It’s amazing how, when life gets busy, one can manage to eat, but not really eat a full meal. As a senior in my last semester of college, I have become remarkably good at ‘food on the run.’ Disgustingly good, actually. You know the drill- the protein drinks, granola bar, or fast food thing routine you have going on. I personally, am a fan of the clif bar for lunch and a handful of chips on the way out the door routine. Not exactly my best effort.
After a while, this on-the-run meal plan is bound to become draining. I unfortunately, can vouch for that. Sometimes you just need to slow down, enjoy a meal at the table, share it with someone you love, and absorb some nutritious and delicious food! That, my friends, is the beauty of cooking. Cooking a full meal, forces you to slow down. You cannot make water boil any faster than it’s already doing.
This meal was the forced result of a very busy semester. I found myself craving a warm and hearty meal that I could enjoy all week long, that would satisfy my taste buds, and give me a minute to slow down. The result- one very happy tummy, three envious roommates, and a recipe worth sharing!
Therefore, without further ado, I give you the Thai Veggie Burger with Peanut Sauce. Dig in people! The time is now!
Burger Ingredients:
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 tsp. olive oil, divided, plus more for pan
- 1 cup water or veggie broth
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (or 1½ cup cooked chickpeas)
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
Slaw Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- ½ cup thinly sliced green cabbage
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp. water
- Toasted burger buns
- Coarsely chopped peanuts
Directions:
- In a fine mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa. Shake as much water as possible, and set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the drained quinoa to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly roasted.
- Add the water or vegetable broth to the quinoa, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork when done and set aside to cool for five minutes.
- Meanwhile, while the quinoa is cooking, combine the chickpeas, oats, cornmeal, salt, paprika, garlic, and sesame oil in the food process, and blend until finely ground. Once mixed, add the egg, and blend until evenly moist.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl and fold in the quinoa, pepper, onion, and additional 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Using your hands, form 6-8 patties, depending on your size preference.
- To cook the patties, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Once lightly browned and cooked through, remove and serve!
- To make the slaw, toss the cabbage, carrot, and cilantro together in a bowl.
- To make the sauce, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a liquid measuring cup until smooth.
- Assemble the burgers by lightly toasting the buns, then topping each patty with a handful of slaw, a drizzle of peanut sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice and/or chopped peanuts as desired!
Notes and Tips:
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- To make gluten free, make sure you are using guten free oats and a burger bun! Enjoy!
- Source: Annie’s Eats
- If you like this recipe, check out these other delicious eats from ‘A Rented Kitchen’ (Recipe links found below photos):
a rented kitchen 