Pinto Bean Quinoa Burgers

To cook the beans, soak them overnight and then drain. Put the beans in a large pot and cover with water. Add the garlic, bay leaves and epazote and cook until done. For more information, see the lesson called

To start, place the quinoa and salt into a medium pot along with the water (or stock) and cook according to the package. Generally, quinoa takes about 15 minutes. Once done, set aside. Meanwhile, roast the poblano peppers. This can either be done on the barbecue or under the broiler. Alternatively, the poblanos can be done right on a gas burner. Once the skin has charred and blistered on all sides, place into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When the poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and remove the seeds. Then dice and set aside. Next, dice the red onion and mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro and gather the spices, nutritional yeast and cornmeal. To cook the burger mix, heat a large fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the oil, followed by the onions, as well as a good pinch of salt. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Next add the spices and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the cooked beans, stirring to combine and then turn off the heat. Next, mash the beans until quite smooth. A potato masher or a pastry cutter work well for this. If you don't have either of these, a fork will also work. If your fry pan is big enough, you can finish mixing the burgers right in the fry pan. If it isn't, transfer the mixture to a large bowl before you continue. To finish, add the quinoa, poblano peppers, cilantro, nutritional yeast and cornmeal. Mix everything to combine.

Gently form the mixture into patties. This mix generally makes about eight 5-ounce burgers. Next, place the cornmeal onto a plate and coat each patty with the cornmeal. Then, place onto a tray and refrigerate for about half an hour to chill them. This helps the burgers stay together during cooking. To cook the burgers, heat the oil and fry the patties. You will likely need to do this in two batches. Let the first side cook until it is nice and golden. Try not to touch or move the burgers too much or they may start to fall apart. Flip and brown the other side. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Once all of the burgers are done, serve with your favorite toppings.

This burger pairs well with many topping. Most often, I serve them with Guacamole; however, Hummus or even Romesco Sauce would also go well. The burger can also be topped with lettuce, sprouts, sliced cucumber and/or tomatoes.