Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers

These fun burgers are sort of like bagel pizzas except switch out the bagel for a quinoa bean burger.  Weird description?  Perhaps.  They really are just burgers made with beans, quinoa, and Italian flavors that are topped with your favorite pizza toppings.  Mark devoured three of these pretty quickly.  They are delicious! Our only complaint is that they don't hold together very well when you are eating them, so you really do need to eat them with a fork.  I found this recipe over at edible perspective, and she ate these on a piece of bread so that is an option as well.  I opted to skip the bread since the quinoa felt like enough carbs.

I topped these with a spicy homemade tomato sauce, sauteed mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella cheese.  Of course you could top them with whatever pizza toppings sound good to you.  And don't let the long ingredient list scare you- I've included my recipe for my pizza sauce, but you don't have to use that!  I served these with roasted kale, because Mark and I both LOVE kale, but I recommend serving these with your vegetables of choice.  These pizza burgers really are a great way to satisfy your pizza cravings in a different (and healthy!) way.  As the weather continues to get cooler and warm comfort foods sound like the perfect dinner, give these a try!

Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers 

yield: 8 burgers (serves 4 or more, depending on how and with what they are served)

INGREDIENTS:
Burgers:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white (or 1 duck egg), whisked
• 6 tablespoons ground rolled oats (You can grind them in your food processor.  Use gluten-free if desired.  Or try substituting a different type of flour)
• olive oil for cooking

Spicy Tomato Sauce (or use your favorite pizza sauce):

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (no salt added if possible), juice drained out
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Toppings:

• 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• black olives, sliced
• mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1) Start by cooking the quinoa.  Combine dry quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small pot.  Set over medium high heat and bring water to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce hit to low and cover the pot.  Let cook for 15 minutes (while you prep other ingredients), until all water is absorbed.  Set quinoa aside to cool slightly.

2) Next start the spicy tomato sauce.  Puree the diced tomatoes (without the juice) in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender.  Heat olive oil in a small pot with garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat.  Once garlic begins to brown, add tomatoes, salt, and oregano.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low/medium-low until ready to use.

3) Process beans in a food processor, or mash thoroughly with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine beans, cooked quinoa, onion, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add olive oil and eggs and mix.  Add ground rolled oats and mix to combine.  The mixture should be wet, but you should be able to form it into balls that stay together.  If it's too wet, add a couple tablespoons more ground oats (or flour).

4) Divide burger mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into burgers that are about 3/4 inch thick.

5) Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, use a spatula to carefully transfer half of the burgers to the skillet.  Cook for five minutes until dark brown on the bottom.  Carefully flip over and cook for another five minutes until browned and cooked through.  If burgers are browning too quickly and not cooking on the inside, lower the heat! Repeat with remaining burgers.  Preheat your oven to low broil in the last few minutes of cooking.

6)  While burgers are cooking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is released and evaporated.  Set aside.

7) Place burgers on a baking sheet.  Top each burger with spicy tomato sauce, mushrooms,  olives, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese is starting to brown (watch carefully!!).  Enjoy!

(recipe slightly adapted from edible perspective)