black bean & quinoa burgers

Yield: makes 4 burgers

Ingredients
1-2 teaspoons olive oil 1 medium shallot, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped dried spices - 2 teaspoons each of cumin & coriander, pinch of cayenne 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire (or soy sauce or tamari) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or ketchup) 1 tablespoon grated beet (optional - for color) 1/4 cup walnuts 1 cup black beans, cooked & drained (you will use 1/2 cup at a time) 1 "flax egg" (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water) 3/4 cup cooked red quinoa (youll use 1/2 cup, then 1/4 cup separately) salt & pepper fixings: toasted whole wheat or gluten free buns lettuce, red onion, tomato, shredded cabbage, jalapeos Spiced Ketchup and Chipotle Mayonnaise

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 with a metal baking sheet inside. 2. In a small bowl, stir flax & water together and set aside. 3. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add the shallot, garlic, a few good pinches of salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the dried spices, stir, and cook for 30 seconds more. 4. Add the worcestershire, balsamic, tomato paste, grated beet, walnuts and THE FIRST 1/2 CUP black beans. Stir and cook for another few minutes and turn heat off. 5. Let cool slightly, then add the contents from the pan to the food processor. Add the flax egg and blend until everything is cohesive. It does not need to be perfectly smooth). 6. Transfer mix to a bowl and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of black beans (smash them a little as you stir), and 1/2 CUP of the quinoa. (You can taste & adjust seasonings at this point if you want to because there is no egg). Stir until this is all very cohesive then divide into 4 segments and roll into balls. 7. Place the 4 balls on a plate and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/4 cup quinoa. Gently roll them so the quinoa coats the outside of the balls, then press each in the palm of your hand to form patties. Place on parchment paper (on a plate) and chill for 20 minutes. 8. Transfer the parchment w/ your patties onto the pre-heated baking sheet. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and bake for about 15 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until the outside is not mushy. 9. Let cool and serve with fixings of your choice and spiced ketchup and chipotle mayonnaise.

Notes
This recipe looks long, but I promise it goes pretty quick!
http://w w w .loveandlemons.com/2014/03/05/black-bean-quinoa-burgers/