Beet and quinoa quarter pounder

When it comes to burgers, I am the king of the kitchen. Burgers are all but simple… they can be as artsy and colorful as it gets. I love making them, but most of all, eating them!
There is plenty of ready-made burgers out there: we sometimes buy them, just in case we have little or no time at all to cook. But this beet and quinoa burger beats them all in taste and texture.
Quinoa is the perfect ingredient for burgers and patties: the cooked seeds stick together and create a firm texture that doesn’t crumble when you press it together.
Furthermore, as quinoa is packed with proteins, it is also a perfect meal for the sporty.
Here’s what you need to prepare 4 of them.
Ingredients
- 2 cooked beetroots
- 2 cups quinoa
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Pinch of salt
- A few drops of lime
- Burger buns of your choice
- Vegan mayonnaise
- 1 large tomato
- Rocket leaves (or spinach leaves)
Preparation
Rinse well the quinoa under running water. This will prevent it from leaving a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. Drain and transfer into a cooking pot. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the quinoa grains open like a small flower, take off the heat. Drain well, and set aside to cool down in a bowl.
When the quinoa is at room temperature, add the beetroots and the flour. Process them in a mixer and add a few drops of lime. With the help of a round cookie cutter and a spoon, shape your burgers. You can cook them as any other burger in a lightly oiled grilling pan.
Rinse and slice the tomato.
Heat the bread buns, and spread a little mayonnaise on both. Place the cooked burger on the bottom half, and splash with a touch more mayonnaise on top. On the top half of the bun, add one or two slices of tomato, scatter some rocket leaves (fresh spinach is excellent as well) and finally join the two halves to form the burger.
Enjoy!