I don’t know about you, but I’m all about cooking once, eating twice (three times if I’m lucky!), without having my leftovers feel too…leftover-y.
Turns out that “remixing” leftover ingredients – or transforming one meal into something totally different – is a great foolproof solution for this.
That’s exactly how my roasted quinoa burgers came about.
It all started with this “go-to” dinner of mine:
A simple salad topped with roasted veggies, some cooked grains and a basic dressing or vinaigrette.
I was getting a little bored with my trusty salad, so I decided to “remix” it. I mashed my roasted veggies, mixed them with my cooked grains and made burgers instead.
Best.Idea.Ever.
And so simple.
Cooked grains and smashed root veggies – or mashed beans (like in the case of these Black Bean & Brown Rice Burgers) – make a burger mixture that binds together nicely, without eggs.
This recipe is super basic, but you can jazz up the flavor profile by adding more veggies and/or spices to the burger mixture…or by slathering on a delicious sauce like pesto, harissa or a chive and cashew cream.
I topped mine with my exact salad ingredients: mixed greens, sliced red onion, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of my spicy tahini dressing. So good.
Roasted Quinoa Burgers
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 small yellow or white potato, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 3-4 handfuls of mixed greens
- ¼ cup red onions, thinly sliced
- Pumpkin seeds
- Spicy Tahini Dressing (recipe to follow)
For the Spicy Tahini Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less to suit your taste)
- Sea salt to taste
- Warm water, up to 3 tablespoons
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt and pepper and then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and roast until the potatoes are soft and golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. *NOTE: you can use any roasted root veggies that you like for these burgers.
- While veggies are roasting, prepare the dressing by whisking together the first five ingredients in a small bowl and adding warm water to thin to desired consistency.
- Mash your roasted veggies in a bowl and stir in quinoa, mixing together until well combined.
- Form small patties out of the mixture and pan-fry until edges are crispy, about 3 minutes per side.
- Top with mixed greens, red onions, pumpkin seeds and drizzle spicy tahini dressing on top.
One last thing…
…and then I’ll let you go enjoy your burgers. 🙂
I’ve been getting lots of questions and comments (thank you, thank you, thank you!) about my 28-day meal plan, Nourish Yourself, that I announced here.
And there is one important reoccurring question that I want to address right away.
Some form of, “Is this a liquid DETOX that’s all starvation nation for 28 days?” has been rolling in from clients, VM subscribers and Nourished viewers about the program – and if they’re wondering, you might be too.
The answer is no, absolutely not.
You know I LOVE food and I’d never create (or sell) anything that didn’t jive with the way I actually live and eat.
This is a program filled with REAL FOOD and hearty meals, just like these Roasted Quinoa Burgers.
I promise you there is no deprivation or starvation – only healthy versions of the foods you already love and crave…think mac n’ cheese, tacos, banana bread pancakes and more!
It’s delicious and filling and you can LEARN MORE HERE –> NOURISH YOURSELF.
With so much love & appreciation,
xo
Vicki
SO SO SO excited to try your meal plan. I did a liquid detox ONCE and never again, but I really am looking for something to help me eat better and not starve. Plus I’m very interested in going more plant based.
I’m excited for YOU to try it, Steph! 😉
Love this recipe and can’t wait for the meal plan.
Thanks Jordan! 🙂
Umm…mac n’ cheese, tacos, banana bread pancakes…YES PLEASE! Where, when and how can I get this?
I know right, Denise?!? 😉 The Nourish Yourself meal plan will be available September 26th — right here at VickiMarquez.com. Look for Meal Plan in the menu bar to purchase and make sure you’re on the VM Subscriber list to get exclusive discounts and bonuses!