Toasted Hazelnut Burgers

Author: Michelle Babb

Toasted hazelnuts have a sweet, earthy flavor that makes these meat-free burgers unique. The quinoa lends itself to the nutty flavor of the hazelnuts and rounds out the nutritional profile of these tasty "burgers." Serve these to your vegan friends and watch them savor every bite!

Ingredients:

¾ cup hazelnuts
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 carrot, shredded
¼ cup tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: sliced avocado, cheese, salsa

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and place hazelnuts in a clean towel. Vigorously roll the hazelnuts around in the towel to remove most of the skins.

Place quinoa in a large saucepan. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes (without stirring).

Place toasted hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cumin and oregano in food processor and grind to medium-coarse or desired texture.

In large bowl, combine 1 cup of the cooked quinoa (you will have plenty of leftover quinoa to save – always make more than you need!), the ground nut mixture and the carrot. Combine ingredients and slowly add the tomato sauce until the mixture becomes somewhat sticky. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Form the mixture into patties (about ½-inch thick) and refrigerate, freeze, or cook right away. When you cook the patties, heat a small amount of coconut or sunflower oil in a skillet and cook on medium-high heat for ~2 minutes on each side (longer if frozen).