Black Bean & Black Quinoa Burgers

Yes, Eric just posted beautiful, lovely doughnuts and I was tempted to not post tonight because they look so good.  But I took one bite of these burgers and I knew I needed to share; it was too selfish not to.

Also, I am incredibly satisfied that this is in fact the 1st iteration of this recipe for which I happened to determine the ingredients while wandering the grocery.  Not all who wander are lost...

What you need:
1 cup (uncooked) black quinoa *
1 14 oz can of black beans
1/4 medium red onion (minced)
1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
2 tsp chipotle seasoning
1 tsp chipotle sauce (or hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce)
1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic (minced or paste)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 eggs (beaten)

* black quinoa actually has quite a different flavor than white quinoa, heartier, earthier, a better burger grain... if you cannot find black, red or white will suffice, but try to find black....

To cook the quinoa: First, cover 1 cup quinoa with cold water and soak for a few minutes to remove the bitterness & then drain the water.  Next, add a scant 2 cups water to the quinoa.  Place this on the stovetop and bring to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.

While the quinoa is cooking, dice the onion and pepper and smash the black beans with a fork.

Combine all the ingredients except for the eggs in a large bowl.  At this point, you want to check the mixture for taste.  Add extra spices if needed.  Then, add the eggs.  Make burger sized patties and place then on an oiled baking sheet ( I used olive oil) to prevent sticking.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Flip the patties and bake at 400 for another 10 minutes.  Mmmm enjoy!

This recipe yields 8 burgers.   You should have plenty for your whole family yourself, later in the week or to pop in the freezer and keep for a rainy day.  This is even after eating 2 (go ahead, they are super healthy).