Amp up your veggie burger with the nutritional punches of chickpeas and quinoa!

Quinoa burger with pear & fennel slaw

Ingredients for quinoa burger:

• 2 cups chickpeas (ground into hummus)
• ½ cup olive oil (for hummus)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced,
• ½ tsp cumin
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested
• 3 sprigs parsley, chopped
• 3 sprigs cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup flour
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ carrot, diced
• 1/3 zucchini, julienned
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method for burger:

Ground chickpeas and garlic with ½ -1 cup of olive oil using a food processor.

In a separate bowl, add all cut-up vegetables and herbs alongside ground chickpeas and cooked quinoa.

Then add lemon juice and zest and cumin. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If mixture is a little “wet”, add small amounts of flour until mixture and form into a patty.

Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out a 3-4 oz portion, shape into a round patty in your hand.

Add a small amount of vegetable oil to pan, place patty in pan cooking 3-4 minutes on each side or until a golden brown crust forms.

Serve immediately on a bun of your choice. Serve with caper yogurt and pear slaw.

Ingredients for pear & fennel slaw:

• 1 bulb fennel, sliced
• 1 pear, sliced
• ½ sliced red onion, julienned
• ½ lemon juice
• 3 sprigs cilantro, diced
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method for salad:

In a mixing bowl, add sliced fennel and pear, add the lemon juice and mix together.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Taste and adjust seasoning if need be.

If desired, this can be sweeter or a little more tart. Put into a small bowl and let marinate for an hour in the fridge.

Ingredients for smokey caper dip:

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 1 lemon, juice and zested
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method: 

In food processor, add all ingredients except yogurt and purée.

Remove from processor bowl, then add yogurt to puree herbs and capers and garlic. Mix together and taste. Adjust seasoning if need be.

Place into a side dish and have ready for meal preparation.

Courtesy Chef Chris Mark
www.steannes.com
@steannesspa