Quinoa Burgers

I purchased this product at my new favourite little vegetarian shop/restaurant in Burlington, ON - KindFood, however you should be able to find it in health or organic food stores. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is a food that has been getting more attention in the past year. It is an ancient grain that has been consumed for thousands of years. Nutritionally it is wheat-free and gluten-free, perfect if you are trying to reduce your wheat intake or for those allergic or intolerant to gluten. It is also a complete protein, a great substitute for meat and is high in fibre. Quinoa can be used in stirfrys, salads, side dishes or like this product, your main course. To learn more visit my favourite site for mostly accurate information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa.

The directions were pretty clear. Add some water. Mix it around. Form patties. I added more water - you'll need 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to make the dry, crumby mixture stick. Once I formed the 6 patties, I tapped water on the edges so that they didn't crack. Then, I heated canola oil (2 Tbsp) in a frying pan on medium heat and fried the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden. I made them a little thicker so we could put them in a pita, falafel-style. We added yogurt mixed with dill and lemon, with lettuce, avocado and Feta cheese in the pita. We also served a salad of tomato, cucumber, and red onion. It was a great meal, I highly suggest trying this product. If you made them a little flatter, they would be excellent as a burger substitute, as the box suggests.

Just a note for all those health nuts out there: the ingredient line was pretty good. Many packaged products you get list crazy amounts of preservatives and things you can't pronounce. Usually not a good choice, especially if you are looking to eat more whole foods (a good decision). I feel comfortable with this boxed food as the ingredients were all food products and spices. A healthy, wholesome and delicious choice!

Much love & good eating,

Stephanie