Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2-1 small fresh chilli, to taste
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 capsicum, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp no added salt tomato paste
Several dashes balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans (measured after draining)
6 pecans, toasted and finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and ground to a coarse powder
1 cup rolled oats, blitzed in food processor to a coarse powder

Thermomix method:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under cold running water, then transfer to Thermomix steamer basket, add 1 cup water and cook for 14 minutes at 100°C on speed 4.

Measure 1 cup of cooked quinoa and set aside – you can use the excess quinoa in another recipe.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place onion, garlic and chilli in Thermomix bowl, chop for 3 seconds on speed 5, then add 50 ml water at cook for 5 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Add capsicum, spices, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and cook for 3 minutes at 90°C on speed 2.

Add cooked quinoa and black beans to bowl and pulse until ingredients are thoroughly blended but not homogenised.

Add chopped nuts,  ground nuts and rolled oats and pulse until well-mixed.

Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

Regular method:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under cold running water, then place in a medium-sized saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all water is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy, about 12 minutes. Turn heat off and leave quinoa for another 5 minutes with lid on.

Measure 1 cup of cooked quinoa and set aside – you can use the excess quinoa in another recipe.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Chop the onion, mince the garlic and chilli, and sauté in a small amount of water in a non-stick frying pan until onion is wilted (about 5 minutes), then stir in capsicum, spices, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and cook, covered, until capsicum softens. Add extra water if mixture starts to stick to the pan.

Place onion mixture, cooked quinoa and black beans in a food processor and pulse until ingredients are thoroughly blended but not homogenised. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in chopped nuts and ground nuts, and rolled oats.

Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes.