Lentil Mushroom Quinoa Burgers

After a bit more of a hiatus than I'm used to (I didn't even post a darn thing on the 'gram) I have a few recipes worth sharing. I wish I could say that my hiatus was used for planning said recipes but that was not the case. I had a few curve balls thrown my way, nothing serious, but I started the week with my pants ripping open in the middle of teaching and ended it with a volleyball square to the face. And there was stuff in between. So yeah. At any rate, the first of these recipes is a vegan Mushroom, Lentil, Quinoa Burger that has the vegan seal of approval.

I thought they tasted pretty great but I had to have my vegan friends over to corroborate my stance. Top these suckers with red onion and ketchup and you'll forget about beef burgers, at least for a little while. My vegan friends agreed there was plenty of flavor and looked forward to making them at home, a huge compliment! Without further ado, you have the recipe below. Until the next dish, ciao!

You will need:

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils

1 8oz package cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup cooked quinoa (I used Trader Joe's tri-color)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/3 cup oats (I used quick cooking)

Vegetable or canola oil

Red onion, lettuce, avocado, ketchup and other toppings

In a medium pan, heat 1/2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan once the oil is hot. Saute and add 1/2 tsp of dried oregano and 1/2 tsp dried basil. Cook a little longer, stirring frequently but do not let them soften completely. You will want them to be slightly firm so they blend well. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a food processor, combine lentils, quinoa and mushrooms. Add the remaining oregano and basil. Pulse until the mushrooms are chopped and lentils remain somewhat whole. Over mixing is the death of this burger. Add the tomato paste and soy sauce, pulse a few more times until combined. Add the oats to the mixture and pulse until the oats are gently combined. If your mixture looks like it might not hold together well add another tablespoon of oats.

Heat the pan over medium heat with another 1/2 tbs of oil. Form patties with the lentil mixture and add to pan. Cook over medium heat, 3 minutes per side, until browned and warmed through.