a hefty source of balanced protein, fiber, and good fats.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Quinoa (red is prettier, but any kind will do)
• Vegetable stock
• Onions/Garlic/Carrot/Celery/Leek (all optional but will only enhance wonderfulness)
• Sea salt & cayenne
• 1 Tbsp. paprika (smoked is best to get that “meaty” flavor)
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. coriander
• *just a dash* cinnamon (secret ingredient)
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• 1 Cup organic ketchup
• 1 Can black beans (rinsed)
• 1/2 Cup panko breadcrumbs (you could sub: gluten free cracker crumbs)

Method

1. First, cook quinoa according to package directions (but cook in vegetable stock instead of water).
2. You may saute half of an onion, a couple cloves of garlic, carrot, celery, or leeks in extra virgin olive oil. This step is totally optional; I’ve made it both ways, and it’s wonderful. Just use what you have on hand.
3. After the quinoa has fully absorbed the stock and the germ is exposed, it should look like this:



4. Next step: add quinoa to your food processor and add all spices.





5. Then add ketchup and pecans and pulse.



6. Meanwhile, rinse those black beans.



7. Add half of those fiber-filled babies to the mixture and pulse again a few times.
8. Add your panko. Let it rest for 5 minutes and then stir in (with a wooden spoon) the rest of the black beans.



9. Check the consistency and taste! You may want to adjust spices here to your liking.
10. When you have it tasting how you want, form into baseball-sized balls and flatten into patties. (Sorry my hands were too messy to capture this process.)
11. Use a silpat or parchment, or grease your pan well! They have no fat so they will stick!



12. Preheat oven to 400 F and cook for 12 minutes. Flip carefully at around 6-8 minutes. Watch them closely because they have pecans and will brown quickly.
13. Tada! Here’s your marathon burger. Now all I need is some cilantro lime creme fraiche!

Notice that bite....I was hungry!

I grilled the bread too...but got the bun bottom/top mixed up. Ha!

Zesty Tip: My quinoa black bean burgers can be frozen easily and baked up without thawing, just make sure there is no extra air left in the freezer bag, This will also prevent you from buying those “other” frozen burgers and provide you with a burger that will win over even the most discriminatory burger eater.

I hope you enjoy my QBB burger and share it with your family and friends. We love to feed people in the South, why not surprise your dinner guests at the next cookout, with a burger that will tingle your taste buds and keep your waistline slim, and its heart healthy to boot.

Take care now and let us know how much you love this one!

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Well it was a busy day at the house after work. We had to prepare the pool for winter, cut the grass and go for a walk. I didn’t have anytime to cook so I thought it was a good excuse for one of my favorite take out joints.

Even though I tend to call myself somewhat of a healthy eater and try to eat form all the food groups daily, every now and again you just have to break away and indulge.

This double cheese burger is amazingly juicy and very flavorful. With my favorite toppings ketchup , mustard, relish and sauteed onions…. What a gem! Not too mention killer fries with a little crunch and some hearty coleslaw and fresh cracked pepper.

After devouring this meal…. the best you can do is lie down on the couch and let your stomach stretch. It does it too me everytime even though I keep coming back for more. While I don’t want to promote eating this food as a good thing – it is definitely not a bad thing in moderation.

What I would like to hear from everybody is what are their favorite burger toppings. The toppings that are a must have for you!

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty