This week, I am focusing on plant-based foods. Today, I am sharing a white bean and quinoa burger with a special sauce adapted from Amy Chaplin.

The American dietary guidelines suggest that we shift to a more plant-based diet. This doesn’t mean giving up meat, it means that we should introduce more plant-based proteins into our diets instead of animal protein a few days a week.

We must consume all nine essential amino acids in order to survive. The best source of essential amino acids are complete proteins. Complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids our bodies need and cannot make ourselves. While, animal protein is the best source of complete protein, there are also great plant sources.. When selecting meat, I always recommend organic and grass fed or pasture raised meats whenever possible because it is more nutritious and healthier for our bodies and more sustainable for the planet. Read my post on meat here.

Plant proteins are a great protein source but not always a complete protein source, meaning on their own, they do not contain all essential amino acids. However, plant proteins like beans or legumes when combined with grains like rice, together, make up a complete protein profile. This is why the rice and beans combination has become a staple diet in some cultures. While on their own, rice and beans do not contain all the essential amino acids, together, they do.

Here are some complete plant proteins:

• Quinoa

• Soy

• Buckwheat

• Hemp

• Chia seed

• Spirulina

• Tempeh

• Amaranth

When incorporating more plant-based proteins and foods into your diet, I want to emphasize cooking from whole food ingredients, like beans, lentils, and whole grains, instead of purchasing pre-made packaged foods.

While it may be more work, it is better to make your own veggies burgers at home. This recipe freezes great. You can double the recipe and store in the freezer to heat up anytime on the fly.

When shopping at the grocery store, remember to be an informed shopper. It is important to always read ingredients and keep in mind how the ingredients are grown. Whenever possible, I recommend buying organic to avoid exposure to harmful pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals used in conventional farming.

Furthermore, not all plant-based food products are created equal. Many pre-made plant based products at the store have deceiving marketing. Keep in mind that at the end fo the day, food brands want to sell their product and make money. What they put on their packages is meant to entice you to buy. Just because a box says “plant-based” or “vegetarian” does not automatically make it healthier. Many grocery-store vegetarian or plant based foods are highly processed. This includes Beyond Meat and the Impossible burger. Look at the ingredients. These brands also argue that their products are more sustainable because they are plant based. However, what they fail to include in their data is the amount of water, energy and other resources that it takes to grow the individual ingredients that go into the burgers and transport these ingredients to their facility.

White Bean and Quinoa Burgers with a Special Sauce

I served these burgers over zucchini noodles (zoodles) and sweet potatoes. This time I made sweet potato wedges. Next time, I will probably make a butternut squash or sweet potato purée to put with the zoodles. I added more spices to the recipe as I felt it needed a bit more flavor. I added cayenne, turmeric, and extra pepper. White beans and quinoa do not bring much flavor to the table, so its a great canvas to get creative and add your favorite flavors!

The “special sauce” is delicious and I used the extra to make a chicken-less chicken salad. Basically, I used the leftover white beans instead of chicken and added scallion, carrot, celery and “the sauce” instead of mayo or yogurt. 

Recipe

For the burger:

½ cup quinoa, soaked overnight

⅔ cup plus 3 tablespoons filtered water

Sea salt

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

Extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion (or shallot), finely chopped

3 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup cooked white beans, from dried or from a can.

1 cup chopped flat-leaf cilantro (or parsley)

2 tablespoons brown rice flour or oat flour

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground pepper

For the Sauce:

1 cup raw cashews

1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoons cold pressed flax oil

½ cup filtered water

¼ cup cooking liquid, reserved from cooking the beans.

⅓ cup chopped dill

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Making the burger

If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook in advance.

Drain and rinse quinoa and place in a small pot with ⅔ cup water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, ~ 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mix ground flax seeds with remaining 3 tablespoons water, and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.

Warm a small skillet over medium heat, add the onion and a couple of teaspoons of oil (use avocado, butter, or coconut oil). Cook for a few minutes, then add garlic and continue cooking until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add beans to a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher or a mortar and pestle. Add cilantro, quinoa, flax mixture, cooked onion and garlic, oat/rice flour and 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Using moist hands and a 1/4 measuring cup, shape mixture into 4 burgers.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of oil and then the burgers. Cook each side for 4 to 5 minutes or until well browned. Remove from heat.

Making the sauce

Add cashews, vinegar, mustard, flax oil, water and capers to a Cuisinart or high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!