Quinoa Burgers/Nuggets {Vegetarian}

Quinoa Burgers

Original Recipe Found HERE

1 cup dry quinoa
3/4 cup shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 cup carrot or zucchini, finely grated
2 green onions (including white parts), chopped
3 eggs
3 TBS flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
olive oil for frying/baking

For burgers:
whole wheat buns
fry sauce (mayo, ketchup and sometimes mustard - all to your own taste)
thinly sliced onion
thick sliced tomato
crisp lettuce leaves

1. Place quinoa in a bowl of cold water and let soak about 20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Bring 2 cups of salted water to boil, add quinoa and turn down heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. While quinoa is soaking/cooking, prep. the carrots, green onions, and cheddar cheese.
3. Also combine flour, sugar and spices in a large bowl. Add the eggs, carrots and green onions and mix together well.
4. Once the quinoa is cooled add it to the mixture and using your hands fold the egg into the qunioa very well.
5. Add both cheeses and once again fold cheese throughout the quinoa/egg mix.

If pan frying:

1. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Take 1/4 - 1/3 measuring cup (depending on how big you want your burgers) and pack it full of the mixture. Drop mixture into the hot pan and then press the mixture into a burger patty with the back side of the measuring cup.
3. Cook low and slow on each side so it gets brown and crispy on the outside and done on the inside with out burning (this also helps when it comes to flipping).
*I cook one at a time but that's just because I have a really old electric stove top and only a small little pan to cook them in.

If baking:

1. Either rub pan with oil or non-stick spray OR use a Silpat (baking mat - I LOVE MINE!).
2. Form patties on pan and bake for 25 minutes at 400º flipping halfway through.

I made fry sauce and topped each burger with tomato, onion and lettuce. I served them with roasted cauliflower and a spring salad with hemp seeds and craisins. Yum and yum.

FOR NUGGETS:

1. Using non-stick spray or a Silpat baking mat, drop 1-2 TBS of mixture onto baking sheet. Press down and form little nuggets with your fingers. I fit about 12 on one baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes at 400º flipping halfway through.

I made a bunch of nuggets at this size. My 3 year old at 3 of them along with some roasted cauliflower and was filled up. I am going to freeze the rest for lazy dinner days :)