lentil, quinoa, cauliflower garden burgers

The search for a good garden burger is not an easy one. There are the weird ones that are made to taste like meat, completely abolishing the point of eating a vegetarian hamburger. Then there are the ones that seem to be made of all sorts of grains: oats, bread crumbs, barley, etc. While I am certainly not opposed to carbs, it seems to be overkill to place a patty of oats on a bun made of grains. 

I wanted to come up with a recipe that contained protein and vegetables. So I grabbed a bunch of odds and ends from the pantry...

...added some sauteed veggies...

...mixed them all together...

 ...formed them into patties, cooked them up...

 ... added all sorts of toppings, and ate them.

Lentil, Quinoa, Cauliflower Garden Burgers

2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaping cup of chopped leeks
3 c cauliflower florets
sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 1/2 c lentils, cooked (about 3/4 cook lentils uncooked)
1 c quinoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire
sprinkle hot sauce
1 humongous clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 egg + 1 egg white

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks. As they begin to brown, add cauliflower. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook until cauliflower is slightly browned and tender. Put into a blender or food processor and pule until chopped finely (or chop finely).

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, add quinoa. Reduce to simmer and cover. Allow quinoa to absorb water and fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl combine 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and next six ingredients (through olive oil). Whisk well. Add in cooked lentils, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and chopped cauliflower/leek mixture. Beat in egg and egg white with a fork.

Heat a large pan over medium heat and brush lightly with olive oil. Form the mixture into patties a few inches across and about 1/2 inch thick. Allow patties to cook well (the patties should no longer stick to the pan when cooked), then flip and allow to brown on the other side. Serve on a good bun with all the fixin's. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I can't lead you to believe that these patties stuck together well. You really have to pack them together tightly, and be extremely careful when flipping. Also, do not use too much oil when cooking and do not let the heat get too high or low. Aside from all that, they are easy to make, really!